Are you a Year 9 student struggling to know what subjects to choose or which type of qualification to do?
The prospect of having to make tough decisions as to what subjects to choose may seem a little scary but think of it as taking control of your life and making decisions about how you want your future to be. Understanding the options available and the differences between them is important in helping you make the right decisions.
GCSEs
A General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is one type of qualification. There are a wide range of subject’s available and different types of GCSE courses including GCSE, short course GCSE and double award GCSE. GCSEs contain a mix of theoretical study and investigative work and are highly valued by schools, colleges and employers, so will be useful whatever you are planning to do afterwards.
There are a number of changes to GCSEs happening at the moment. These include replacing coursework with something called ‘controlled assessment’, where work is done in a classroom or other supervised environment.
Other changes include raising the number of GCSEs that are made up of separate modules, and introducing Functional Skills in GCSE English, Maths and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from 2010.
Click here for more information on the Connexions website
Diplomas
The Diploma is a new qualification for 14 to 19 year olds and offers a mix of classroom learning and hands-on experience. One of five subjects which can be studied at present is the Diploma in Information Technology. Diplomas are designed to prepare you for wherever you want to go in life and offer you the best combination of classroom learning coupled with a fun, creative and practical approach.
Apprenticeships
Getting paid while you learn might sound too good to be true - but as an apprentice you really do get the best of both worlds.
If you are keen to enter the world of work but don't want to stop studying, then an Apprenticeship could be the answer. Apprenticeships offer a practical balance between learning skills and earning a living and there are now over 180 different Apprenticeships available across around 80 different sectors.
Apprenticeships enable you to start working and earn a decent wage as you learn the skills and gain the qualifications that employers want.
Click here for more information on the Connexions website
Functional skills
You might have heard the term ‘functional skills’ being mentioned at school or college but what does it actually mean? The term refers to the English, Maths and ICT skills that you need to deal with everyday situations at home, at college, at work, or out and about.
These are the skills that help you make sense of the world around you, whether you're doing the shopping, applying for a job, managing your money, or doing an Apprenticeship in plumbing.
From September 2008 functional skills became part of the Key Stage 3 (KS3) and Diploma curriculum, and from 2010 they will become part of GCSEs.
Functional skills in English, Maths and ICT are assessed separately.
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