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Year 9 Options Process 2023

To download a copy of this letter, click here. 

  • January 30, 2023

Dear Parent/Carer,

I write to inform you of the option selection process this year. As you are most likely aware, students in Year 9 select some subjects that they wish to gain a greater knowledge of in Key Stage 4. Subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science are compulsory, but students can look to further their understanding on a range of other subjects.

At Key Stage 4, we place students in academic curriculum routes to give each one of them the best possible chance of reaching, or exceeding, their potential, following extensive consultation and consideration of a wide range of information, including attainment and current progress. Teaching staff from English, Maths, Science, and your child’s Head of Year are also involved in the process.

On Monday13th February 2023, your child will bring home a letter stating which curriculum route they will follow at Key Stage 4, along with a booklet outlining the choice of courses on offer and an option selection form. For most students, there will be little change to their current academic groupings. The process of choosing subjects has already begun, with students being actively encouraged to discuss their choices with parents and with teachers. The final stage of this process is the guidance interview with a senior member of staff, which parents will also attend, before final decisions around subjects are made.

The key dates within the subject selection process are as follows:

Week beginning Monday 30th January 2023 – Year 9 Subject Information Assemblies.

We recognise that the decisions that you and your child will need to make over the next few weeks are vital to their future success, so we recommend that you should speak to your child’s teachers about potential subject choices, considering their ambitions and current progress.

Thursday 2nd February 2023 – Year 9 Parents’ Evening:

By appointment, there is an opportunity to attend an interview with a nominated senior member of staff to discuss your child’s subject choices. These interviews can be booked either on-line on the Wednesday or in person on Thursday. All bookings for these days can be made on-line.

Friday 3rd March 2023: Final deadline for the return of your child’s subject choices to Mr Thomson.

Please note that it may not be possible to meet all first choices. In these cases, we will always endeavour to place students on courses where they will be able to achieve success, and this will always be done in consultation with your child.

Yours sincerely,

Mr J Thomson                                                  

Assistant Headteacher

How Yondr Works

Frequently Asked Questions

We want our students to be engaged in their learning. A child at high school should not really have a reason to contact a parent during the day; however, if there is a genuine reason e.g. they have forgotten their packed lunch, a phone call can be made home from the school office. If a parent needs to contact their child in an emergency, they should contact the school office. If you need to contact your child during the school day, contact the main office on 01942 883796.

In case of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency procedures.

 

Students are in possession of their phone - in their Yondr pouch - for the entire school day. We will advise students to store the pouch safely in their school bag or blazer pockets.

If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, we will confiscate the phone and issue a sanction which is likely to be a suspension.

Note: Damage consists of any signs that the physical integrity of the pouch has been compromised, whether intentional or unintentional, as determined by the school or Yondr staff.

Damaged pouches will be charged to parents at a cost of £20.

They will be searched and wanded with a handheld scanner by a member of SLT. If they are found to have their phone on their person they will be expected to place it in their pouch. Refusal will be met with suspension.

If a student forgets their Pouch, their phone will be confiscated.

As per our previous mobile phone policy;

  • Confiscated phones will be taken to reception where the phone will be secured in the school safe.
  • Parents will be alerted to the phone confiscation via the school office.

Parents will have the option to collect the phone at the end of the day. If parents do not collect the phone, the phone will remain in school until the end of the week or until the student has their pouch.

In Yondr’s experience, this almost never happens. All students funnel past the unlocking stations at the exits, they want their phones back and don’t forget to unlock their pouches. If they do arrive home with a phone in a pouch, they can either come back to school to unlock it, or have a phone free evening!

The unlocking process is quick and takes under a second per student. 

As a privilege, Year 11 will be able to unlock their phones as they go off site at lunchtime; however, they will be expected to put their phones back into their pouches when they return to school for period 5.

Yes. There is an adapted version of the pouch which uses a Velcro fastener instead of a magnetic lock. This means the student still follows the policy, but the adapted pouch gives them easy access to their phone when required. If the student abuses this, they will face a sanction. We are already aware of these students.

Your Office 365 account username is your school network account username followed by @flhs.wigan.sch.uk 
The password is the same password that you use in school to access computers.