In Year 7 and 8, all students have a focus on the ‘core’ subjects:
English,
mathematics and
science but also study
art,
computing,
design and technology,
drama,
geography,
history, a modern foreign language (either
French or
Spanish),
music and
physical education. Individual subject areas will detail the curriculum and assessment for each year group.
In Year 9, all students still have a focus on the same core subjects of English, mathematics and science, along with physical education and religious education. Students also start preparing for possible GCSE and Level 2 vocational courses by completing some ‘mini-options’ and spending more time studying these subjects. This involves studying two of computing, geography and history as well as studying two of art, design and technology, drama and music.
Students at Key Stage 4 follow a GCSE or vocational syllabus in all subjects except a compulsory two hours a week of physical education in Year 10 and 11 and an hour of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education per week in Year 10. All students study GCSE English Language, English Literature, mathematics, statistics and combined science. Additional subjects are then chosen from a wide range, usually consisting of: art & design,
business, BTEC ICT, BTEC Sport design & technology, drama,
economics, engineering, French, film studies, geography, history, music, PE, Spanish and sport.
Students with an aptitude for science will be offered the chance to take the three separate sciences (instead of the combined science trilogy) during Year 11.
We continually review whether subjects and year groups are taught in mixed ability or classes with setting. This depends on the ability of a particular cohort, the timetable logistics and constraints, any changing syllabus or course demands, along with current research and outcomes. If students are in classes that are set, we continue to review students’ academic ability and take into account a range of academic data.
Extensive arrangements are in place to monitor your son’s progress. This is done through a wide range of assessment procedures and is reported termly in reports. For all year groups there are two main occasions in the school year when parents are invited to meet with their son/ward’s tutor and or subject teachers to discuss academic progress. This is on Progress and Partnership Day (PPD) in October and an annual Parents’ Evening. Please see the
school calendar for further information.
Activities to be completed outside of lesson time are set regularly by subject teachers – these are called Progress & Partnership Activities (PPA). How much is given depends variously on the year, the nature of the subject, and the teaching group involved. Students can expect PPA to increase as public examinations draw near.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of our students adapted to learning from home whilst the national lockdowns were in place.
We appreciate that learning on site is far better for our students and indeed staff, however, there may be occasions in the future when individual students might need to revert to learning remotely (e.g., a short- or medium-term injury or illness). There may also be times when cohorts or groups of students might need to work from home (e.g., when there is a local emergency and school cannot open; a water supply failure etc.)
Should this be the case work will be set by subject teachers with the expectation that learning will continue. We already have a useful resource which will also give some guidance on learning remotely and which may be useful to students and indeed parents/carers. In addition, a range of online resources are already available to all of our students.
If you are unsure what to do, please contact the relevant Curriculum Leader for further information.
