Additional Information on
Individual Option Subjects
Year 8
Quick links to individual subjects
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Art
Business Studies
Computing
ICT
Design & Technology – Electronics
Design & Technology – Food
Design & Technology – Graphics
Design & Technology - Resistant
Materials
Design & Technology – Product
Design
Design & Technology –Textiles
GCSE Engineering
GCSE Hospitality and Catering
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Home Economics Child
Development
Drama
Dance
Geography
History
Modern Foreign Languages
Music
PE
Art & Design – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Art & Design
enjoy
• being creative
• being independent
• working with new materials
• Learning new skills
and are good at
• learning from themselves and others
• listening and taking advice
• sharing ideas
Art & Design – Page 2
Studying Art & Design can lead to
• work in the creative industries (Art,
Graphics, web design, Fashion,
Photography, media)
• Becoming more independent
• Looking at the world in a different way
like Steve Jobs, Sir Jonathan Ive, Sir
James Dyson.
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Business Studies – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Business enjoy
• relating new knowledge to the real world
• knowing what is going on in the news
• finding out about businesses
• thinking about ways to solve problems
and are good at
• explaining their ideas clearly in writing
• interpreting graphs, charts and diagrams
• doing calculations, learning formulae and
applying them
Business Studies – Page 2
Studying Business can lead to
• A level Business / Economics or BTec
National Diplomas in business-related
subjects
• apprenticeships in Business and Finance
• learning how to run your own business
• an understanding about how all
organisations are businesses and the
main features of running them
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Computing – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Computing enjoy:
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Solving logic puzzles
Learning how computers work
Creating programs of their own
Game design
They will be pupils who see their future career
being in the IT industry
Computing – Page 2
Studying Computing can lead to careers as a
• Computer Programmer
• Software designer including gaming
• Systems Analyst
• Network Technician
• Animator
• Teacher
Careers in the computer science industry are
typically well paid.
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ICT – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in ICT enjoy:
•Designing presentations and publications on the
computer
•Working with spreadsheets and databases
•Creating web pages
The skills gained will be relevant to a wide range of
industries so this course is for pupils who enjoy
working with computers but don’t necessarily see
their future career being in the IT industry
ICT– Page 2
Studying ICT can lead to careers in
• PR
• Advertising
• Media
• Web Design
• Administration
• Sales and Marketing
• Teaching and Education
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Design & Technology – Electronics – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Electronics enjoy
•Problem solving, analysing information to aid
designing.
• Practical work, especially soldering circuits.
• Developing skills of creativity and critical analysis
through making things and looking at good design.
and are good at
•Mathematics and are able to solve mathematical
equations.
•Being self motivated and organised.
•Most important is a genuine interest in new
technology and way it interacts with the environment.
Design & Technology – Electronics – Page 2
Studying Electronics can lead to you
working in electronic/electrical
engineering, or the manufacturing
industry. Such people need to be flexible,
good communicators, willing to work in
teams, and to be computer literate. This
course will inspire pupils who are more
interested in the technical aspects of
product design.
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Design & Technology -Food – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Food Technology
enjoy:• Cooking food and being creative.
• Developing ideas and flavours and designing new
dishes.
• Having a finished product at the end of each
lesson.
and are good at:• Being creative, organised and enjoy modifying
traditional ideas.
Design & Technology –Food – Page 2
Studying food technology can lead to:• Producing dishes from fresh ingredients and
combining them to produce quality products.
• Being able to provide food for yourself and
your family on a budget.
• A career in the food industry as a Chef,
Dietician, Nutritionist, Corporate
Management, Food Designer , Teacher, Home
Economist, Food Scientist or Food Marketing.
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Design & Technology – Graphics – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Graphics enjoy:
• Watching “Grand Designs” and would like the chance to produce a
conceptual design for a new building for the year 11 Controlled
Assessment.
• Being creative and do not want be constrained by producing “real
items”.
• Gaining and improving drawing, colour rendering and presentation
skills.
• Using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and want to improve.
• Looking “Good and Interesting” Design and Designers
and are good at:
•Being creative and coming up with new ideas.
•Coming up with new ideas and either like working on the computer
or drawing by hand.
•Doodling.
Design & Technology – Graphics – Page 2
Graphics can lead to many different “Design” based Degrees and different career
paths including:
Graphic Designers or Packaging Designers. Salary: £15,000 - £65,000
Architect. Salary: £30,000 - £65,000. Potential of over £100,000 at the most senior level
in top practices.
Animators. Salary: £20,000 - £40,000
Interactive media designers. Salary:£15,500 - £45,000 or more.
Games designers and programmers. Salary: £19,000 - £60,000.
Most illustrators are self-employed and work freelance. They are paid an agreed fee for
each commission, which varies widely. Earnings range from £5,000 to £50,000 a year. Some
extremely successful illustrators may earn £250,000 a year or more.
Web designer/developer. Salary: £20,000 - £45,000 or more.
Product designers. Salary: £14,000 -£20,000 a year. Senior product designers and account
directors can earn up to £65,000 a year, potentially more.
Exhibition designers. Salaries range from around £17,000 for new entrants to more than
£60,000 a year for creative directors.
Art editors. Salary for a trainee or junior art editor: £15,000 -£25,000. This may rise to
£40,000 - £70,000 with experience.
Advertising art director. Salaries start at £18,000 a year for new entrants, to over
£100,000 at the most senior level in top agencies.
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Design & Technology – Resistant Materials – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in D&T Resistant Materials enjoy
• Exploring ideas and modelling them using ICT as well as hands on
construction
• Practical work with an enthusiasm for designing products using a
range of different skills and materials.
• Being engaged in the processes of Design and Technology in order
to develop as effective and independent pupils.
and are good at
• Being self motivated and organised.
• Combining different materials using a wide range of tools and
equipment
• Problem solving, analysing the information given to aid designing.
• Presenting their work using ICT
• Using Modelling and CADCAM to create and develop ideas
Design & Technology – Resistant Materials – Page 2
Studying Resistant Materials can lead
to
• Being able to use problem solving
skills.
• Studying A level Product Design.
• Careers in the world of design and
manufacture.
• Careers in the fields of engineering.
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Design & Technology – Product Design – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in D&T Product Design enjoy
• Designing and making activities using a wide range of materials
• Being creative and presenting work in a variety of different ways
including using ICT skills
• Finding out about why products are created the way they are
• Looking at the work of designers and the products they create
and are good at
• Creating and developing ideas quickly to solve real life problems
• Combining different materials using a wide range of tools and
equipment
• Presenting their work using ICT
• Using Modelling and CADCAM to create and develop ideas
Design & Technology – Product Design – Page 2
Studying D&T Product Design can lead to
• A Level Product Design or related design
courses at College
• A career in a wide range of different design
disciplines such as a Product Design
Engineering, Architecture, Interior design or
Specialist design areas such as automotive,
jewellery or furniture
• A life long interest and appreciation of good
design
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Design & Technology –Textiles – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Textiles enjoy
• Experimenting with a wide variety of fabrics
and threads to create surface decoration.
• Designing new and innovative creations.
• Following fashion trends.
• Working with an Artist in Residence.
and are good at
• Creating practical, exciting
and fashionable Textile
products.
Design & Technology –Textiles – Page 2
Studying Textiles can lead to
• Gaining skills which are invaluable in any area
of study, such as increased independence,
visual awareness, creative thinking and
problem solving, research and analytical
thinking skills.
• This is an excellent course for those who wish
to express themselves creatively.
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GCSE Engineering – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Engineering enjoy
• Practical work and exploring different solutions in different
materials
• Exploring ideas and modeling them using ICT as well as hands on
construction
• Researching information about past engineering products and
principles and how they affect our lives today.
• Finding out how products work and how they are manufactured.
and are good at
• Creating and developing ideas quickly to solve Engineering problems.
• Using ICT to present your work
• Using CADCAM to help design and manufacture products
• Working with a wide range of materials and tools
GCSE Engineering – Page 2
Studying Engineering can lead to
• A level Engineering course at College
• An apprenticeship at an Engineering
company
• The opportunity to go on to focus on a
specific area of Engineering. E.g.
Electrical Engineering, Production
Engineer.
• An appreciation of the Engineering and
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design all around you.
GCSE Hospitality and Catering – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Hospitality and
Catering enjoy:• Cooking with food and being creative.
• Presenting food products to a high standard.
• Having a quality product at the end of each
lesson.
• Working as part of a team.
and are good at:• Being creative, organised and enjoy producing
restaurant standard food.
GCSE Hospitality and Catering – Page 2
Studying Hospitality and Catering can lead to:• Producing dishes from fresh ingredients and
combining them to produce quality products.
• A career in the food industry as a Chef,
Corporate Management, Events Management,
Self employed caterer, Media work or Food
Marketing.
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Home Economics Child Development – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Child Development
enjoy
• Anatomy, physiology and reproduction.
• Pre-conceptual care.
• Pregnancy and birth.
• Development of the child 0-5 years.
and are good at
• Having an interest in children and watching
them play and develop.
• Making food and textile items for children.
Home Economics Child Development – Page 2
Studying Child Development can lead to
• Academic and a variety of vocational
courses including National
Diplomas/Certificates in Health
Studies/Care, AS and A2 Health and
Social Care
• Careers in Nursing, Nursery Nurse,
Nanny, Teacher, Learning Support
Assistant, and Paediatric specialism.
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Drama – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Drama enjoy
• Performing
• Working as a team
• Being actively creative
• Being inventive
and are good at
• Expressing themselves (vocally & physically)
• Collaboration
• Organisation
• Thinking outside the box!
Drama – Page 2
Studying Drama can lead to
• A career in the Arts
• Lifelong confidence
• A career in Law or Politics
• Creative satisfaction
• Transferable life skills
See your Drama teacher for more
information!
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Dance – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Dance enjoy
• Performing in front of an audience
• Observing professional dances
• Working on your own and with others to create dances
and are good at
• Creating and performing dances
• Critically appreciating dances
• Being committed to improving their own and others’
work
• Performing dances with correct technique in a variety
of styles
Dance – Page 2
Studying Dance can lead to
• A career as a professional
choreographer
• Teaching Dance in or out of school
• Performing on stage within a Dance
company
• Improvement in social development,
fitness and well being
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Geography – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in (subject) enjoy
•Learning about new places in the world
•Learning about how our landscape is changing
•Exploring how people are changing places
•Exploring how people and places are changing over time
And are good at
•Remembering facts about events such as volcanic eruptions
•Investigating topics – finding out what happened.
•Decision making – deciding how places should or should not
change
•Looking at issues from different points of view
•Applying knowledge in different situations
•Debating you point of view
Geography – Page 2
Studying Geography can lead to
• A greater understanding of different cultures and places.
• A broad understanding of the issues faced by our world from a
local to global scale.
• The ability to adapt to an ever changing situations and hazards.
• Careers ranging from Architecture to Hazard Management, TV
researcher, energy companies, weather forecasting, member of
the armed forces, town planner, estate agents.
See the KS3 Geography VLE page for more information!
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Studying History can
lead to becoming a:
TV Broadcast
journalist
Barrister
/
Solicitor.
Writer.
Key Skills:
critical reasoning and
analytical skills, including
problem solving and creative
thinking.
School
Teacher
primary or
secondary.
History – Page 2
Pupils who are successful in History
enjoy:
• Asking questions
• Arguing/Debating
• Problem solving
• Creative
and are good at
• Communicating
• English
• Thinking critically
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Modern Foreign Languages – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in (subject) enjoy:
• Learning about other cultures and traditions
• Looking at language patterns and deducing
grammar rules
• Speaking and listening to others
And are good at:
• Communicating
• Working out rules/patterns
• Applying rules/patterns to their own work
• Listening!
• Working hard
Modern Foreign Languages – Page 2
Studying languages can lead to:
• Travelling and trips
• More opportunities
• A better job
• More money
• Living abroad
• Teaching, translating, interpreting, journalism,
linguistics, logistics, European agencies and
many more.
• Broadening your horizons
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Music – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in Music enjoy
• Performing
• Listening to a wide variety of music
• Composing original music and songs
• Using computer software to create and
perform music
and are good at
• Playing an instrument or singing
• Being creative
• Analysing and refining their work
Music – Page 2
Studying Music can lead to
•A Level Music at an F.E. college
•Improved aural perception in exams
•Confidence to become a performing musician as
adults
•Self confidence – useful if you intend pursue,
for example, drama or law
•Performing Arts or Music Technology is also
available to you
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PE – Page 1
Pupils who are successful in PE enjoy
• Practical work
• Striving for excellence
• Extra curricular activities
• Solving Problems
and are good at
• Sport
• Working in a team
• Looking for ways to improve
• Written work
PE – Page 2
Studying PE can lead to
• Jobs in the fitness and leisure industry
• Jobs in teaching and coaching
• Job in the armed forces
• Greater independence
• Good problem solving skills
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