Curriculum

The curriculum for Year 9 provides for the time allocations as Year 8 in English, Mathematics, Science, Foreign

Languages, Humanities, Information & Communications Technology, Personal, Social & Health Education andPhysical Education. Students are given some choice about the courses that they take within the Expressive Arts and Technology areas of the curriculum. Within these choices it is possible to include additional time for the study of both French and Spanish as well as a Business Enterprise course.

A pre-vocational course is offered to some students who may benefit from this option. There is a range of choice within this programme, but all students taking this course continue to study the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science as well as Physical Education.

Years 10 and 11

In Years 10 and 11 students continue to pursue a core, or entitlement curriculum in accordance with the National Curriculum. All study English, Mathematics, Science, Citizenship, Religious Education and Physical Education.

Options Guidance

Whenever curricular choices are offered, careful and thorough guidance is provided. This takes the form of booklets, talks, advice from teachers and individual counselling. Parents are always involved in the process. The school provides detailed information and clear guidance to support these very important decisions.

Options at Key Stage 4

Students have the opportunity to gain up to 12 GCSE grades including some short course GCSE qualification. The following examination courses are available in the Options system:

Science

Students study Core Science in Year 10 and Additional Science in year 11. A small number of very able students study Triple Science (separate GCSE's in Biology, Chemistry and Physics). From 2009 some students will follow the BTEC First Science Course which is worth two GCSE's.

Some students are offered special courses through college placements on our Increased Flexibility Programme. This involves a two day placement at a local college studying for a vocational qualification in a range of practical areas. This is supported by a one day work placement. Students on these courses study English, Maths, Science, Physical Education and Citizenship during their two days in school. They also take on option subject from a range of GCSE courses. It is also possible for students to include within their options programme a one day work placement without joining the Alternative Education Programme. Special support is provided for some students through the Special Educational Needs department and includes the ASDAN Youth Awards scheme.

GCSE PE is offered to students through our "Fast Track" programme. Students can sit the GCSE exam after one year of out of school hours study. Results so far for students in Years 9 and 10 have been excellent. All of these courses are offered to students, but we can only decide whether a course will be provided when we discover how many students wish to take it. Regrettably, we are unable to run courses that attract too few students in any particular year.