Choosing Your GCSE Options

Ousedale Careers Department

Introduction

This book will help you make your GCSE option choices if you are not sure what you would like to do.

In September 2022 you will be embarking on your Key Stage 4 Level 2 courses leading to GCSE and vocational qualifications.

A General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is a qualification that takes two years and you take the final exams when you’re 16. A Level 2 vocational qualification is the equivalent to a GCSE that will take you two years and will contain course work and an exam.

This is an interactive booklet so you can click on some of the images to be taken to different websites.

Compulsory GCSEs

In Year 10 all students will study a compulsory core of GCSEs. This means everyone has to study them. The core GCSEs you will be studying are:

- English Language/English Literature
- Mathematics
- Science
- Physical Education and Religious Studies
- History and/or Geography

You will then get a choice from a range of different subjects which you will find in your GCSE option booklet.

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Tips

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for choosing your options

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1. Find out about the course first from the option booklet. Talk to your subject teacher and parent/guardian as this may help you decide if the subject is for you or not.

2. If you know what job you want to do find out what qualifications you will need to support you in achieving this.

3. Research what you would like to do after your GCSEs. Do you want to go Sixth Form, College or be an apprentice. Find out what GCSEs or vocational qualifications you need to get on that course or to apply for that apprenticeship.

4. If you are not sure what you want to do think about what your favourite subjects are and what subjects you are good at.

5. If there is something that you would like to study after your GCSEs such as art, textiles, music or drama. Make sure that you select GCSEs that will get you on to that course.

6. If you are still unsure just make sure you keep your options open by choosing a range of subjects.

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How not to make your decisions

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It is is important that you do not make your decisions:-

- Based on what teachers you think you will have (as you may have a different teacher).

- What your friends are choosing (they may be in another class).

- Because you think some subjects are just for boys or girls (they are not!).

- Because you think it will be easy (no subject is ‘easy’).

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Watch the What I wish I'd known video to find out about what other students recommend about choosing your options.

Researching courses after your GCSEs

Below is the link to Ousedale's College and Sixth Form Padlet. This is an online list of local colleges and sixth forms, just click on the picture to access it. There is also a copy of the Ousedale Sixth Form prospectus for 2022/4, that shows all the courses you can do there.

You can use both these resources to look at the courses that you can study at college or sixth form after you complete your GCSEs. Make sure to take a look at the entry requirements for the course that you are interested in, as this will tell you what GCSEs or vocational qualifications that you need to get onto that college or sixth form course.

Sixth Form Prospectus 2022-2024 web.pdf

Useful videos

Watch the following videos that will give you a few tips on choosing your GCSEs.

This video recommends you contact their careers department. If you do require help please contact Ousedale's careers department at careers@ousedale.org.uk.

Useful websites

Below are a few useful websites that can give you advice on how to choose your GCSEs.

Remember to click on the picture links in this book to be taken to the website.

Careers quizzes

If you are interested in finding out what job you might like to do, you can use the quizzes below. Careerpilot, UCAS and the National Careers Service have general career quizzes. There are also quizzes that can help you if you are interested in working in engineering, computing or for the NHS.

Careerpilot

National Careers Service

Computing

UCAS

NHS Careers

Tomorrow's
Engineers

Career advice websites

You can use these websites to find out more about job roles that you are interested in. In here you can search for a job by name, using your favourite subject or interests. These websites will tell you what qualifications that you will need to do the job that you want to do.

Resetting your Unifrog password.docx

If you need help logging in to Unifrog please use this file.