It is the time in your sons education when some important choices have to be made in relation to his Key Stage 4 courses.

We have put together a package of information that will allow you and your son to make informed choices about his GCSE subjects.

Below you will find:

  • ‘The process’ information video
  • Subject information videos
  • Subject information sheets
  • Careers information
  • Key Contacts information

Please could you take the time to go through all of this information and guidance with your son. Please get in touch with any of the below contacts if you would like more information or help with the process.

The online choices form will be added to this page following the Year 8 Options Event which will be held in school on Thursday 18th May 2023.

CAREERS INFORMATION – General Research and Subject Links

Students and Parents – Please use the following links to research careers and subject options and to gain impartial advice about the various pathways available:


START Profile: startprofile.com

All Year 8 have completed a careers PSHCE module and discussed potential pathways with their tutor. They have also been introduced to START Profile which is a comprehensive research and personal development site linked to careers.

Students & Parents are advised to:

  • Register on Start / Log in for free com
  • Students can complete the ‘Build Your Start Profile’ tab to reflect on their preferred career pathways. The personality questions will help students to match searches to their personal characteristics
  • Students and Parents can use the ‘Explore Careers’ tab and then ‘Jobs Linked to Subjects’ tab on the right to investigate a wide range of careers linked to GCSE/A Level subject areas
  • Also, the Post 16 Options and Post 18 Options Tabs provide a wide range of information about the academic qualifications that are required for a range of career pathways.
  • Students can bring up job profiles and look at the rates of pay / routes into these roles. It also includes availability and other relevant labour market information (LMI)

Additional Careers Advice can be found via the following sites:

For further information about subject links and careers advice:

BBC Bitesize – Careers Section – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers

iCould –Personality Quiz and linked Careers Videos / Subject Links and Labour Market Information – go to the ‘explore section’ of https://icould.com/

National Careers Servicehttps://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Key Contacts

Mr Bowyer ‘Assistant Headteacher in charge of Choices’ – Pbowyer@sandbachschool.org

Mrs Middlebrook Year 8 LIM LMiddlebrook@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

Mr Mills Careers Lead – SMills@sandbachschool.org

Curriculum Leaders

PE – MSouthern@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

SEND – Hcooper@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

DESIGN & TECH – Pbowyer@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

LANGUAGES – PMcDevitt@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

GEOGRAPHY – KMcgrath@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

MUSIC – GBarber@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

DANCE & DRAMA – DAnderson@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

ICT – DWebb@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

ART – ACampbell@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

MATHS – DRoberts@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

MEDIA – JPender@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

SCIENCE – SCartwright@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

ENGLISH – BStanley@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

BUSINESS – GSmith@SANDBACHSCHOOL.ORG

HISTORY – PMcgarrigle@sandbachschool.org