KS4 Options
The Year 9 Options Process
At Fairfield, our vision is a ‘excellence and ambition for all.’ We lay the foundations for this vision in KS3, where our balanced curriculum which offers all pupils the opportunity to develop their interests and skills in academic subjects and the arts, technology and physical education. At KS3, we deliver a challenging, knowledge-rich curriculum to prepare pupils for GCSE education and life beyond Fairfield.
The options process marks an exciting time in a young person’s education, where, for the first time, they are able to select some of the subjects they are most interested in for study at GCSE. We believe that getting this decision right, through partnership between home and school, is the first step towards achieving our mission so that ‘pupils from all backgrounds make exceptional academic progress and experience excellent personal development’.
The optoins journey begins in January when families are invited into school to hear about the process and to visit the subjects they are considering for KS4 study. Appointments with core teachers and conversations with options subject teachers gives families the opportunity to hear from teachers about the progress their children are making in subjects and to consider the best pathway for their child. All pupils also have a one to one interview about their future pathway with our careers leader in school.
After February half term, we begin to collect option choices from pupils and start the process of creating a curriculum model which best meets the needs of the cohort. Year on year, the unique offer of subject combinations is designed to ensure that the highest number of pupils is able to take their first choice of subjects.
All option choices are assigned based on our knowledge of pupils, their interests and preferences and their aspirations beyond Fairfield. Please note that for access to Triple Science, pupils should be consistently achieving well in tests throughout Year 9 to demonstrate a sound understanding of the foundation concepts taught in KS3 required to be suitable for this course.
Options Process Summary:
January:
- Parents’ and Options evening
- One to one pathways and careers appointments begin
Half term 3:
- In-class presentations about option subjects for pupils
March:
- Submission of options choices by families of Y9 pupils
Half term 5:
- Options allocated to pupils
KS4 Option List
- GCSE Art and Design
- GCSE Business Studies
- GCSE Computer Science
- GCSE Dance
- GCSE Design and Technology
- GCSE Drama
- GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition
- GCSE Geography
- GCSE History
- GCSE Religious Studies
- GCSE Separate Sciences (Physics, Biology, Chemistry)
- BTEC Art and Design: Textiles
- BTEC Health and Social Care
- BTEC Music Practice
- BTEC Sport
- OCR Cambridge National in I.T.
The documents below explain the Year 9 Options process for pupils choosing their KS4 courses for 2026/27. This is a presentation and booklet delivered to parents/carers at the Year 9 Progression Evening in January 2026 and to pupils in form time.
