Year 9 Preferences

A large part of the curriculum is compulsory for all students but there is also an element of choice which means that students can shape their own learning programme in KS4, according to their interests and their future education and career aspirations. The procedure for selecting preference subjects is explained in these pages. Please spend some time reading this information to help your son make the best choices.

The “preferences procedure” begins in the Spring Term of Y9 and the school works tirelessly throughout the Summer Term to make pupil choices possible. At Southborough, we are keen to make the decision-making process as easy as possible and to ensure that the right decisions are made for all our students.

Our school is committed to ensuring that all our students have a broad and balanced curriculum. Following the removal of the modular exam system, most GCSE subjects are now terminally assessed with public examinations taking place at the end of Year 11. However, some subjects such as GCSE Art and DT, as well as most BTEC and Cambridge National courses, still contain a certain amount of external assessment and coursework components. It is also important to note that technical accuracy is now an important part of the assessment framework with many subjects carrying a number of marks for answers containing the correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. All this means that syllabuses and assessment specifications will be different to those experienced by previous Key Stage 4 cohorts.

Relevant questions students should ask themselves are:
●Which subjects do I enjoy?
●Which subjects am I good at?
●In which subjects have I made most progress since Year 7?
●Which subjects have I been advised to take?
●Which subjects do I need to consider with a view to further and higher educationand potential careers?

Whatever courses students eventually follow, staff will, with your help, encourage and support your son to achieve his best: our ultimate aim is to secure academic excellence and appropriate progression rates into the Sixth Form or further education. Southborough High School has a very good examination record which we relentlessly strive to maintain. 

To help to assist our students in making their choices, our subject leads for preference subjects have put together videos giving an overview of course content and discussing where these subjects might lead.You may see them below.

Any questions can be directed to your teachers, Head of Year, Mr Howe, or Mr Haque.