Year 9 Options

Welcome to Orchard Mead’s very first online options page!

This page is still being developed. 

Here you will find videos about each subject we offer at KS4 delivered by the subject leader to support you to make your options choices.

Each student must study the following compulsory subjects:

• English
• Maths
• Science
• History or Geography
• RE (not examined)
• Core PE (not examined)

For some students French is compulsory, this is because:

• the study of a language allows students to achieve the English Baccalaureate qualification, an important government measure of academic achievement.
• Evidence shows that studying a language will increase opportunities in higher education and increase the chances that students will stay in education and achieve higher levels of qualification than those that don’t study a language.
• We also believe that the study of a language levels gives our students the best chance of competing with other academically able students from other across the city for college places.

All students will need to study either geography or history.

We offer a wide range of option subjects and all students will have at least two free choices.

If you have a question about a specific course please contact the curriculum leader. A list can be found here.

If you have a question about the options process or a specific question about how options choices might affect future career or higher education choices please email:

Phil Longman, Assistant Principal: [email protected]

Corinne Grant, Assistant Principal: [email protected]

We will be hosting a Year 9 Options Evening in the new year, and will add more information about booking onto this event closer to the time.