Key Stage 4 Options Process 2025
Information on this year's Options Process
In September 2025, your child will start their new GCSE courses which they will see through until their public exams at the end of Year 11. We offer a wide range of courses, both academic and vocational, ensuring that students are able to build on the breadth of our Key Stage 3 curriculum offer.
This is an extremely important stage in school life and we will provide advice and guidance throughout the process to make sure that students choose subjects that enable them to progress to Sixth Form and beyond.
Choosing your subjects
All students will study these core subjects throughout the Key Stage 4 curriculum:
- Mathematics GCSE
- English Language GCSE
- English Literature GCSE
- Combined Science 2 GCSEs
- Philosophical, Political, and Personal Studies (including statutory SRE)
- Physical Education
Alongside the core curriculum, students will choose an additional four subjects:
- GCSE Art
- GCSE Art and Design: Textiles
- GCSE Business Studies
- GCSE Citizenship
- GCSE Computer Science*
- GCSE Design and Technology: Graphic Products
- GCSE Design and Technology: Product Design
- GCSE Drama
- GCSE Film Studies
- GCSE French*
- GCSE Geography*
- GCSE History*
- Level 2 Hospitality and Catering
- GCSE Music
- GCSE Photography
- GCSE Physical Education
- GCSE Religious Studies
- GCSE Spanish*
- GCSE Triple Science
* It is compulsory to choose at least one of these subjects and students may choose more than one.
Please note, students may not choose the following subjects together:
- Art and Art and Design: Textiles
- Design and Technology; Graphic Products and Design and Technology: Product Design
KS4 Options Key Dates
- Week beginning 3rd February - 1:1 options and post-16 guidance meeting for all students
- Weeks beginning 10th February and 24th February - Heads of Subject present at Year 8 assemblies
- Week beginning 24th February - Subject information and guidance published on SNS website
- Wednesday 26th February - Year 8 options evening
- Wednesday 5th March - Year 8 parents’ evening
- Thursday 6th March - Link to online options form sent to parents and carers
- Friday 21st March - Deadline for completion and submission of online options form
Our guidance and subject information booklets (see below for previous year's versions) will be published via the school website on Monday 3rd February 2025. The options information evening, taking place in school on Wednesday 26th February from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, will provide an opportunity for you to meet representatives from each of our options subjects. You will be emailed a link to book a place.
The process has been designed to ensure that students have access to a wide range of subject combinations. We always aim to give first choices but cannot guarantee this.
We look forward to seeing you at both our options evening and parents’ evenings.
More information regarding KS4 Options will be added here as the process progresses through February and March, slow please check back regularly.
Please contact the school if you have any further queries: admin@sns.hackney.sch.uk
Legacy Booklets
Below are the subject information booklets from last year. These are reference documents only.