Page 5 - GCSE Guide to courses 2020-2022

GCSE COURSES AT HEADINGTON SCHOOL

GCSE option choices are the first significant academic decisions you will make as you progress through
school and beyond to Higher Education and your future career. This booklet sets out to help you and
your parents make these important choices by outlining the curriculum followed and the subjects
offered, together with some of the support provided.

There are core subjects that you have to study at GCSE, which ensure that you keep as many doors
open for the future as possible. Within this core, you can choose which humanity and which modern
language you wish to study. In addition to the core GCSE curriculum, you will be able to choose a
further two GCSE subjects from the range of optional subjects that we offer. To help you make your
decisions, you can talk to your teachers, tutor, Head of Year, Head of Section and, of course, your
parents at home. We hope you will feel very much at the centre of this process, as this year should
represent a valuable shift towards taking greater responsibility for your future.

During your GCSE years, we ensure that the academic rigours of the GCSE courses are balanced with
a continued focus on a rounded education. You will have many opportunities to become involved in
an extended co-curricular programme which will give you opportunities to develop your own interests
and skills outside the classroom.

As you progress through your GCSE years,
you will inevitably be looking ahead to the
Sixth Form and to the new opportunities

and challenges this period will offer. These
include further specialisation at A Level or
as part of the International Baccalaureate
Diploma programme. The decisions you
make now will ultimately contribute to
your university applications in preparation
for life beyond Headington.

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