Year 8 Options
The curriculum at St George’s Academy is adapted between Year 8 and 9 to allow students the opportunity to input into decisions about the courses they follow. As an academy we continually review our curriculum to ensure it remains both ambitious and effective in preparing our students for successful and fulfilling futures beyond St George’s.
For the Academic Year September 2024, students will be asked to make choices in 2 Option Blocks to select subjects to study in depth for 3 years. The curriculum within Year 9 will therefore consist of these 2 subjects, plus an extended core curriculum. Students will have the opportunity in Year 9 to experience a number of new subjects as well as additional time in the Technology subjects, before they are then asked to make a further choice for their remaining 2 subjects, which they will study over 2 years throughout Year 10 & 11.
The reasons for this curriculum model are numerous and we see the main advantages as follows:
- The educational landscape following the pandemic has changed and it is recognised nationally that students need time to identify potential future career pathways. Following an extended Core Curriculum in Year 9 allows students the time to discover more about their own aspirations and interests before committing to all subjects.
- The subjects offered for selection at the end of Year 8 to be studied over 3 years are made up of National Curriculum subjects and ‘Talent’ subjects. This therefore ensures that students have a broad curriculum that offers flexibility for future study as well as time to develop and embed knowledge and skills for Post 16 choices.
- The curriculum is ambitious and allows all students to access the English Baccalaureate (EBACC), whilst retaining opportunities for creative, practical and vocational courses. This will help ‘future proof’ students’ CVs and allow individual talents to be celebrated.
- Triple Science is part of the options process, where more able scientists will be able to select Triple Science as a subject to study in Year 10 & 11. For students who enjoy Science and want to spend more time learning about the sperate Sciences, but not necessarily at A level, they are able to select Triple Science to study from Year 9.
- All subjects will complete in Year 11 so that students can truly develop their abilities and excel in their chosen subjects.
The option booklets here have been designed to help students, with their parents, to make informed decisions about the development of their future curriculum. Option forms have been designed to guide students towards subjects that we consider most appropriate given their current progress and attainment data, building upon their strengths and ensuring their curriculum is equally ambitious and accessible.
Below are PDF versions of the Key Stage 4 Curriculum Booklets for both Ruskington and Sleaford.