The Doors of Opportunity

It is the time of year when students in years 8, 9, 10 and 11 consider their options for future study.

Y11 have been thinking about their future in terms of whether they will continue their study at High Storrs or whether to experience a different learning environment. Their decisions are around whether to take A Levels, how many and in which subjects, whether to pursue a more vocational route with L3 BTEC courses or an apprenticeship at college, or in a school sixth form. Most of them have made their provisional choices and now just need to concentrate on working hard to maximise the outcomes of this year’s exams to ensure they can take up the courses they’ve chosen.

Year 9 and 10 are reviewing their KS4 choices to make sure they have the right courses mapped out for the rest of their time before they complete Y11.

Y8 have possibly the biggest challenge as they consider which courses to take over the next three years, at a time when they may well not yet know what kind of pathway they ultimately want to follow. My advice to Year 8 is the same as it is to the older students: Think carefully about what you will study, be realistic about what you can achieve with hard work, don’t set your sights too low, and above all, choose a suite of courses that enables you to keep future options open as long as possible. If you choose to stop studying a particular subject now, how will it impact on your future opportunities? Try not to close any doors.

There has been much discussion around the English Baccalaureate since it was first introduced by then Education secretary Michael Gove over 5 years ago; which subjects should be included, who should take it, whether the restriction damages the Arts and what doors it could open for individual students. Presently, to achieve the ‘E Bacc’ students need to be successful in studying GCSEs in English, Maths, Science, Geography or History and a language. The government is keen that as many students as possible study a rigorous, traditional curriculum.

Since it is still not yet clear how important the 'E Bacc' will be for individuals, at High Storrs we encourage students with a strong academic potential to take all of these subjects, to ensure no doors close for them in their future. We also don’t exclude any student from accessing these subjects if they want to try them. Fortunately, our curriculum is still flexible enough to have room for further choice beyond the 'E Bacc' including Technology and the Creative and Performing Arts which are particularly close to our hearts.