You’re in Year 9 and suddenly you have to make decisions about what to study in Years 10 and 11. Don’t panic! You now have the chance to focus on what you really like doing and how you learn best.

When you turn 14, you can choose to do:

• GCSEs
• a young apprenticeship
• an increased flexibility course where you study one day a week at college alongside your GCSEs.

• Think about what subjects you enjoy and are good at. Focus on the subject itself rather than the teacher.
• What kind of activities do you like and how do you learn best? You might like problem-solving, and thinking things through or you may prefer practical, hands-on learning.
• Do you have an idea of what you’d like to do when you leave school? It’s worth finding out if you need to study particular subjects to bag your dream job.
• Are you happy to continue at school or would you like to spend part of your week at college or at work?
• There are some compulsory subjects – like English, maths and science – that everyone will have to take exams in, usually GCSEs. Your school will let you know which subjects are compulsory and which are optional.

You should get help from your school about what to choose and when. You may also want to have a chat to:

• your parents or carers – they know you best, but bear in mind that they may not know much about the subject or career you want to take
• older friends or family who also had to make choices at 14
• your subject teachers
• a national careers adviser

Talking things through with your friends will also help but remember to focus on what you want to do – don’t choose subjects just because your mates are!

Are you in Year 9 and choosing your options, or have you been there and done that? Tell us your tips