Yr 9 Options 2025-2026

Mr Mann and Mr Webb will be hosting a live online event on Tuesday 20^th January 6.30 – 7.30pm.

This event will communicate details of the points mentioned in these web pages and ensure everyone is clear on the next steps of the options process.

It will also be an opportunity for parents and students to ask any questions.

The Teams link to this live event will be sent out on Monday 19^th January 2026 and we encourage as many families to watch it with their child as possible.

A recording of the event will also be available for parents who cannot attend.

Unifrog

Throughout Key Stage 3, students will have no doubt gained an idea of which subjects they enjoy, achieve best in, and would like to continue with. Whilst this is an important factor in selecting option subjects at Key Stage 4, it is also important that they can make informed choices about the courses they pursue, which will in turn enable them to access courses or apprenticeships once they reach the age of 16. 

We have arranged for students to complete an online career or ‘Unifrog’ questionnaire. This will generate an independent profile report, which highlights different areas of interest to them, such as ‘caring for others’, ‘working in a scientific or mathematical environment’, and jobs which require physical activity. This shows the extent to which these different environments appeal to the students based on the answers they provide and in turn, suggests subjects, which will be greatly suited to supporting them to access this career pathway further down the line in their academic journey.  All year 9 students will be able to access their results via Unifrog.

Your child will create a login and password that will allow them to access their Unifrog Profile from home. You may find it helpful and interesting to look at the website alongside your child to explore the next steps that they could take both regarding different types of subjects as well as the world of work and apprenticeships.

If your child would like to take the ‘Unifrog’ questionnaire early or see the results once they’ve completed it in school, there is a step-by-step guide available by clicking HERE, to support them.

Students access the platform by clicking a link in their welcome email, where they create a password and can begin using the platform. They login to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Once they have logged in students click on ‘Personality Profile’ which is a pink box in the middle of the screen. After the quiz is completed, students will be directed to careers that may interest them.

For more information, go to www.unifrog.org or contact the Yr 9 Achievement Leader, Mr Mann via email at r.mann@harrisockendon.org.uk.  

Careers Advisor

We have an in-house careers advisor, Mr Milne, who is on hand to provide additional support and guidance on careers.

We are currently in the process of arranging small group sessions for students who we feel will most benefit from this supplementary advice.

If you have any specific career-based questions, then please do not hesitate to contact Mr Milne via email John.Milne1@harrisfederation.org.uk. 

Mr Milne will also be on hand during our Year 9 Options interview evening on Wednesday 25^th March, to answer any questions that you may have.

We will be offering the opportunity for students to attend voluntary taster lessons in subjects which students will not previously have studied.

These include Sociology, Citizenship, Statistics and Business Studies. If a student’s careers profile has suggested one of these subjects, they may wish to experience a taster lesson.

These sessions will take place after school in the week beginning Monday 9th February from 3.40-4.40pm.

Students will be given the opportunity to sign up to attend these sessions nearer the time.

The specific date of each taster session will be communicated to students at least a week in advance.

Year 9 parents evening will take place on Tuesday 17^th March from 3.45–7.00pm.  

Appointments will be limited to five minutes and conducted in person.

This is a great opportunity to discuss academic progress but also to ask questions regarding your child’s suitability for key stage 4 courses in each subject.

As the individual meetings will only be five minutes in duration, we recommend that the conversation is open, frank, and direct. It is helpful to focus on three key questions:

1. What can my child do to better exemplify the Academy’s ‘Work Hard’ culture for the rest of the academic year?
2. What will my child enjoy and find challenging during the Key Stage 4 course? / Is the Key Stage 4 course the right choice for my child to pursue?
3. What is needed for my child to excel at the Key Stage 4 course?

Should you have any pastoral or support questions, please send an email in the first instance to the Year 9 Achievement Leader Mr Mann at r.mann@harrisockendon.org.uk.

Students will have the opportunity to complete an online form and select the subjects they wish to study at Key Stage 4 following the parents evening on Tuesday 17^th March.

This information will then be used to conduct face-to-face interviews with families at the Options Evening on Wednesday 25^th March where student’s decisions will be finalised. The final allocations of options will be confirmed in the week beginning 1^st June 2026.

In preparation for selecting options, it is important to read information about the different courses that are on offer and discuss, as a family, what the preferred options are.

The options booklet can be found in the link below, and covers the steps in the options process, the constraints of different options, details about every course and some frequently asked questions.

Going through the options booklet together will make the next step of parents evening more efficient.

Yr 9 Options Booklet