Making Choices

"I’m Jack and I was the Deputy Head Boy here at The Compton School as well as being part of the Careers Team within the Sixth Form Leadership Team. I’m looking to offer some advice on selecting the right mix of subjects at Key Stage 4 by sharing some of my experiences. It seems like only yesterday when I was choosing my GCSE subjects. I remember being unsure of what I wanted to do and having questions such as ‘what would open the most doors for me in the future’ and ‘what would be the best subject choices for me?’. This uncertainty was something unfamiliar to me and I wanted to do something about it, so I researched into what each subject offered. For example, I really enjoyed History and remember it being my favourite subject but I wasn’t sure if I should take it at GCSE. So I decided to look into what a GCSE in History could be used for. On this search, I found a number of pathways that would allow me to follow this passion, not just at A Level, but to degree level and beyond. This vast amount of information gave me an insight into what I could do in the future and gave me a true understanding of the reasons to take History as a GCSE subject. After doing this for a number of subjects, I managed to find the ones I was most interested in and which would have the greatest value in my future education. These decisions even led to me study some of the same subjects at A Level that I studied at GCSE. In my research I found that education past GCSEs requires desired subjects in order to proceed. For example, many Science-based degrees require specific subjects in order to apply. If you know what you would like to do in the future it is important to make sure your choices will match these requirements. It was this research and looking beyond GCSEs that gave me an opportunity to make choices that were right for me and that would prepare me for my future."

“My name is Demi and I was part of the Careers Team within the Student Leadership Team in Year 13. I took my GCSE’s around 2 and half years ago. The diversity within the subjects I had chosen in Year 9, allowed me to go down the A Level pathway that I wanted to choose. I studied English and Maths, with my options including Triple Science, Product Design, Spanish and History. English, Maths and Science, along with a humanities subject and a language have allowed me to gain the English Baccalaureate, more commonly known as EBacc. This is where you achieve a 5+ in all of these subjects. Studying this group of subjects allowed me to study a wide range of subjects at A Level. Studying a language and receiving a qualification for it will make you stand out when applying for university, an apprenticeship or going into employment as it shows your dedication and resilience in learning something different to your everyday language. It also offers greater earning potential in the future and one the requirements for me getting into my university was that I had studied a lnguage at GCSE level. Product design isn't a part of the Ebacc, however it did give me the opportunity to express creativity within my studies, which was I found beneficial considering my other options were essay and number-based. My biggest piece of advice is that the bigger the range of subjects you choose now, the more thankful you will be as you will open many more doors for your future self.”

"Hello, my name is Busayo. As a member of the Sixth Form alumni  who had a very rewarding academic year in Year 11, I feel it is necessary to highlight what helped me get to where I am today as well as the fact that the results you see in that envelope in August 2024 are as equally important as the opportunities you were offered on your journey there. The Compton School takes pride in the enrichment opportunities it offers that are open to all of you. They are aimed at helping every one of you become well-rounded, conscious and prepared individuals. Enrichment programmes are a popular platform for students to be engaged and taught important life skills as well as learning content around your subjects. Being a part of an enriching activity is likely to promote employability and academic attainment. You could acquire skills that make you a desirable candidate to future universities and employers by simply joining a debate club. Or, by partaking in multiple activities, you can discover your own passions and interests for what you want to do when you leave the school experience behind."