Welcome from the Co-Headteachers

Dear Student,

A very warm welcome to the Pathways to Success process, one of the most important stages in your educational journey with us here at North Chadderton School.

These pages on our school website are designed to support you in making important decisions about the subjects you will study in Years 10 and 11, including the choices for optional GCSE and vocational courses.

At North Chadderton School, we are incredibly proud of the support we offer our learners at every point throughout their time with us, from our Transition Days at the end of Year 6, when you take your first steps into our school, right through to results days in August at the end of Year 11, and then on to post-16 destinations. The Pathways process, which marks the end of Key Stage 3 and the start of Key Stage 4, is one of the most crucial points in that journey.

The school has been preparing you since you joined us at the start of Year 7 for the challenges of Key Stage 4, and you have spent this time laying strong foundations for GCSE success so that every moment of learning time has been maximised. We have worked hard to ensure that you are as well-equipped as possible for the next stage of your education, and we know that North Chadderton students go on to achieve success in their GCSE and vocational courses thanks to this solid foundation.

Our Key Stage 4 offer comprises a wide range of GCSE and vocational courses which, together with the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, and our Personal Development Programme, forms an educational offer that enables all students to prepare confidently for future progression. Through this curriculum, you will develop crucial transferable skills and continue to grow into well-rounded, knowledgeable, employable and skilled individuals.

Our recommendation is that you take a broad range of subjects over the next two years, with the opportunity to specialise after Year 11, either at our own excellent Sixth Form or through vocational training and qualifications that will help propel you into your chosen future. You will see from these pages, and by attending our Pathways to Success Information Evening, that there is an excellent range of courses available for you to choose from.

We are passionate about offering a wide range of option subjects for you to study. The government’s recent Curriculum Review gives us the scope to ensure that our offer is broad, ambitious and truly comprehensive, as it is open to all. All students entering Year 10 will choose three option subjects in addition to the compulsory core qualifications of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Science. For all students, at least one of these option choices will be selected from a wider but flexible group of subjects: History, Geography or Spanish, which are recognised for developing key research and communication skills and are highly valued by employers and by the Russell Group of leading universities. Beyond this, all students will choose a further two subjects from our range of humanities, technological, creative and performance-based courses. Students will also embark upon a Personal Development Programme, as well as Core PE which are both-non examined subjects.

The next two years will be challenging and rewarding, and there will be increased demands on your time. When considering your subject choices, we strongly encourage you to research them thoroughly, speak to teachers who are specialists in delivering these courses, consult the information materials provided on these pages, and attend our Pathways to Success Evening. You should choose subjects that you will enjoy investing time and effort into, that play to your strengths, and that keep open a range of future study and career pathways.

We plan our curriculum around the subjects you choose in Years 10 and 11, allowing us to build further on the personalised support you already receive at North Chadderton. We know you well, and you know us. Strong relationships between school and home have been built over your time here, and we encourage you to speak openly with your teachers and family to ensure you make informed choices that reflect your strengths, interests and future ambitions.

We will support you throughout the options process to ensure that you make the right decisions for your future. There is a great deal of support available, so please do not hesitate to ask if you need any assistance.

We would like to wish you every success and all the very best over the next two years.

N Westhead                        N Angus

Miss N Westhead          Mr N Angus

Co-Headteachers