The subjects we teach and the courses we offer to the students are broad ranging and valuable, allowing all students to follow their own learning journey and create their future.

KS3

As our students make the transition into Key Stage 3 they take the full range of National Curriculum subjects. They study Maths, English, Science, PE, Computing, Technology, Humanities (Geography, History, RE and Citizenship), Music, Art and Modern Foreign Languages (Spanish and French). In Key Stage 3 students also follow an accelerated reading programme.

Students study the KS3 curriculum through Year 7, 8 and 9. However some content from the KS4 programme of study is introduced throughout Year 9 in Maths and Science.

KS 3 Banding and Assessment

Students follow the National Curriculum in the Lower School.

Students are placed into curriculum blocks and groups to best support their learning and progress. Students’ grouping is varied, below is a diagram to show the organisation of the blocks and groups.

We aim to keep group sizes as close to 30 students as possible, especially in practical subjects like Science, Computing and PE. In Technology we try to keep the group size as close to 20 as we are able.

Student progress is assessed using KS3 grades which range from WT –> 7 (NB - WT stands for Working Towards a KS3 grade).

KS3 grades :

• are NOT the same as GCSE grades because students follow a KS3 programme of study not a KS4 Curriculum.
• show that pupils have reached a GCSE standard in terms of skills, not what they would be likely get in terms of a grade were they to sit the exam, as they would not have been taught the content.
• are NOT the equivalent of the ‘old’ KS3 SAT level.
• indicate the eventual KS4 grade the student will be expected to achieve if they continue to make the same rate of progress through each year and work to their full potential.

e.g a student attaining a KS3 grade 2 in Year 8 will be expected to attain a grade 5 at GCSE or better.

The KS3 grades can be:

• a ‘full grade’ (e.g 5) where most of the assessment criteria has been met
• a ‘grade +’ (e.g. 5+) where all the assessment criteria are met
• a ‘grade –‘(e.g 5-) where some of the assessment criteria are met

 

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• Year 7 Subject Summary
• Year 8 Subject Summary
• Year 9 Subject Summary
• KS3 Revision Topics - Nov 2020

KS4

In the second term of Year 9, students are made a curriculum offer for Key Stage 4 with a core comprising English, Mathematics, Science, PE and PSHE; they are also able to choose their options at this point.

The courses offered as options differ according to the choices that we recommend for each student. Some will be offered GCSEs, some will choose from vocational courses, and others will be offered a mix of the two.

In deciding which curriculum offer is the best for each individual student, we look at assessment data from our feeder schools, our own teachers' assessments, and core subject predictions from Fischer Family Trust. We also take into account individual students' particular needs, such as whether they need extra help with skills such as literacy.

The guiding principle behind our pathways curriculum is to enable students to be successful. It is also designed to put them in the best position to take the opportunities open to them after KS4 which are thoroughly catered for with our KS5 provision.

KS 4 Courses

The following subjects are available at KS4:

KS5

In KS5 we offer around 30 A Level courses, enabling students to compose a programme of study that meets their individual needs, supporting progression onto the next step beyond the Sixth Form. It doesn’t stop with just A Levels. There are a range of vocational course in IT, Business, Media, Childcare, Health and Social Care and Science. In addition to this many students carry out an extended project qualification that can further enrich their educational experience. The full list of courses available is in our sixth form prospectus and on the departmental curriculum pages.