Options Process 2024

Please see the below information on our options process for this year.  Additional information can be found on the school’s website and in the subject information booklets that pupils will receive in February.

Key Dates:

We would greatly encourage all parents to get involved in the options process by either: contacting the school to arrange a time to speak with their child’s guidance teacher, speak to your child’s guidance teacher at parents evening or attend your child’s guidance appointment (in person or virtually).  Allocated times for these guidance discussions with pupils and those parents who wish to take part will be distributed at the end of February.

All option forms will need to be signed off by: parents, pupils and their guidance teacher.  If a pupil intends to leave school they will be required to tick a box on the option form stating that.  If they change their mind and decide to come back please note that some classes may be full so they may not be able to take all of their preferred subjects.  If they are in any doubt as to what they intend to do they should make their option choices.

Now is the time when the thoughts of pupils in S2 to S5 turn to the subjects they might choose to study next session and in the next phase of their learning journey.

• In S2, pupils select 7 subjects to study in S3, in addition to English, Maths, core PE, core RE and PSE. These subjects should be chosen from a range of subject areas to allow for a broad and balanced curriculum and keep future options open.

• In S3, pupils select 5 of these 7 subjects to study in S4, in addition to English, Maths, core PE, core RE and PSE. These will usually lead to 7 National Qualifications at the end of S4.

• In S4, pupils select 5 subjects to study in S5. These will usually lead to 5 further National Qualifications at the end of S5.

• In S5, pupils select subjects to study in S6. These will usually lead to 3 or 4 further National Qualifications at the end of S6.

What are the National Qualifications?

• National 3 is assessed by teachers and is not graded. It is pass/fail and is based on units carried out during the year.

• National 4 is assessed by teachers and is not graded. It is pass/fail and is based on units carried out during the year. It also includes an added value unit, which may take the form of a written task, a performance, a presentation etc.

• National 5 involves a final external assessment, usually an exam, plus other types of assessment such as coursework or performance. It is graded A, B, C or D and is mainly marked by external SQA examiners.

• Higher and Advanced Higher involves a final external assessment, usually an exam, plus other types of assessment such as coursework or performance. They are graded A, B, C or D and are mainly marked by external SQA examiners. Advanced Higher involves a significant amount of independent study.

All the National Qualifications are quality-assured by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

All information on National qualifications can be found at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) website here:  

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/70972.html   In addition very useful and concise summaries for parents and carers of the National Qualifications and pathways can also be found on the national parent forum website here:

https://www.npfs.org.uk/downloads/senior-phase-in-a-nutshell/ 

 https://www.npfs.org.uk/downloads/progression-in-a-nutshell/

https://www.npfs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/nutshells_pathway_E.pdf 

Pupils should consider the following three factors when considering subject choices:

• What am I interested in?

• What am I good at?

• What might I require in relation to my chosen future learning or career journey?

Useful questions for parents/carers in relation to the choices process are:

• Has my child made good progress already in the subject, i.e. is success likely in S3 and beyond?

• Does my child enjoy the subject?

• Will the subject be of value in any future learning or career journey?

• What did my child’s teachers say at the last Parents’ Evening/in the last report?

Many pupils still have no clear idea when asked the dreaded question “What do you want to be when you are older?” and for them it is important to choose a range of subjects that will keep as many options as possible open; as part of that range, Literacy and Numeracy qualifications are particularly important to employers, colleges and universities.

Leading up to Christmas, pupils will receive information and guidance about subject choices from their subject and Guidance teachers. A key tool in this process is the My World of Work website from Skills Development Scotland which has excellent advice - https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/where-can-option-choices-take-you. We encourage all parents and carers to access this site before discussing choices.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time,

but you can’t please all of the people all of the time."

- John Lydgate, 15th Century poet

For a school of our size, we provide an excellent range of subject choice, but obviously it is not always possible to suit every individual requirement. We do our very best to be as flexible as possible. The process of creating the timetable for next session will involve creating a complex jigsaw of pupil wishes across the stages, staff availability, resources and accommodation.

If courses are over-subscribed, decisions around who is selected for them will be based on the following:

• All the pupils in an over-subscribed course will be interviewed so that we can assess how important the subject is to each pupil and what alternatives are acceptable.

• Previous motivation, behaviour and effort in the subject will be taken into account.

Subject Choices

The booklets  below will give you more information about the subjects on offer at LHS.

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