What should I ask at a GCSE options evening?
Ask each subject teacher how the GCSE is assessed, whether it is tiered, how much homework it brings and whether they would recommend it for you, and write the answers down while they are fresh. Then ask the options lead how many free choices you get and which subjects clash in the timetable. This sheet has the questions, a notes grid for six teachers and a shortlist with back-ups.
Last updated 4 November 2026 · Written and checked by the GCSEwiz team
What is on the sheet
- Six questions to ask every subject teacher, and a notes grid for up to six subjects
- Six questions for the head of year or options lead, about blocks, clashes and changing your mind
- A shortlist with a back-up for each choice, in case a subject is full
2 sheets · A4 portrait · black and white
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Options evening: the subject teachers
Page 1 of 2Five minutes with each teacher is enough. Write the answers down before the next conversation.
Ask every subject teacher
- What does the GCSE cover, and how is it different from the Year 9 lessons?
- How is it assessed: exams only, or coursework or practical work too?
- Is there a Foundation and a Higher tier, and how is that decided?
- How much homework is there in a typical week?
- What do students who do well in it have in common?
- Looking at my work so far, would you recommend it for me?
What I found out
| Subject | Notes | Would I enjoy two years of it? (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|
Options evening: the choice itself
Page 2 of 2For the head of year or options lead, and for deciding afterwards.
Ask the head of year or options lead
- How many free choices do I get, and which subjects are compulsory?
- Are the options in blocks, so some pairs cannot be taken together?
- Is triple science a choice here, or decided by set?
- What happens if a subject is full or does not run?
- Can I change a choice after the form is in, and until when?
- Do GCSE courses start in Year 9 or Year 10 at this school?
My shortlist
| Choice | Subject | Why I want it | Back-up if it is full |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 |
Pick subjects you enjoy and do well in. Almost no career depends on a Year 9 option, and sixth forms care more about your grades than your combination.
Why write the answers down?
An options evening is six or seven short conversations in an hour, in a busy hall, and by the car park they have blurred into one. A line of notes and a score out of five for each subject, written while the teacher is still in front of you, is what you will actually use when the form is on the kitchen table a week later.
The score is the part people skip and should not. "Would I enjoy two years of this?" is the best single question for choosing options, and your gut answer on the night is worth having on paper.
Why ask about assessment and tiers?
Subjects that look similar in Year 9 can be very different at GCSE. Some are assessed entirely by exams at the end of Year 11; others include coursework, a performance or required practicals. Some are tiered, with a Foundation paper that caps the grade, and some are not. None of that makes a subject better or worse, but it should match how you work best, and the teacher is the person who knows.
Why have a back-up for every choice?
Popular subjects fill up, small ones sometimes do not run, and timetable blocks can rule out a pair you wanted. Schools usually ask for a reserve choice for exactly this reason. Deciding your back-ups calmly now saves a rushed decision later if a first choice falls through.
Once the form is in
Many of the subjects you can choose, from history and geography to languages and business, are on GCSEwiz, with GCSE-style original questions at your level and a worked solution on every answer. Start on the free plan - no card needed.
