Year 9 students will shortly begin the process of selecting their GCSE and BTEC options for Year 10.  This is the most important stage in your child’s education so far and we understand it can be an anxious time.  Making the right decisions and choices is of vital importance as they will inform the subjects that they will study for the next two years but also provide an educational or career pathway for their Post-16 choices.

During the week beginning 24th January you will receive a personalised letter to inform you of your child’s appropriate pathway which will be allocated based on their prior attainment and current academic performance. In this letter, you will be informed of the process involved in making the choices. Please be reassured that sufficient time has been allocated before choices are submitted.

Ordinarily we would have an options evening event to support this process, however given the current situation this is unable to happen. Instead, we will be having an online options event on Thursday, 27th January at 5:30pm. You will be able to hear live from our Headteacher, Assistant Head for Curriculum and Head of Year 9 about the Options process. Should you not be able to attend this live event, a recording will be made available on the school website the following day for you to access. On that same evening, we will be hosting an online Parents’ Evening from 3:30-5:30pm to give you the opportunity to speak with your child’s form tutor via Google Meets to discuss their current progress, attainment and ask any questions you may have about the options process. Earlier that week you will also have access to your child’s report and the Options Booklet.

Furthermore, your child will receive information about subject options via assemblies, lessons and careers information throughout the coming weeks. We have set up a Year 9 Options page on the school website under the Curriculum and Learning tab which will go live following the Options Event on the 27th. Here you will be able to find videos from subject leaders about those subjects which may be chosen – this will be particularly important for subjects that your child may not have studied before.    We are setting up a dedicated Helpdesk email where both your child and you can ask questions and seek advice on year9options@wellingschool-tkat.org

I would like to thank you in advance for your support in ensuring our Year 9 students make informed curriculum choices.

Yours faithfully

Mrs J Gooch

ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER