Key Stage 4 (Age 14-16)

Choices for pupils aged 14

Around age 14, your child will be able to make choices for study from 14 to 16 (Key Stage 4). This stage of your child's education calls for more choices than at earlier stages:

• your child has to make choices about subjects, and might end up studying a unique mix of subjects

• there are choices to be made about styles of assessment: should your child choose an option with lots of coursework, or will they be better off with exams?

• and at the same time as studying for exams, you and your child will be thinking about the next steps: should they go on to advanced level study, training or work?

This section gives information you will find useful when your child is about 14. It also gives some answers to questions parents have about study and coursework during the two years that follow.

Again, it is designed to complement the information you will get from your child's school.

Key Stage 4 The options booklet

When your child is aged 11-14, most of what they study is set by their school, following the National Curriculum. But between the ages of 14 and 16 two things change:

• pupils study subjects in more depth. This means they must choose some and stop studying others. In any one school, very few pupils will study exactly the same set of subjects

• most pupils work towards qualifications at 16.

So your child will have choices to make. In the spring term of year 9 (your child will be around 14 years old at this point), they will need to think about options for the next two years of study. Around this time most schools will also help pupils to think about what they will do after 16 through careers education. By the end of the term, your child will need to have made their choices.

The school will give your child an options booklet.

This will explain the subjects your child can study, and the kinds of qualification they can aim for.

Cumpolsery Subjects and Options

The options booklet will give you information about:

The compulsory National Curriculum subjects:

•  English
• mathematics
• science
• design and technology
• information and communication technology (ICT)
• a modern foreign language
• physical education
• citizenship (from the autumn term of 2002)

• religious education, careers education, sex education (these are compulsory, but not National Curriculum subjects)

• other subjects the school chooses to make compulsory. These might include, for example, personal, social and health education, or an arts course.

Options

other courses that your child can choose. These might include history, geography, art, music, business studies, health and social care, leisure and tourism.

Most pupils will study at least one course in each of the compulsory subjects. Some will want to do more than one course in a compulsory subject - for example, English and English literature, or French and Spanish.

Most of the courses will lead to a qualification. For some subjects, your child will be able to choose between different kinds of qualification.

Some courses may not lead to qualifications - for example, personal, social and health education.

Your child's school will offer as much choice as possible, but there are two practical issues all schools have to face:

• there are several types of qualification, but it would be unmanageable for schools to offer them for all subjects. So schools decide which kinds of qualification best suit their pupils and teachers and become expert at teaching them

• timetabling everyone's needs becomes very complex. If the school cannot give your child all their first-choice options, this is because the teacher responsible for a particular subject would need to be in two places at once, or because the timetable simply cannot fit in a particular choice.

Schools will offer opportunities to discuss the options, often at a special evening.

Which subjects

In the days when a very large percentage of pupils left school at 16, the choice of subjects for their final exams was all-important.

Now, the subjects your child chooses for 14-16 are important as a foundation for further learning - lifelong learning. Even if you are certain your child is going to leave school at 16 to find a job, they will still need to learn new skills and knowledge throughout their working career. They may well have to do more formal study. More and more pupils will do A-levels or NVQs, then go on to higher education.

Foundations for buildings need to be broad and strong so that they can support what is built on top of them. Study at 14-16 is the same - most pupils do better studying a broad range of subjects. Later they can build on this broad foundation by specialising.

With the exception of English and maths, most jobs don't require your child to have studied a particular subject at GCSE or GNVQ. Most employers will probably be more interested in your child's range of study, grades achieved and enthusiasm for learning, than in the fact that they did or didn't study any one subject at 14-16.

For a very small number of jobs, particular A-levels are needed, such as the sciences for medicine or scientific research. Schools, sixth-form colleges and further education colleges may require particular GCSEs from pupils who want to study these A-levels, so it is worth checking their requirements.

So unless your child wants a career that requires particular GCSEs or A-levels, their best path is to study as broad a range of subjects as possible - subjects that they enjoy.

The National Curriculum and the school's options policy are designed to encourage this, by ensuring every pupil studies a good range of subjects.

Some things for your child to think about.

• What do I enjoy studying? What are my strengths?

• Am I choosing the best way of working? (For example, some pupils do better with regular assessments, others perform well in examinations, and others do well in courses that have a lot of work-related learning.)

• If I choose this option now, will it keep more options open later for further study, training, work?

Some things to consider with your child.

• Some pupils say that they like a subject when they are really motivated by a belief that it won't involve much work. But your child will have to work hard in all subjects to get a good qualification.

• Some choose a subject to stay in the same class as friends - but because timetabling everyone's needs is complex, your child might well be split from their friend for a particular subject.

• Another easy mistake for pupils to make is to think they like the subject because they like the teacher. But again, timetabling (and the possibility of staff changes) can place them with a different teacher. Your child should be confident that they will enjoy the subject no matter who teaches it.

Individual Programmes

Exceptionally, a school may decide that a pupil will achieve more from a programme without some of the compulsory National Curriculum subjects. This is known as disapplication of the National Curriculum.

At key stage 4, the school can disapply for one of three reasons:

   1. so that a pupil can take part in a substantial work-related learning programme (for example, a work placement with training, or a college course for one or two days a week)
   2. so that a pupil can emphasise a particular curriculum area where they have strengths (for example, several courses, probably leading to qualifications, in the arts, or in sports-related studies, or in the humanities)
   3. so that a pupil can take part in a programme to help them strengthen their learning across the curriculum (for example, a literacy or numeracy programme, or more time for other courses to help them do better).

Three subjects can be disapplied:

• science

• design and technology

• modern foreign languages.

No pupil can have more than two of these disapplied. Science can only be disapplied for reason 1. Design and technology and/or modern foreign languages can be disapplied for all three reasons.

Nearly all pupils will study all the National Curriculum subjects. Some schools will not use disapplication at all. Pupils will not be invited to choose whether they want to study National Curriculum subjects or not - it is schools that decide about disapplication, and they must have strong reasons for saying that one of the programmes above will be good for your child and that disapplication is necessary. Your child and you would then be part of the final decision - pupils are given a special careers interview to help them. If your child wants to continue with all the National Curriculum subjects, the school must provide them. However, your child does not have a similar right to disapplication.

If you feel strongly that one of the programmes above would benefit your child but the school has not approached you, talk to your child's tutor about it. It may be possible for the school to arrange a similar programme without the need for disapplication.

Which Qualification

Between 14 and 16, your child will spend most of their school study time working towards qualifications. Some schools offer a range of different qualifications, others offer mainly GCSEs.

In some compulsory subjects (for example, maths) most schools choose to teach all pupils for the same qualification, usually a GCSE. In other compulsory subjects (for example, design and technology) pupils in the same school may aim for different qualifications. One pupil could be studying for a design and technology GCSE with a specialism in food or electronics, whereas their friend might be studying for a more vocational course in engineering. Studying the subject, design and technology, is compulsory, but pupils and schools fulfil this in different ways.

GCSE's-General Cerificates of Secondary Education

GCSEs replaced O-levels and CSEs in 1988. New vocational GCSEs were introduced in autumn 2002: they are explained in more detail below.

• Most pupils take GCSEs in most of their subjects.

• It usually takes two years to study for a GCSE. Coursework is part of most GCSEs: work over an extended period, which could include essays, field work reports, art work, making products, or investigations.

• GCSEs are graded A*-G. The grade your child gets will depend on coursework and exam marks.

• Pupils might take exams only once (at the end of year 11, aged 16) or twice (at the end of years 10 and 11).

GCSE tiers

At some time during year 10, when your child is aged 15-16, teachers will decide which tier they should enter in each of their GCSEs.

Each tier has a target range of grades that can be awarded. The aim is for your child to take an exam in which their ability will be tested, without their being thrown off course by questions that are much too difficult or much too easy. Some GCSE subjects are not tiered: art and design, history, music, PE and religious studies. All other GCSEs have tiers.

Maths has three tiers.

The diagram below shows you the grades it is possible to reach in each tier.



All other subjects have just two tiers. Again, a diagram below shows which grades it is possible to achieve in each tier. The solid lines show the normal range of grades for each tier. The lighter area shows that pupils in the higher tier can go down one grade outside the tier. If they do badly in the exam, rather than being unclassified, they could get an E. This is called an 'allowed grade'.



Most schools will decide which tier is right for each pupil around the January before the final exam, after the bulk of work has been covered and they have the results of a mock examination.

Science GCSE

There are three ways to take GCSEs in science. Pupils can:

• take three separate GCSEs in each of biology, chemistry and physics

• take a double award, which covers the three areas and is equal to two GCSEs

• take a single award GCSE, which covers all three areas, but in less depth. It is equal to one GCSE.

Not all schools offer all three ways. A science GNVQ is also available.

GCSE Short Courses

A GCSE short course takes half the study time of a full GCSE, so pupils sometimes complete it after one year. GCSE short courses call for pupils to do coursework and exams to the same standards as a full GCSE, but they cover only half the content. GCSE short courses are graded A*- G, and each one counts as half a GCSE. They are available in:

• design and technology
•  information and communication technology
• geography
• history
• modern foreign languages
• art and design
• music
• physical education
• religious education
• business studies (from September 2001)
• electronics (from September 2001).

GCSE short courses are helpful for pupils who:

• want to study the subject, but don't have time to do the full GCSE. They do substantial study of the subject and keep their options open for later - for example, to take an A-level in the subject

• want to get qualifications in compulsory subjects such as RE and PE.

Short courses aren't an easy option. Doing a short course is a bit like doing a half-time job: even though it is meant to take up just half the time, it usually ends up stretching you more than that.

Employers see GCSE short courses as equal to half a GCSE, so if your child does two short courses they will have the equivalent of another GCSE. And employers will see one short course as adding breadth to your child's achievement.

GNVQ-General National Vocational Qualifications

GNVQs are about work, but they don't train pupils for a specific job. They prepare pupils for work through studying broad areas - for example, leisure and tourism, or health and social care. They give them experience, knowledge and skills relevant to work, usually through contact with working adults. GNVQs are made up of units, and pupils gain a certificate for each unit as they complete it.

GCSE course titles can sound similar to National Curriculum subject titles. But the names of GNVQs don't sound like the National Curriculum subjects - they draw aspects of a number of subjects into the area of study.

GNVQs are helpful for pupils who want a more active, work-based style of study than that offered by GCSEs. GNVQ study usually involves:

• time in the workplace. Pupils will be interacting with adults at work (although pupils won't be doing the work themselves)
• more independent learning. Two-thirds of the marks come from a portfolio of coursework, so pupils are less tied to tests and the classroom
• more work in groups.

Pupils can do GNVQ study in four main ways:

Complete GNVQs

   1. from 14-16, pupils usually work towards a Part One GNVQ, either at Foundation or at Intermediate level.

• Foundation level is equivalent to two GCSEs at grades D-G.

• Intermediate level is equivalent to two GCSEs at grades A*-C.

Both have three units and take twice as much time as a GCSE course. Much of the work pupils do during the course is built into a portfolio which counts for two-thirds of the final grade. Pupils must also pass a test on each unit. The tests can be taken during the course (in January or June) or at the end of the course. The qualification is graded pass, merit or distinction at each level

   2. in some schools, pupils can study for the Six-Unit GNVQ at Foundation or Intermediate level.

• Foundation level is equivalent to four GCSEs at grades D-G.

• Intermediate level is equivalent to four GCSEs at grades A*-C

GNVQ units

   3. in some schools, pupils have an opportunity to take a GNVQ unit as a 'taster'. This is at foundation or intermediate level

   4. in a few schools, pupils can study units of a Vocational A-level (Advanced GNVQ).

Pupils entering year 10 in September 2002 will be able to study Vocational GCSEs, which will replace Foundation, Intermediate and Part One GNVQs. They will be based on the Part One GNVQ, so they will be equivalent to two GCSEs. Although Vocational GCSEs will be new, schools will find the content and learning style familiar because of their similarity to GNVQs. The government has asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to plan these new qualifications. For more information, ask your child's school or see http://www.qca.org.uk.

NVQ's-National Vocational Qualifications

NVQs are designed to assess adults doing particular jobs in specific areas (for example 'retail operation' or 'preparing and serving food'). Between the ages of 14 and 16, some pupils follow programmes that include a regular work placement and/or a course at a local further education college, or with a training provider. Through this they may gain an NVQ, or units that count towards one.

NVQs are helpful for pupils who want to:

• do a work-based placement course (unlike vocational GCSEs, in NVQs pupils actually do the work in the workplace)

• demonstrate that they are good at a particular job

• get qualifications that recognise work they are already doing.

Pupils gain a certificate for each unit as they complete it. When pupils are ready, an assessor will check that pupils can demonstrate the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need in the workplace to do the tasks covered by the unit.

At this age, pupils work towards NVQs at level 1 and level 2:

• level 1 is equivalent to GCSE grades D-G

• level 2 is equivalent to GCSE grades A*-C.

The highest NVQ level you can achieve is level 5. NVQ levels are not the same as National Curriculum levels.

Entry Level Certificates

These qualifications are designed for learners not yet ready for GCSE, foundation GNVQ or NVQ level 1. There are Entry Level Certificates in the subjects that pupils will have studied up to the age of 14 and also in broader vocational areas that are more like the GNVQ areas.

Pupils can achieve Entry Level Certificates at three different levels, broadly in line with National Curriculum levels 1-3. Pupils can take Entry Level Certificates alongside GCSEs, GNVQs, Vocational GCSEs or NVQs. Pupils are assessed in tasks, which may be written, spoken or practical.

Entry Level Certificates used to be called 'Entry level awards'.

Key Skills

Six key skills run through almost all the learning your child will do, both from 14 to 16 and beyond:

   1. communication
   2. application of number
   3. information technology
   4. working with others
   5. improving their own learning and performance
   6. problem solving.

You may get information from your child's school about how they focus on teaching the key skills. Often this will be through all subjects. Qualifications are available in the first three key skills. You will be able to find out from your child's school if it offers these qualifications.

Courses that don't lead to a qualification

Your child will study some courses that don't lead to a qualification.

• Compulsory courses. Typically, these would be physical education (although there are GCSEs in this subject), careers education, sex and relationship education, and drugs education.

• Work experience, often for all pupils. Most schools offer work experience. Vocational qualifications often bring about links between schools and further education (FE) colleges. Sometimes FE colleges offer 'link courses'.

• Optional courses. Examples of optional courses are Young Enterprise, courses with community groups or a course that builds pupils' basic skills to help with their other courses. Some schools offer a range of short enrichment courses, which pupils choose at different points in the year.

Studying from 14-16

Coursework and exams

The descriptions of the various qualifications above give you an idea of the different styles of study and assessment your child may meet. Some qualifications award more of their final marks through exams - but even for GCSEs your child is likely to have to present a substantial amount of coursework. Find out what the mix is for each qualification your child is taking.

Coursework is different from homework, although to parents the activity may look much the same. The difference is simple: if it's coursework, the mark your child gets for it will count towards their final grade.

This site can't generalise about the amount of homework and coursework your child will have to do every week because it will vary according to the ebb and flow of individual subjects and qualifications. Your child's teachers will be able to give accurate advice.

It is very important that pupils pace and organise their work through the two years. It is tempting to organise your child if you think they are not doing the right amount of work on time, but remember that your child needs to learn to organise their own work, and interference can sometimes be very counter-productive. It is more productive to help your child sort out the big picture. For example, you might look through the scheme for each qualification with your child, noting when they will have to hand in coursework, when they will have to sit exams or tests, and how much each of these is worth. You and your child could draw up a timetable covering the two years from 14 to 16 showing the critical points for each qualification. Your child is then free to organise their work week by week, but can ask for more help from you when they feel they need it.

The homework tips dotted throughout the key stage 3 section of this site are also relevant for parents of 14-16 year olds.

Spelling and punctuation

Some parents who have been asked to look at their children's work wonder whether they should correct punctuation and spelling if the subject is not English.

When assessors are marking coursework and exam scripts, some of the marks available will be deducted for English errors - typically 5- 10%. This means that if your child writes incorrectly, they will lose a significant portion of the marks.

So in marking terms there is a limit to how much your child can lose with poor spelling, punctuation or grammar. If your child asks for your help with geography you will need to spend more time talking about the key concepts and knowledge for geography than about incorrect English.

But writing correctly is essential for English GCSE and it plays an important part in almost every job in adult working life. This is why the government has put a lot of emphasis on literacy for every pupil. So if your child is making a lot of errors they will need to spend some extra time improving their skills. Take advice from your child's teacher.

Use of calculators

Another worry for parents is how much their child should be using a calculator.

A general principle of maths teaching is that pupils should start by trying to do a sum in their heads. If that proves too difficult, they should work out the sum on paper or use a calculator. In these cases, pupils should still try to estimate a rough answer in their heads to give a check on whether their answer is accurate or not.

But calculators are important tools and the mathematics curriculum requires pupils to be taught:

• how to use calculators effectively, including how to enter complex calculations and use function keys for reciprocals,squares and powers.

• how to enter numbers that don't start out as decimals (for example, fractions of an hour) in a decimal format

• how to interpret a calculator display correctly, and to wait until the end of a calculation to round any figures up or down.

Although pupils have to work without a calculator in one part of their maths GCSE, another part tests them on the requirements above.

Your child's school will be able to advise you about which model of calculator it is best to buy.

Computers: to buy or not to buy?

The National Curriculum requires that all pupils be taught how to use information and communication technology to enhance their work between the ages of 14 and 16, as well as to learn about it in its own right. ICT is about much more than computers, but a common question for parents is whether their child will miss out if they don't have a computer at home - or have access to the internet.

ICT is similar to literacy. You can learn to read and write, then only ever read or write junk. But if you don't learn to read, you will certainly be cut off from a world of information and ways to present your own ideas. Your child may have access to a computer at home - but if they don't use it for a good range of activities, the computer may benefit their leisure much more than their learning! A good range of activities would include:

• asking: is this information relevant and accurate?

• testing information: is it useful?

• changing information (words, pictures or numbers) to make it useful for another purpose or reveal new information.

Playing games and web surfing can achieve some of these aims, but on their own they are unlikely to achieve all of them.

Your child will certainly learn through using the computer and internet access provided at school. Beyond this, quality is more important than quantity: a few well-spent hours on a computer in a public library, or at an internet café, may be a very cost-effective way to enhance your child's learning out of school hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my child has special educational needs?

Help is available. See the 'finding out more' section of this site.

Where can I find help if my child has health or social problems at school?

School is about much more than learning: it's about your child growing up, making friends, growing in confidence. School might bring all kinds of questions: for example, what kind of books and uniform do you need to buy? How can you get through to your child when they are moody, bored or resentful? This guide focuses on learning between the ages of 11 and 16, and there isn't space to look at many other questions.

I see there are tips in this guide, but I don't have time to do them all - will my child be left behind?

No. The tips in this guide are there for you to help your child as they plan their homework and coursework, but at this age children need to learn to take responsibility for their own study. So the tips will come in useful from time to time, especially when your child asks for help. The main thing is always to show an interest in what your child is learning at school.

My child seems to have difficulty keeping up at school and finds the work difficult. What can I do?

Talk regularly to your child's teachers. You don't have to wait for a parents' evening: you can ask the school for an appointment with your child's teachers at any time. Find out more about what your child is doing at school and ask the teacher what your child could do at home to help their learning at school.

My child's school doesn't seem to be teaching all the subjects in this guide. Why?

For pupils aged between 11 and 14, schools have to teach all but two of the subjects explained in this guide. Citizenship will be compulsory from autumn 2002, so currently schools don't have to teach it, although some will. Personal, social and health education is an optional subject - and the knowledge and skills it involves might be taught through other subjects. Schools must teach religious education and all the National Curriculum subjects.

Pupils aged between 14 and 16 have to study some, but not all, of the subjects they studied between 11 and 14.

What is a home-school agreement?

Your child's school should give you a written home-school agreement, setting out its aims and values. The agreement will list the school's responsibilities, your responsibilities, and what the school expects of its pupils. Each school's agreement is different but all should cover the importance of regular and punctual attendance, discipline and good behaviour, and homework.

Your support and encouragement are very important to your child's progress and the home-school agreement will help you to work with the school. Schools have to review their agreements every two or three years and must consult parents before making any changes. You will be asked to sign a copy of the agreement. If you don't feel you can sign it, you don't have to. Please talk to the school about it.

Will my child be taught sex and relationship education?

Yes.

My child just wants to watch television instead of doing homework. Help!

Television can encourage learning if chosen carefully. For example, some wildlife documentaries are excellent explanations of important topics in science and geography. Schools don't always have time to show these kinds of television programmes in full. So if your child watches them, this will add to their school learning.

However, homework is important and sometimes it may be demanding. On many occasions it will be best simply to turn the TV off (or video the programme!), and give your child both encouragement and support when they are not motivated.

Teacher Talk

For more help on many topics.

This guide is about what your child will learn at school. Of course, there are many other issues to do with your child's education, health and well-being that don't link directly to the curriculum. Your child's school is always your first point of contact for help.

This site is part of DfES's web site for parents, which covers many other issues. Click here to go to the Parents' Centre

For more information about the curriculum, use the links which appear at the bottom of each page to see the full curriculum for each subject, or click here to go to the whole curriculum.

For more suggestions about ways to help with your child's education, use the links at the bottom of some pages to view leaflets with more hints and tips, or see all the leaflets at the Discover site

You can also search for learning resources here.