Selecting IGCSE and A Level subjects is one of the most consequential academic decisions a student will make. At Harrow Appi Japan, we are committed to ensuring that neither students nor their families navigate this process alone.
Through a structured series of events, resources, and direct conversations, we keep parents actively involved at every stage — because we believe the best decisions are made in partnership.
Image taken at our Options Fair in 2025
Step 1: Parent Webinar
The process begins with an online parent webinar, which outlines the IGCSE and A-Level options process, key considerations for subject selection, and the timeline for decisions ahead.
Alongside the webinar, we will share the IGCSE Options Booklet and A Level Options Booklet — comprehensive guides to every available subject, the skills each develops, and the university pathways each can open. We encourage parents and students to read these together.
Step 2: Options Fair
For the students, Year 9 and Year 11 students attend our Options Fair — an opportunity to speak directly with beaks and older students about the full range of subjects and pathways available. This event is very well attended and tends to generate enthusiastic discussion. Hearing from a Sixth Form student about the rewards of A-Level Economics, or from a Beak about the creative scope of IGCSE Art, brings subject choices to life in a way that written materials alone cannot. Students left with clearer priorities and, in many cases, new perspectives on subjects they had not previously considered.
Step 3: Parent-Beak Academic Meetings
Ahead of the half term holidays, we run do our Parent-Beak Academic Meetings, the Harrow Appi Japan equivalent to a “Parents Evening”. These one-to-one conversations give parents the opportunity to discuss their child’s academic strengths, the suitability of particular subject combinations, and the pathways that specific choices may open at university and beyond. Tailored to each student and informed by our beaks’ close knowledge of every individual in their care, these meetings are a direct reflection of the depth of pastoral and academic support that defines a Harrow Appi education.
Next Steps
The next stage is a straw poll — an indicative submission of subject preferences that allows the academic team to assess timetable combinations and identify any students who may benefit from further guidance. At the same time, we encourage families to use the upcoming holidays to discuss subject choices carefully with their child, revisiting the options booklets and reflecting on the conversations from the Parent–Beak Meetings. The final deadline for submitting options is then a few weeks after the holidays to give all families the opportunity to assess, discuss and come to a decision about the child’s options.
A Process Built on Partnership
At Harrow Appi Japan, we believe that the best decisions about a student’s education are made when school and family work together. From the parent webinar and the Options Fair, to the academic meetings and the guidance available throughout, our intention is the same: to ensure that every student enters their IGCSE or A-Level years with clarity, confidence, and the full support of both their family and their school.
If you wish to learn more about Academics at Harrow Appi Japan, please explore the Academic section of the website or reach out directly to Admissions to learn more.
