Year 9 is an exciting point in the educational journey of our young people, when we encourage them to focus on the subjects they are passionate about; investigate new subjects with curiosity and have the courage to challenge themselves to achieve.

Options are a vital set of decisions in a young person’s academic life.  Even though some of the curriculum at Key Stage 4 is prescribed, this is the first time that young people will have any degree of choice in which subjects they can study.  When considering the information within the options booklet, we encourage students to think about their next steps after GCSE.  Further Education providers and employers want to see students who have good qualifications in a range of subject areas.  As a consequence, considerable time and thought should be applied to choosing wisely.  Miss Romain, Pembroke Academy’s Careers Leader, will be on hand to offer help and support throughout the process, and a full programme of support will be delivered in Personal Development sessions to ensure students are as prepared as possible before making their final decisions..  There will also be an opportunity to discuss the courses your child is interested in and ask any questions you may have during the Parents' Evening and Options Evening on Thursday 13th March 2025.

Students may decide to study the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications.  This is not a separate qualification and does not result in a certificate for your child, but is a recommended collection of qualifications which provide a broad and balanced education.  Subjects within the English Baccalaureate are; English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science, History or Geography and a language (Spanish at Pembroke). Regardless of whether they decide to pursue the English Baccalaureate route, all students will be expected to choose either History or Geography as one of their options. A student can opt for both subjects.

You can read more about each qualification by clicking the links below.

Guidance for completing Options through the SIMs Student App can be found here 

If you would like to access more support during the options process, please contact your child's form tutor or Miss Romain.  You can also access information using the following links: