Year 9 Options

At the heart of Welling School is a broad and balanced curriculum that focuses on building successful futures for all students. Our core priority is to embed an inspirational curriculum experience which fully ensures students are rich in knowledge, proficient in skill, confident in ability and provides a range of opportunity and experiences to build their cultural capital and aspiration for their future.

Core Subjects

For all students, the following subjects will be compulsory for GCSE study:

-  English Language & English Literature

-  Mathematics

-  Science (Triple) for Grammar pathway only

-  Science (Combined) for all the other pathways

- Core Physical Education (PE) 

- PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Careers Education) - this is taught in tutor time periods

Option Subjects

Most students will study Either History and/or Geography. In addition, grammar pathway students will also study a Modern Foreign Language (Spanish or  French).

In addition to the compulsory subjects listed above, you will be invited to choose either one, two or three additional subjects (depending on your pathway) from the remaining subjects available. 

Students will choose three additional courses from those outlined below. We will then do our best to timetable these choices, it is not always possible to timetable every combination and so some students may be asked to make an alternative choice. Similarly, if too many or too few students choose a particular course, an alternative choice may also be required.

The coming weeks are clearly a very important period in the educational life of our Year 9 pupils. We ask families to take full advantage of the guidance and resources available and to discuss the possibilities and choices thoroughly. The staff at Welling School are here to support pupils in making the right choices in order to ensure each individual is able to follow an appropriate pathway to success.

Options Pathways

There are three options pathways and you will be informed which is recommended for you on your options letter sent week beginning 22nd January. The pathway you are allocated will determine which specific subjects you must study, and how many remaining options you have available. The pathways are:

Grammar Pathway: These students will study English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Triple Science and at least two of the following: History, Geography and a Modern Foreign Language (Spanish or French) If two are chosen from the previous list, students  will have a choice of any of the other subjects listed below for their remaining one option.

Ambition Pathway: These students will study English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Combined Science, History and / or Geography, and will have a choice of the subjects listed below for their two remaining option(s).

Aspire Pathway: These students will study English language, English Literature, Mathematics, Combined Science and a combination of Level 2 qualifications. 

If you do have any questions please direct them towards the relevant Head of Faculty, Form Tutor, Mr Bartlett, or Mrs Gooch. Finally, please click below for our latest news on what options are available to you: