Choosing your options shouldn’t be something to worry about. Follow these two pieces of advice and you are sure to make the right choices.
- Attend a Year 8/9 Options Event at school (bring your parents too). Make sure you ask questions about what’s involved in the subjects and what you’ll be learning about. It might be very different from what you have studied so far. Does it sound interesting? Do you think you will enjoy it?
- Ask your parents and teachers for advice as they know you best, and if you have any friends or brothers and sisters who have done the course already - ask them about it.
Parent and Carer Information
How to provide help
Your young people may come to you for advice, they may have a strong idea of what they would like to do as a career path, or they may be completely overwhelmed by the thought of making big decisions at this age. In both instances, remember that they are in a period of great change and development, and they may change their mind in two, five or even seven years’ time and go in a completely opposite direction.
Therefore, it is good to nurture their natural abilities and steer them towards things they are passionate about; but remind any student who is feeling a little lost that they don’t have to have everything planned out yet, just go with what interests them at this age!
Getting Help & Support
Your school will give you all the information you need about GCSE options, and there is lots of information and guidance online too. Many schools also hold options events where you and your parents/carers can discuss things with subject teachers and careers advisers.
