Year 9 Options
Making curriculum choices in Year 9 is a very important process here at HGAED. It is an opportunity for you and your daughter to take increased control of the education choice on offer to her.
The options chosen for Years 10 and 11 will affect how your daughter will spend her time at school for the next two years. The choices made will also influence what options are available after Year 11 in terms of further study. These options will be studied alongside our core curriculum of English, Maths, Science, MFL, Core PE and PSHE.
It is vitally important to choose subjects for the correct reasons. Spend some time with your daughter thinking about what subjects she enjoys doing, what keeps her interested and motivated.
Year 9 Options Booklet
Further information for parents
In September 2026, your child will be starting their GCSE courses and will be moving from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4.
All students will continue to engage with a broad and balanced curriculum but it is at this point their educational journey that they will have choice in the subjects that they would like to pursue.
At HGAED we firmly believe that quality is by far the most important consideration. Excellent GCSEs can get you anywhere – from the best apprenticeships to top universities. For this reason, our Core Curriculum is based on the suite of qualifications listed below alongside statutory elements of the national curriculum:
- English Literature and English Language
- Mathematics
- Sciences (Combined or Separate)
- A Humanity – students select either Geography or History as part of the options process.
- A Modern Foreign Language – students continue with either French or Spanish.
- Core PE (this is not a GCSE but a statutory entitlement for all secondary school age students). Those students wishing to select GCSE can do so as part of the options process.
In terms of actual choices offered to students, they select a humanity and then two other subjects from those listed in our GCSE Options Booklet.
The decisions that you and your child make regarding these Option subjects will influence their future career pathways and therefore we have a full programme that is put in place to ensure that both you and your child have as much information as possible to make fully informed decisions during the process. This is detailed in our timeline below.
Options timeline 2025-26
Friday 28th November 2025 – Options Launch Assembly
All Year 9 students are given on assembly outlining the options process and what support they will get from the academy to make fully informed choices most suitable to them.
Thursday 4th December 2025 – Parent/Carer GCSE Option Information Evening (in person)
This event will run in the main hall from 5.30-6.15pm. Ms Grevett and Mr Grocott will run a presentation to Parent and Carers on how students can be supported at home to make fully informed subject choices and the support they’ll receive here at the academy as they move through the options timeline. As Head of Year 9, Ms Osborne is also organising a special performance to showcase a small sample of our talented Year 9 cohort.
Wednesday 17th December 2025 – Options Marketplace
The options marketplace is an opportunity for students to gain direct insight into what it is like to study a particular option subject at GCSE through conversation with subject leads and teaching staff. Students will be issued with a structured prompt sheet to allow them to capture a few details about each of the subject stalls they visit that are of interest to them, so they have a record of their research.
Thursday 18th December 2025 – GCSE Options information booklet goes live
The options booklet will be uploaded to the options section of the academy website and will contain key information about the process, including:
- Key dates and deadlines
- The different choices available
- Further subject specific content and information
- How to submit your options choices
- Advice on researching future careers
- FAQ
The Christmas holidays are an ideal opportunity for you to explore the subjects available with your Child and start discussing possible choices.
Monday 9th March 2026 – Options Form goes live
Students will be sent a link via email where they will be required to select their choice of Humanity and their top four option subjects in order of preference.
Thursday 19th March 2026 – Year 9 Parents’ Evening
This will be an opportunity to discuss progress and attainment in all subjects, alongside suitability for options courses selected.
Thursday 25th March 2026 – Option Form is closed
No further choices can be made.
w/b Monday 13th April 2026 – Confirmation letters issued
This formal letter details the final option subject choices your child has been awarded.
This dedicated options webpage will be updated throughout the academic year. Please do not hesitate to contact the Academy should you require any further information at info@harrisdulwichgirls.org.uk.
Good reasons for choosing an option
- You are good at the subject
- You think you will enjoy the course
- It fits your career ideas and plans
- It goes well with your other choices
- It helps to give you plenty of choice post 16
- You think you might want to continue studying it post 16
- Your research shows that it will interest you and motivate you to learn
Bad reasons for choosing an option
- Your friends have chosen it
- You think it will be easy
- Someone else thinks it is a good idea
- You like the teacher you have now
- You did not have time to research your options properly
Watch this video
Below is a short video that we feel will help students and their parents/carers start discussing what options are best for their future aspirations.
