Rethinking the Curriculum: 14-19

A new curriculum structure in Key Stage 4, as part of the 14-19 restructuring of the curriculum, will have major implications.

Option choice will have to be carefully prepared and guided. Individual learning plans for Year 9 students charting milestones in their learning 14-19 will become an integral part of this process. The new Connexions service will play a vital role. In essence, the school will become increasingly the hub or broker of students’ learning. Some learning for some students will be work based, college based or on-line. 

New features of our 14-16 structure will be:

• The opportunity to ‘specialise’ in a curriculum area(s) which will be timetabled in blocks of one full day and one half day, so facilitating some students going to college or work based providers.
• The restriction of the core to English, Science, Maths, Humanities (incorporating Citizenship, Religious Studies and Information Communication Technology) and Physical Education, thereby opening up more ‘free’ options for students.
• The introduction of half GCSE in ICT as part of the Humanities core.
• The introduction of a broader range of vocational and ‘applied’ subjects.

At 16+ it is likely that we will be reintroducing BTEC Nationals, for example in Sports Science, and a number of ‘free-standing’ AS levels in Year 12 and Year 13. We also need to build on the best aspects of Independent Learning in the Sixth Form.

The possibilities of students taking Modern Apprenticeships both pre- and post-16, with school-based subject teaching, is under active consideration. There is also the likelihood of Year 11 provision being different from Year 10 provision for some students. Some students may start new courses in Year 11 and finish them in Year 12 mixing subjects with work-based learning.

There will be a much wider range of qualifications now available to our students; NVQs, GCSEs, BTEC Nationals, Technical Certificates for example.