The following is the speech given by College’s Deputy Head: Academics, Mrs Jeanette Finnie at the recent Form 3 Information Evening, where the boys are assisted and advised on making their Subject choices for their 4th form year.
Good evening
Parents, tonight is an important evening as it marks the end of an era in your son’s schooling as he embarks on the journey of selecting his subjects. At the end of this year, your sons will leave behind the GET phase of their schooling, and start the final FET phase, which will of course culminate in the final matric exams in 2025. Thank you for being here tonight, I know that it is important to your sons that you support them in their decision making.
It is my pleasure to welcome Mrs dos Santos, our Career and Tertiary advisor, as well as the Subject Heads of the elective subjects. The Subject Heads are available to address any of your subject related queries or to provide further information, and Mrs dos Santos can advise on more general matters and offer career advice. I thank the staff for their care, wisdom & advice, and I can assure you that your boys are in good hands.
To qualify for a National Senior Certificate matric, your son must take 7 subjects in total. This includes 2 languages, Life Orientation and Core Maths or Maths Literacy.
The remaining 3 subjects are elective meaning that you have a choice. We are most fortunate at this school in that we offer a very wide range of subjects and subject packages. You are in fact “spoilt for choice” here. The subject packages on offer are available on the Subject Choice document, and they fall into 3 lines. A number of subjects are spread across more than one line, allowing for even more subject options. There have been some changes to the subject lines, to accommodate timetable and staffing constraints, so please ensure that you utilise the current document emailed to you for Form 4 in 2023.
In addition to the 7 compulsory subjects, we also offer the option of 1 or 2 additional subjects to our very capable and hard-working academics. If the demand warrants it, we offer: Information Technology, Dramatic Arts, Economics and History as an 8th or 9th subject. This option comes of course with increased demands, and there are certain minimum requirements to qualify for an additional subject, so please check the details on the subject choice document. Advanced Programme Mathematics is offered to our top Mathematicians.
There is a distinct advantage to taking an additional subject, and if you are a good academic, it is strongly advised. The extra subject allows you to substitute a weaker subject with a stronger subject when applying for tertiary education. All boys currently in the top set are urged to seriously consider taking an 8th subject in 2023.
Your subject choices should ensure a good all-round education so that you grow as an individual. Our advice is that you avoid putting yourself in a career now as you are only 15, and you will probably change your ideas a few times over the years…keep your options open, but also be realistic. If you are not good at a subject now, it is very unlikely that you will pursue a career in it later on.
Not all of you here tonight will pursue careers in engineering, medicine or technology, many of you will take up a trade, study the humanities, or follow a creative path.
I would encourage you to give serious thought to taking a subject such as Visual Arts or Dramatic Arts, both of which have a significant practical component. These subjects are not only for boys who want to be artists or actors. They teach communication skills, creative thinking, collaboration and time-management.
Tonight, ask yourself what you enjoy, and what you are good at, and this should guide your choice. Don’t choose your subjects because your favourite teacher teaches it or because all your friends are doing it. Be especially careful too, of choosing a subject because your parents say you should do it. It is you and not them who has to get through the next 3 years! So parents, I ask you to listen to your boys and let them decide on their subject choice. In terms of deadlines, you received an explanatory letter via email last term. You must have entered your son’s chosen subjects by Friday 12 August at the latest.
You may have some questions, and I thought that I would address some of those that come up most often:
‘My son doesn’t know what he wants to do, how can he choose his subjects?”
My response to that is that your son is entirely normal! He is very likely to change his mind over the years. Our advice here is to focus on his broad field of interest, to decide where his aptitude and ability lie, ie what is he good at, and finally what is he interested in.
Another question…..
“If my son chooses Maths Literacy, can he still go to university?”
YES he can, not having Core Maths will however limit his field of study, to the field of humanities including areas such as law, marketing, advertising and Human Resources.
Parents also ask, “If my son wants to pursue training in a trade, does he need Core Maths?”
Yes he does, but he is only required to pass in Core Maths, not excel. If he does not have Core Maths, he can complete a bridging year at a TVET College.
We are often asked, “How important is the Grade 11 report?”.
Our answer to that question is VERY important. That report is the one your son will need to submit when applying at a tertiary institution.
You may have more specific questions, and you will now have an opportunity to speak to the staff here tonight, or if you have no queries, you are welcome to leave. As far as subject Music is concerned, Mr Stickells is not here tonight, as he and the choir have left for Pretoria to participate in the ATKV finals. However you are welcome to contact him directly should you wish to do so.
We thank you for your attendance tonight, it is much appreciated.