Key Stages » Year 9

In Year 9 setting remains in place for English, Mathematics and Science and is extended to Modern Foreign Languages and the Humanities subjects. This being the third year of secondary education, and the end of Key Stage 3, all students are externally tested in the Summer Term by means of the National Curriculum Assessment Tests (NCATs) in all National Curriculum subjects. These tests are designed to measure a student's progress through the National Curriculum Key Stages and the results are communicated to parents and carers.

Students have a degree of freedom to choose Year 10 subject options.

From June in Year 9 students begin studying for their GCSEs (the General Certificate of Secondary Education) and other external examination courses. At this time the courses are designed more as an introduction to develop skills and techniques that are relevant to study in Year 10 rather than detailed syllabus content.