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Contents t h e s t u d i o – p r i n c i pa l’s w e lc o m e
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W h y s t u dy at T h e S t u d i o ?
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T h e S t u d i o D ay
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I n d u s t r y Pa r t n e r s
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Y e a r 10 a n d 11 C u r r i c u lu m
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S i x t h F o r m C u r r i c u lu m
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I n d u s t r y R e a dy
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J o i n o u r t r i b e 14
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thestudioliverpool.uk
Prospectus Shaun McInerney Principal
Gill Davies Vice Principal
“Senior leaders and staff have successfully created a vibrant, caring learning community where aspiration abounds and the individual can flourish.” Ofsted Inspection, 2016
“I can’t express how much my son has transformed since joining The Studio. He has developed into a confident, happy and well adjusted young man and I can’t thank you all enough. He passed all 10 of his GCSE’s with amazing results, and is now looking forward to starting his A Level studies at The Studio”. Parent of Year 11 student.
Fiona Markey Director of Core Curriculum
“The behaviour of students is outstanding. They are self-disciplined, courteous, broad-minded and sociable. As a consequence, they are determined to make the best of all opportunities available to them.” Ofsted Inspection, 2016
thestudioliverpool.uk THE STUDIO
The Studio is Merseyside’s only dedicated creative and digital tech school. A Studio education allows you to develop academically while preparing for your chosen career in the creative, technology or entrepreneurship sectors. The Studio is a unique Studio School pioneering a new approach to education. Working closely with industry partners, we seek to address the growing gap between the skills and knowledge that young people require to succeed, and those that the current education system provides. We are a small school that caters for students aged 14-19. We offer high challenge vocational and academic education and are a bridge between school and the workplace and we feel more like a workplace than a school. You will do projects that develop you as a digital leader. You will create a digital portfolio to showcase your emerging skills and you will start planning for your future career in the sector or launch yourself as a digital entrepreneur. If you choose to join us you will have support from a team of trained coaches and a group of teachers who are experts in their field and you will get incredible opportunities to grow, develop and challenge yourself to be the very best you can be. In 2016 we achieved our best ever results. 84% achieved A*-C in specialist subjects such as Graphics, Art, Film and Creative Media at GCSE. We also achieved 96% A Level pass rate and 100% BTEC pass rate, with an average grade of Distinction. This enabled 70% of our cohort to enter some of the best universities nationally. Other students chose to start their career, many with our industry partners. Now has never been a more exciting time to join The Studio. You will be joining a group of like-minded young people who appreciate one another and help each other to succeed. Whether you are thinking of joining us in Year 10 or Sixth Form, you will find the transition to The Studio an easy one. Join us and get ahead of the game! Shaun McInerney Principal – The Studio
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Why study at the Studio? The creative and digital sector is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic sectors in the UK. Who knows what type of jobs will exist in 10 years’ time? Or even which product or service will have disrupted our lives to such an extent as the smartphone, YouTube and the cloud. The Studio is situated within Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, a cutting-edge destination where pioneering creative and tech entrepreneurs locate their enterprises. It is a vibrant community of games, mobile, film, marketing, tech and creative companies. On the doorstep of The Studio these entrepreneurs inspire our students to excel in this sector. Their proximity to our school enables them to support our students whilst still growing their innovative businesses.
“I have really enjoyed starting at The Studio. I have learnt so much in the first few weeks and I am really looking forward to my Studio future.” Niall, Year 10 student
thestudioliverpool.uk THE STUDIO
A day at The Studio is longer than the average school day. Students are expected to be in from 9am to 4pm, with optional sessions from 4–5pm, not dissimilar to the world of work. The day includes time for enrichment activities, industry projects and independent study so there is still time for personal life. We have industry standard facilities including: • A fully equipped Mac suite • A gaming studio • The latest robotic, drone & VR technology • Industry standard coding & games development software
• Industry standard film & editing software • A 120 seat cinema/lecture theatre • Fitness suite & gym • Workplace-style dining areas
Coaching Each student has a personal coach who sets challenging targets, encourages and monitors progress. Coaches work to ensure that students receive all the support they need to address and remove any obstacles to learning and to flourish as confident learners. Personal Coaches play a central role in students’ personal and academic development. There is a particular focus on ensuring that new students gain the necessary literacy, self-confidence and social skills to settle quickly.
Ethos and Care The Studio is a happy, safe place for students to study. The dedicated pastoral team ensure any barriers are removed to make sure students are developed to their full potential.
“The studio’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. The pastoral care of students is exceptional and has had an immeasurably positive impact on many students’ lives”. Ofsted Inspection, 2016
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The Studio Day
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Partners Our industry and other partners share our vision to nurture the next generation of creative and digital entrepreneurs. They are committed to supporting our students with mentorship, specialist workshops, work placements and securing their first jobs after graduating from The Studio.
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Destinations and Studio Internships Studio Internships – Enriching the Learning Experience Studio internships involves one of our partners/sponsors facilitating students, so they can expand their knowledge in a work based environment. The student interacts with professionals in their area of interest to gain an insight into what a career may look like and to gain new skills. This is a great opportunity for students that have a particular passion and career goal as it gives them experiences that can be difficult to pick up, while also supplementing what they learn in school. To follow students’ time on their internships and placements, check out our website. We currently have students undertaking internships at the following companies:
Lucid Games are a video games developer that create cutting edge games and apps.
Red Ninja are specialists in Augmented Reality and Locations based technology. They are based in Elevator Studios (CUC Building).
Nova are a leading digital product design company based in Elevator Studios (CUC Building).
Angel Solutions are a unique software company with a circus themed office based in Liverpool Science Park. They build software solutions that improve the education industry.
Destinations Our students have secured places at some of the best universities nationally. 70% of our cohort went on to University in 2016.
Sentric Music are an independent music publisher specialising in emerging song writers and artists. They are based in Elevator Studios (CUC Building).
“My placement with Nova is fantastic! It has enabled me to see how the industry works when it comes to software development, and how projects are organised and managed when it comes to real life applications. It has enabled me to effectively manage my projects in PBL and external projects outside of school much better, as I can take the techniques I have been taught on work placement, and apply them to the project in hand.” Dan Parker, Studio student
Student Entrepreneurship We have a number of students who have set up their own business whilst at The Studio, such as Hive and Vandie Studios. Entrepreneurship lies at the heart of The Studio. Have a look at our website for more information.
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Year 10 and 11 Curriculum In Year 10 and 11, our students follow the National Curriculum and select two subjects from our industry led pathways. This gives our students the foundation that they need for a broad based education and enables them to prepare to specialise in Sixth Form.
The Studio KS4 Core Curriculum: GCSE English Language
Studio Futures Digital Leadership Programme
GCSE English Literature
KPI Industry Readiness programme
GCSE Maths
Coaching
GCSE Science (Double Award) PE and Wellbeing
Studio Core Options: Students are to chose one option from: • Computer Science • History
• Geography • Spanish
Studio Pathways – Students choose three options from: Coding Pathway
Creativity Pathway
Entrepreneurship Pathway
GCSE Computer Science
BTEC Creative Media
NCFE Business & Enterprise
BTEC Level 2 ICT
GCSE History
GCSE Geography
BTEC Level 2 Electronics
GCSE Film Studies
GCSE Spanish
GCSE Art & Design GCSE Graphic Communication GCSE Photography
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The Sixth Form curriculum continues to explore the wider social, economic and personal context of the creative and digital sectors. Students choose one of our bundles and select their subjects from our core pathways or a choice of subjects that suit their career aspirations. Whilst studying at Sixth Form, students are encouraged to take at least one placement, as working on a freelance basis is common in the creative and digital sector. Digital Project Based Learning Coaching/Studio Futures Tech Bacc Route: The Technical Baccalaureate is a bundle of qualifications designed to be a gateway to apprenticeship or higher study: BTEC or AQA Diploma + 1 A Level + Core Maths + EPQ Qualification
Coding Pathway
Industry Readiness KPIs Level 3 Extended Project Qualification Enrichment Academic Route: 3 A levels. A Levels are being reformed to be assessed at the end of a 2 year course.
Creativity Pathway
Professional Route: 2 x BTEC Diplomas or 1 BTEC Diploma + 1 A Level. Leading to a wide range of digital jobs.
Entrepreneurship
For careers in software development, coding, systems engineering, electronic engineering, big data, medical technology, app development, big data analytics
For careers in architecture, design, games art, games development, graphic communication, illustration, marketing, scriptwriting, journalism, film and TV production
For careers in marketing, sales, event management, business development, entrepreneurship, accountancy and finance, insurance, IP Law, civil service, social sector, international development
• A Level Physics • A Level Maths • A Level Further Maths • Core Maths Level 3 • A Level Computing • A Level Chemistry • BTEC Level 3 Computing Systems and Network Support • AQA Level 3 Technical Level Diploma in Programming
• A Level English Language • A Level English Literature • A Level Fine Art • A Level Film Studies • A Level Graphics • A Level Creative Writing • BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Creative Digital Media Production: Games Design and Development
• A Level History • A Level Spanish • A Level Geography • A Level Economics • A Level Psychology • BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
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Sixth Form Curriculum
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Industry Ready Our philosophy for careers education is to prepare our students to thrive in an increasingly dynamic sector. Portfolio careers are typical in this industry and it is the norm for people to change their specialism and area of employment continually to adapt to new opportunities. Our students need to be prepared for this. We nurture our students to be adaptable to new projects, roles and new technologies throughout their careers. They need to demonstrate passion and expertise in their chosen specialism, but also the ability to collaborate with other specialists in a multi-disciplinary team.
Studio Digital Every student participates in Studio Digital, a dedicated programme of project based learning to develop their digital entrepreneurial skills. Each student takes on a specialist role in a multidisciplinary team to complete an industry focused challenge. At the end of each year, students host a showcase event where they exhibit their work before releasing to the public on platforms such as Google Play.
Mentorship Students are given an industry mentor to work with during their Studio Digital project. Our students highly value the advice, guidance, and specialist skills shared by our mentors. The programme also helps industry professionals to identify young talent and their potential future employees.
Enrichment We have an extensive enrichment programme which includes sports, the arts and industry focused activities. Industry trips are a regular feature in our school calendar. Students also engage with a professional guest speaker programme to enrich their industry projects. Enrichment activities include: • Podcasting
• Photography
• Film Club
• Games Design
• Digital Leadership • Music Technology
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Industry Ready
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“There is a shared vision to prepare students well for employment. As a result, this is an orderly and business-like setting where students and staff work together cooperatively and purposefully.” Ofsted Inspection, 2016.
“When students congregate in social spaces, such as the canteen, the studio has the feel of a university.” Ofsted Inspection, 2016
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At The Studio, we have created a tribe of like-minded young people who, for the first time can thrive in a creative, aspirational education community. Our students are committed to their education and as a result they are inspired to work hard. We have high aspirations for our students, who we know will change the digital world for the better. If you are ambitious and eager to explore and develop your future, look no further, join The Studio. To make an application visit www.thestudioliverpool.uk/apply
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