Curriculum Advice & Guidance Booklet - Eden Girls’ School, Slough

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Maeve

Curriculum advice and guidance for Eden Girls’ School in Slough explains why GCSE and vocational exams matter and how they shape next steps into A Level or vocational study and future opportunities. It describes the impact of the new, tougher GCSEs with the 9-1 grading system, and highlights the role of teachers and parents while emphasizing students’ responsibility for learning, homework, revision, and constructive sacrifice over the next two and a half years. The booklet also outlines the course options, subject content focus, assessment expectations, and key guidance for Key Stage 4 choices, including GCSE pathways and requirements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Why are GCSE exams important?

What has changed: the new GCSEs and 9-1 grading system

Contents Overview

Introduction

English Baccalaureate

New GCSEs and the new Grading System

Core Curriculum (Subject Information)

Other Options (Subject Information)

Core Curriculum Non-GCSE Subjects

Key Stage 4 Subject Choices

Guidance Details

GCSE History or GCSE Geography?

GCSE Combined Science or GCSE Single Sciences

GCSE Art & Design and other option subjects

Eden Girls’ School, Slough Curriculum Advice & Guidance Booklet Foreword Why are GCSE exams important? What’s the point of completing them? Well, one reason is that, for the first time in over 10 years of education, you will sit exams that mean something for you. When you entered primary school, you did not sit exams to get in. When you came to Eden Girls’ School, Slough you did not need exams to be allowed to study here. However, the exams that you sit over the next few years do matter – for you. They will decide whether you get to go to study the A Level or Vocational course that you want and, ultimately, whether you enjoy the career of your choice. So, these GCSE and Vocational courses and exams are crucial. Not just to determine what you do next, but to decide what you will be doing in another 10 years’ time. Doors of opportunity will open or they will close. It is also important to remember that these are new, tougher GCSEs – with a new grading system from 9-1. There will be more content to learn, harder exams to complete, no coursework to help and more marks needed to pass. So that you do well in these new courses, your teachers will work very hard over the next few years to deliver the learning, stimulate your interest in the subjects and give you feedback on your progress. And, your parents will free you up from the chores at home, encourage and praise you when you dowell and pray for your success. However, there are two things that your parents and your teachers cannot do for you. They cannot work hard in lessons for you and they cannot sit the exams for you. Over the next two and a half years, we want you to take personal responsibility for your studies and for your grades, work hard in each and every lesson and put the time in to do homework and revise at home. To achieve great things, we must be prepared to give up things. We may need to give up social networking for a while, stop going out so frequently and watch a little less T.V. However, a little bit of sacrifice and time now will mean a lot of happiness at the end of the next two and a half years. Some courses described in this booklet are ones which you will have chosen to study. Others will be subjects that we have told you are compulsory. Regardless of the GCSE, BTEC or A Level courses you study over the next few years, a lot of hard work and enthusiasm is needed to succeed. Contents Introduction pg. 4 English Baccalaureate pg. 5 New GCSEs and the new Grading System pg. 6 Subject Information ‘Core’ Curriculum (Subject Information) pg. 7 GCSE English Language GCSE English Literature GCSE Mathematics GCSE Science (Combined Science or Biology, Chemistry and Physics) GCSE French GCSE Religious Studies Subjects which are part of Other Options (Subject Information) pg. 14 GCSE Citizenship GCSE French GCSE Geography GCSE History GCSE Computer Science BTEC Tech Award in Digital Information Technology GCSE Art & Design GCSE Food Nutrition & Preparation GCSE Physical Education ‘Core’ Curriculum Non-GCSE Subjects pg. 24 Over the next three years, there will be a number of courses and subjects that you will complete. This guidance provides details of each of the courses that you could take. In particular, it gives information on: • What you will learn on each subject. • Why the subject is important for everyday life. • How you will be assessed in the subject. • What you will need to do to succeed in the subject. • What you can study after completing a GCSE in the subject. • What career options there are from this subject. Each student will complete some of the following subjects during Key Stage 4 (years 9-11): | Subject | Level | Start | Finish | Core or Part of Other Options? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Art & Design | GCSE | Y9 | Y11 | Part of Other Options | | Digital Information Technology | BTEC | Y9 | Y11 | Part of Other Options | | Citizenship | GCSE | Y9 | Y11 | Part of Oth

FAQs

Why are GCSE exams important according to the booklet?

They matter because they determine whether students can study the A Level or vocational courses they want, and they influence future career enjoyment and opportunities.

What changes are students told to expect in the new GCSEs?

The booklet explains that the GCSEs are tougher, follow a 9-1 grading system, involve more content, harder exams, no coursework support, and require more marks to pass.

What responsibilities do parents and teachers have, and what must students do themselves?

Teachers and parents support learning and encouragement, but they cannot work hard in lessons or sit exams for students. Students are expected to take personal responsibility, work hard in every lesson, and complete homework and revision at home.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Maeve