Year 9 Options Process 2017-18

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our options process for the Year 10 and 11 Curriculum soon begins for Year 9 students and we have planned a number of activities in order to support you and your child in making appropriate choices. Key dates to note in the formal process are as follow:

●     12th December 2017 – Year 9 Options Assembly

●     12th December 2017 – Distribution of Years 10 and 11 Curriculum Brochure

●     13th December 2017 – Gateway Options Sign Up opens

●     11th January 2018 – Year 9 Parent Consultation Evening

●     15th-19th January 2018 – Year 9 1:1 Tutor discussions

●     17th January 2018 – Year 9 Parent Q & A Coffee Morning

●     23rd January 2018 – Gateway Options Sign Up closes

Year 9 students will also have time to think about the options process during their Global Thinking Skills lessons and year group assemblies.

On 12th December 2017 students will be off timetable during periods 4 and 5 for an afternoon of presentations about curriculum options offered in Years 10 and 11 from subject teachers. This will be led by Greg Thornton (Vice Principal of Middle School), Lee O’Leary (Head of Middle School) and James Lewis (Head of Year 9). Our optional subject teachers have been invited to talk about the various courses on offer at Sha Tin College, so that students can make well informed choices. The students will be supported by their tutor teachers and the afternoon will conclude with a student question and answer forum. During this afternoon students will be given a brochure titled ‘Options’ to help them understand this process in more depth. We would be extremely grateful if you could read this brochure and discuss the contents with your child.

Year 9 Parent Consultations will take place on 11th January 2018. The focus of this evening is your child’s learning in Year 9. Parents who wish to make individual appointments to see our Higher Education Counsellors at this session are welcome to do so. Our Higher Education Counsellors will also be available at the informal question and answer coffee morning on 17th January 2018.

Please note that in the brochure, there is a form to complete when your child decides their choices. These choices will be entered into GATEWAY via an online sign up. The GATEWAY sign up will open on13th December 2017 and needs to be completed by 23rd January 2018.

The Options process in Year 9 is primarily intended to be a mechanism by which students learn how to make decisions in a supportive environment. They are encouraged to reflect, evaluate possible pathways and research further, when necessary. The framework of the option choices has been designed to ensure that whatever curricular choices a student makes for Years 10 and 11, their studies will always be balanced, and act as excellent preparation for any further programme of study. It is our strong recommendation that students opt primarily for subjects that interest them and that they think they will enjoy over the next two years.

We hope that this staged approach will lead to informed and confident decision making and stimulate discussions between students, their parents and teachers.

Kind regards

Lee O’Leary                                                                                    James Lewis

Head of Middle School                                                                    Head of Year 9