GCSE Options
At Lister Community School, we aim to provide all students with a broad and balanced curriculum, developing core subject skills while encouraging individual talents and interests for all.
In KS4, students will have the opportunity to develop a more detailed, in depth, knowledge and understanding of a smaller number of subjects (while maintaining a broad curriculum). All students will follow a CORE curriculum, success in which will guarantee students five good GCSEs: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science, Religious Studies and Core PE (Non-GCSE).
In addition to the core curriculum, students will have the opportunity to choose three additional option subjects.
Students studying Science will be entered for either the Combined Science course (double award) or for Triple Science. Both courses will be taught during the time allocated for the Science curriculum and places on the Triple course will be by teacher invite.
All students will choose History or Geography as one of their options and the majority of students will continue studying Spanish.
Choosing GCSE options
At Lister Community School, we believe that the Year 9 Options process is very important. It is an opportunity for your child to have increased control of the choices they make about their education. The options chosen in Year 9 will impact your child’s time at school for the next two years. These choices will also influence which options are available after Year 11 in terms of further study and career pathways.
It is vitally important to choose subjects for the correct reasons. We strongly recommend that as parents and carers, you spend some time with your child thinking about which subjects they enjoy doing, and what keeps them interested and motivated. Above all, your child will need to think about which subjects will offer them the career options they want to pursue. Our Year 9 Options Booklet provides detailed information about our GCSE programme structure.
The information posted on this page is aimed at supporting you and your child through this process.
Good reasons for choosing an option
- You are good at the subject
- You think you will enjoy the course
- It fits your career ideas and plans
- It goes well with your other choices
- It helps to give you plenty of choice post 16
- You think you might want to continue studying it post 16
- Your research shows that it will interest you and motivate you to learn
Bad reasons for choosing an option
- Your friends have chosen it
- You think it will be easy
- Someone else thinks it is a good idea
- You like the teacher you have now
- You did not have time to research your options properly
Further information and support
Our school leaders and heads of department are there to support your child’s work through the best for them as an individual. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.