Benjamin Britten Academy of Music & Mathematics

February - March

Series of assemblies to explain the courses and the 'Options' procedures to students, including careers advice, post 16 and further education providers.

Year 9 Careers

Google Classroom

All Year 9 students have been invited to their Careers Google Classroom. This is a fantastic hub of resources for your child, which includes content specifically aimed at helping them choose their GCSE option subjects.

Our local colleges and universities have also pitched in and sent us videos containing lots of useful information on how the choices you make now can facilitate future college and university courses.

Students should have taken their careers workbook home following their careers lessons last term, however if they did not or have misplaced it, then we have also popped a copy of this in the google classroom for a reminder of the options content we covered in class.

28 February

Year 9 Options launch

Subject information will go live on the school website
(students should log in to the website to view this content).

5-7 March

Year 9 Assessments in English, Maths and Science.  

These assessments are sat under exam conditions in the sports halls/study centre.  They are independent of the options process but help with the initial setting of Year 10 as the three bands of lower school moves to 2 bands in Key Stage 4, moving from 9 teaching groups to 10.

Thur 6 March

Options Presentation 

5:45 pm for a 6:45 pm presentation Tutor Groups: 9AWi, 9BGe, 9CGa, 9EOx, 9FKi 

Please park in the Foxy car park and make your way to the main school dining hall where you can meet our Post 16 providers and teachers, followed by a presentation at 6:45 pm

6:45 pm for a 7:45 pm presentation Tutor Groups: 9JHo, 9LCh, 9MAl, 9SSw, 9VAi

Please park in the Main School car park and make your way to the main school dining hall where you can meet our Post 16 providers and teachers, followed by a presentation at 7:45 pm

This is an opportunity to learn about the Key Stage 4 curriculum and choices process.  There will be the opportunity to discuss specific subjects with subject teachers, post 16 providers, Mrs Jenkins and the Year 9 Team.

A copy of the presentation will be placed on the school website.

A Google Form will be emailed to your child’s school email account to complete. The form can also be accessed by scanning the QR code below.  This will be open for responses from 6 March.

Thursday 20 March

Deadline for completed 'Options' form to be submitted via Google Forms.   

Processing will not commence until the deadline has passed.

April - July

After receiving your form, we will be running a series of ‘dry-runs’ to see what the best combination of subjects will be. 

Initially we will give students an open choice, but eventually we may have to ask students to select one subject from each pool or option block. 

This is often the point where disappointment sinks in as there will be combinations that won’t be possible, where courses may be over-subscribed or options need to be re-thought.

In the past five years, we have been able to find an excellent fit based on open choices, however there will be a small number of students for whom we are unable to offer the combination of subjects they have requested.

If this is the case, we will talk to you and your son or daughter to discuss the best possible solution.

Early July

Options confirmed.