Argyll and Bute Council
Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal agus Bhòid
Community Services
Executive Director: Cleland Sneddon
Headteacher: Mr D C Mitchell B Ed
Dunoon Grammar School
60 Ardenslate Road, Dunoon,
Argyll, PA23 8LU
Tel : 01369705010
Fax : 01369702168
Our Ref :
Your Ref :
If phoning or calling please ask for :
e-mail : enquiries@dunoongrammar.argyll-bute.sch.uk
December 2015
Dear Parent/Carer
S3 into S4 Options Process
In order to tailor the curriculum to best suit your child’s requirements for S4 National
Qualifications we require accurate information on what your child would like to study in
S4. With this in mind we are carrying out a ‘dry run’ of S4 options with the current S3
students. This is being launched this week through PSE classes.
We would ask that, in discussion with your child, you consider carefully the options
that are open for your child to study next session. Your child will continue to study
English and Mathematics, core PE and RME, and PSE. In addition, your child will
choose five additional subjects. These additional five can be selected from:



The seven subjects studied in S3
National 4/5 Physical Education
A number of Vocational and Skills for Work courses offered by the school and
our partner providers (Argyll College, and a variety of local employers)
We would strongly recommend that your child does not pick up brand new school
subjects in S4 (e.g. Nat 5 Biology, if the pupil had not taken Biology in S3), as there
would be a massive amount of preparative work for the National Qualification already
undertaken in the subject in S3.
We should point out that this is NOT the final options choice. However, it is very
important that this ‘dry run’ yields accurate returns as the final option choice columns
will be based on this initial data on likely subject choice.
A final options choice sheet will be issued along with the S3 report on 24 February
2016. The final options choice sheet will require your child to select their final five
choices, one from each of five columns of subjects.
Please also note that we cannot guarantee that any child will get their first five choices
– that would be impossible; but we will endeavour to achieve five of their seven
choices. Also, it is possible that a subject/course may not run if provisional data
suggests that there is little or no interest in the subject/course.
Please find attached copy of the ‘dry run’ form. Your child should list their seven S3
choice subjects in the spaces at the top of the grid. Next, they should list their top
seven choices, in order from 1 to 7 (1 being the top choice) from the eighteen
subjects/courses now listed in the full grid.
Information on the new subjects/courses on offer can be found on the school website
under
 Pupils
 Options
 S3 - S4 Options
Should you be unable to access the internet, we have a small number of hard copies
of the course descriptors available from the school office.
Please do not hesitate to contact either of us, if you have any questions. We look
forward to working with you to ensure your child selects the most appropriate courses
for progression into S4, and beyond.
Yours faithfully
Mr A G Stewart
Depute Head Teacher
Mr B Wilson
Depute Head Teacher