
KS4 Information
The Academy runs a three year key stage 4 curriculum with approximately 670 year 9, 10 and 11 pupils following a range of academic pathways, along with the opportunity to access a wealth of co-curricular activities. Pupils access a fortnightly timetable with 50 periods across the fortnight.
As with key stage 3, pupils are allocated to year group specific form groups, with extensive opportunity to challenge their moral code, cultural understanding and personal awareness through the Theme of the Fortnight programme.
Whilst the Academy supports the English Baccalaureate, our Key Stage 4 curriculum has been specifically designed to ensure breadth and variety to provide pupils with the knowledge they need to be successful throughout their lives. Through our carefully considered offer, we prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
The curriculum links to the Academy’s assessment setting out clearly what pupils are expected to know, understand and do, and when. Departments continuously change and adapt schemes of learning to promote ‘mastery’ of skills and development of knowledge. (Please refer to Assessment Handbook for information on key assessment procedures.)
Clear pathways ensure that pupils are guided to make appropriate choices and access exceptional provision across a range of subjects and activities. Pupil achievement, career aspirations, social development and personal enjoyment are all taken into account when selecting the appropriate pathway for that child to follow.
2016/17 Pathways
Outlined below is the pathway model for pupils undertaking GCSE pathways from 2016/17 with some of the benefits of the process.
• Pathways are not selected solely based upon ability, but are selected based upon the correct provision for individuals and their progress through their academic careers and future aspirations.
• It provides breadth and balance that enables them to follow the appropriate pathway into key stage 5 education and beyond.
• Although past, current and future progress were taken into account, personal interests, career paths and social abilities have been a large contributing factor when selecting pupils for pathways.
• All pupils have access to individual independent advice and guidance to ensure that they have a clear vision for their future and how to be successful in reaching their educational and career related goals.
Year 11 |
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Pathway |
Band |
Qualifications |
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1 |
X |
Triple Science, 1x Language, 1x Humanity, 1x GCSE/BTEC |
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2 |
Y |
Double Science, 1x Language, 1x Humanity, 1x GCSE/BTEC |
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3 |
Z |
Double Science 1x Humanity, 1x BTEC, 1 x BTEC/GCSE |
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4 |
W |
Entry Science, 2 x BTEC, 1 GCSE/BTEC |
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Year 10 |
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Band |
Qualifications |
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X |
Bands contain pupils that have access to the following dependent on their pathway: Triple Science, 1xhums, 1xlang, 1x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 1xhums, 3x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 1xlang, 3x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 3x GCSE/BTEC, CoPE |
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Y |
|
Year 9 |
|
Band |
Qualifications |
X |
Bands contain pupils that have access to the following dependent on their pathway: Triple Science, 1xhums, 1xlang, 1x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 1xhums, 3x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 1xlang, 3x GCSE/BTEC Combined Science, 3x GCSE/BTEC, CoPE |
Y |
|
Option Choices available
Curriculum Year | Awarding Body | Specification Code | Full Qualification Title | Level | Unit Code | Assessment type | Weighting % |
Art | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | AQA | 8201/C | ART AND DESIGN (ART CRAFT AND DESIGN) | 2 | 8201 | COURSEWORK | 60% |
8201/X | ART AND DESIGN (ART CRAFT AND DESIGN) | 2 | 8201 | EXAM | 40% | ||
Business | |||||||
9, 10 | J819 | Level 1/2 Cambridge National Certificate in Enterprise and Marketing | 1 & 2 | RO64, RO65, RO66 | RO64 - Written Exam RO65 & RO66 Coursework | RO64- 50%, R065 - 25% R066 - 25% | 603/0646/4 |
11 | J814 | Level 1/2 Cambridge National Certificate in Business and Enterprise | 1 & 2 | RO61 , RO62 , RO63 B postal | RO62 & RO63 Coursework RO61 - Written exam | RO61 - 25%, R062 - 25% R063 - 50% | 600/5080/9 |
French | |||||||
10 | EDEXCEL | 1FRO | French (2FR01) | GCSE | 5FR01 | Listening Exam | 20% |
5FR02 | Speaking Exam | 30% | |||||
5FR03 | Reading Exam | 20% | |||||
5FR04 | Writing Exam | 30% | |||||
Geography | |||||||
9,10,11 | Edexcel | 1GA0 | GCSE 9-1 Geography A | GCSE | |||
Paper 1: The Physical Envrionment | 1GA0/01 | Exam | 38% | ||||
Paper 2: The Human Environment | 1GA0/02 | Exam | 38% | ||||
Paper 3: Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges | 1GA0/03 | Exam | 25% | ||||
Health and Social Care | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | Pearsons | YPF51 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 1 | Internal Assessment |
30% |
Pearsons | YPF51 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 2 | Internal Assessment |
30% | |
Pearsons | YPF51 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 3 | Synoptic External |
40% | |
11 | Pearsons | BRY90 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 1 | External Exam (resits only) |
25% |
Pearsons | BRY90 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 2 | Internal Assessment |
25% | |
Pearsons | BRY90 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 3 | Internal Assessment |
25% | |
Pearsons | BRY90 | Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Health and Social Care | Level 2 | Unit 5 | Internal Assessment |
25% | |
History | |||||||
11 | Edexcel | 1H10 | GCSE History 9-1 | GCSE | 1H10/11 | Exam | 30% |
1H10/26 | Exam | 40% | |||||
1H10/31 | Exam | 30% | |||||
Creative iMedia | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | OCR | J817 – 600/7043/2 | Cambridge Nationals Certificate in Creative imedia | 2 | R081 Preproduction Skills Exam | Exam | 25% |
OCR | J817 – 600/7043/2 | Cambridge Nationals in Creative imedia | 2 | R082 Digital Graphics | C/A | 25% | |
OCR | J817 – 600/7043/2 | Cambridge Nationals in Creative imedia | 2 | R092 Developing Digital Games | C/A | 25% | |
OCR | J817 – 600/7043/2 | Cambridge Nationals in Creative imedia | 2 | R087 Multimedia | C/A | 25% | |
Performing Arts | |||||||
9, 10 | Edexcel | 603/0406/6 | BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts YPV16 | 1and 2 | Component 1 | Internal | 30% |
Edexcel | 603/0406/6 | BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts YPV16 | 1and 2 | Component 2 | Internal | 30% | |
Edexcel | 603/0406/6 | BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts YPV16 | 1and 2 | Component 3 | Symoptic External | 40% | |
11 | Edexcel | 600/4785/9 | BTEC Level 2 First Award in Performing Arts (Acting) BRY91 | 1and 2 | Unit 3 | Internal | 50% |
Edexcel | 600/4785/9 | BTEC Level 2 First Award in Performing Arts (Acting) BRY91 | 1and 2 | Unit 2 | Internal | 25% | |
Edexcel | 600/4785/9 | BTEC Level 2 First Award in Performing Arts (Acting) BRY91 | 1and 2 | Unit 1 - 20512Q | External | 25% | |
Photography | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | AQA | 8206/C | ART AND DESIGN (PHOTOGRAPHY) | 2 | 8206 | COURSEWORK | 60% |
8206/X | ART AND DESIGN (PHOTOGRAPHY) | 2 | 8206 | EXAM | 40% | ||
Religious Studies | |||||||
9 | WJEC EDUQAS | WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies Route A1 | 2 | C120P1 | Exam | 100% | |
11 | AQA | 8062 | GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES A | 2 | 8062A | Exam | 100% |
Spanish | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | EDEXCEL | 1SP0 | Spanish (2SP01) | GCSE | 5SP01 | Listening Exam | 50% |
5SP01 | Speaking Exam | 50% | |||||
5SP03 | Reading Exam | 50% | |||||
5SP04 | Writing Exam | 50% | |||||
Sport | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | Edexcel | BRY96 | BTEC Level 1/ Level 2 First Award Sport | BTEC Level 1/2 | Coursework/Exam | 75/25% | |
Textiles | |||||||
9, 10, 11 | AQA | 8204/C | ART AND DESIGN (TEXTILE DESIGN) | 2 | 8204 | COURSEWORK | 60% |
8204/X | ART AND DESIGN (TEXTILE DESIGN) | 2 | 8204 | EXAM | 40% | ||
English Baccalaureate
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance measure. It allows people to see how many pupils get a grade 4 (grade C) or above in the core academic subjects at key stage 4 in any government-funded school.
Ebacc subjects
The EBacc is made up of:
• English
• Mathematics
• History or Geography
• the Sciences
• a Language
Current Ebacc figures:
• In year 11, 92/174 (52%) have access to the English Baccalaureate
• In year 10, 153/256 (60%) are undertaking the English Baccalaureate