Page 2 - Pathways Booklet 2022 latest

A Foreword from the Principal

The Year 9 Pathways Programme is one of the key events of every student’s school career and represents
the first major decision that our young people have to make about their future. It gives every student a
chance to personalise their own curriculum for the first time. This means that the information, advice and
guidance our young people receive from their parents and school staff is of the utmost importance in order
to help them make the ‘right’ choices.

For us, in a Catholic school, this process of decision-making calls to mind the concept of vocation. Through
the Pathways Programme we offer an invitation to all our students to look to the future and ask themselves
the question “What is God calling me to be?” The Pathways Programme will run until the deadline for
options to be received on Monday 21st March 2022, having initially been introduced to students at an
assembly on Tuesday 8th February 2022.

The curriculum that all of our students will follow is divided into the Core Curriculum and the Optional
Curriculum. The Core Curriculum consists of 6 GCSE courses in Religious Education, English Language,
English Literature, Mathematics and Combined Science Double Award. In addition to this, all students
follow non-examined courses of study in Physical Education and Character and Culture, where they will
follow the PSHE, RSE and Citizenship Curriculum. The Optional Curriculum allows students to follow three
further GCSE (or equivalent) subjects. Our students are fortunate to have a broad range of courses to
follow, the details of which are summarised in this booklet.

There has been much change in education in recent years, one of the more significant changes is that all
GCSE courses are now assessed through terminal examinations at the end of Year 11, although some may
still contain Controlled Assessment units. This has led to an increase in examined content.

Since 2018 all students are now awarded GCSE grades from 9 to 1, while vocational courses are still
awarded pass, merit and distinction grades. Student attainment and progress is measured against eight
key subjects. Consequently, in addition to the Core Curriculum, all students are required to study History
or Geography. However, students on the Open Pathway may opt to take French or Spanish in block A
instead. As part of the school’s commitment to meet the Government expectation of upwards of 90% of
students studying a foreign language by 2025, students in teaching groups 9F1L, 9F2L, 9F1R, 9F2R will study
French or Spanish. All other option subjects on offer are listed in the main body of this booklet.

Our key option advice to all of our students is to select subjects that ensure they have a breadth and
balance to their studies, and which will keep their options and opportunities wide open in the future. We
have always recommended that our students choose the subjects they enjoy and in which they have a track
record of success. Students should also be aware that, in the vast majority of cases, it will NOT be a
requirement to have a GCSE in a subject in order to be able to study it at A Level.

Finally, please note also that each of the options courses will only run if enough students opt for them;
there are a great number of courses available and a finite number of students, so the year group as a whole
will shape the final curriculum.

Thank you for your support during this process. Please contact subject leaders directly for additional
specific advice about courses or for more general curriculum enquiries please contact Mr A Trickett
(Assistant Principal: Quality of Education – Curriculum) at atrickett@hagleyrc.worcs.sch.uk.

Mr J Hodgson
Principal