Key Stage 4 Option Booklet
Introduction… The Stephenson Studio School is a small school. Our whole
Every student is treated as an individual with a personal coach to
approach is in supporting learners to be successful at work, in
support them throughout their ‘GCSE’ studies. Students will
further education or training, or in university.
meet with him or her at least once per fortnight to review their
Seven essential elements lie at heart of the Stephenson Studio
progress and plan work that supports their learning sessions.
School model, elements that have been developed through
Every key stage 4 student will also undertake 4 hours of
extensive research and consultation with employers, education
employment each week. This will be carefully planned and
experts and young people.
facilitated through their personal coach. During their time with
The essential elements of the Studio School are:
each employer, which will usually be for a minimum of six months per internship, students will make a measurable
Employability and enterprise skills
contributions to their employers business and will acquire the
Real work
CREATE skills which are so highly valued by employers.
Key qualifications Small Schools Personalised curriculum Students of all abilities Practical learning
The Stephenson Studio School
Contents Subject
Page
Introduction to the key stage 4 curriculum
2
Core Projects
3
CREATE framework
4
English Baccalaureate:
6
GCSE English
6
GCSE Mathematics
6
GCSE Double Science
8
GCSE French
8
GCSE Humanities (Geography or History)
9
Other Examined Subjects:
10
GCSE English Literature
10
Separate Sciences
10
GCSE ICT
10
Non-examined subjects:
11
Sport and Fitness
11
Careers information and guidance
12
Personal, Social, Health and Enterprise Education
12
World Religions and Cultures
12
Key stage four option booklet
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Our Key Stage 4 Curriculum Studio School students follow the National Curriculum and gain
The table below shows how these themes are mapped against
key qualifications principally through enterprise projects.
GCSE subjects.
Our school subject curriculum covers 8 GCSEs: English, Maths, Double Science, French, ICT and Geography or History. Successfully passing these subjects will enable students to achieve the English Baccalaureate.
TMC - Transforming my community Curriculum links: Business Studies, History, English and French
The national curriculum and key qualifications will be delivered
DTT - Discovering through technology Curriculum links: Maths, ICT, English and French
through a thematic approach. This aims to provide a more integrated learning experience that breaks down into strict subject boundaries. To achieve this The Studio Schools Trust has developed six learning areas. These are: 1 Transforming my community 2 Leading healthy lifestyles 3 Understanding the world 4 Discovering through technology 5 Communicating with others 6 Enterprising and creative behaviour
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CWO - Communicating with others Curriculum links: English, Citizenship, Geography, French
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ECB - Enterprising and creative behaviour Curriculum links: Business Studies, English, Citizenship and French UTW - Understanding the world Curriculum links: Geography, Science, Economics and French LHL - Leading healthy life styles Curriculum links: English, Economics, History and Geography Over the course of year 10 and year 11, students will work through six ‘enterprise projects’ each lasting for 17 weeks. Every enterprise project incorporates six learning areas which are mapped to the national curriculum:
The studio school Key Stage 4 year The studio school year is divided into three units, each lasting
Students will also participate in a series of subject specific
seventeen weeks. In each unit students will work on a Core
learning sessions to support preparation for exam success.
Project that focuses on a particular area of learning. Each Core
Wherever possible these are linked to the context of the
Project will address a key question and students will be
enterprise projects to ensure that learning connects with the
expected to originate a product.
real world. Further one-to-one and small group coaching
For example the key or driving question for the year 10 Core Project Leading Healthy Lifestyles is, ‘How can I make my
sessions will help students with any areas of studies they are finding difficult.
community healthier?’ The final product is a local health campaign designed to change behaviour so that a target group adopts a healthier lifestyle. The relationship between students’ learning and the real world is further reinforced through the way that this work is commissioned. Core projects will be commissioned by local community organisations and businesses. The leading healthy lifestyles project will be commissioned by a local health organisation. Over the course of a student’s time at school, the units gradually become more open and increasingly challenging. This allows students to gradually adapt to project based learning, something that is a key feature of both working and university life.
Key stage four option booklet
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The Studio School CREATE skills framework Whilst at the Stephenson Studio School students will acquire key
CREATE focuses on six key skills that will enable students to
employability and life skills through the CREATE framework.
thrive both at work, at university or through further training or
Five principles underpin the CREATE framework:
study.
1 Accessibility – a simple and easy to use structure that is accessible to both students and staff; The six key skills are: 2 Simplicity – CREATE uses no jargon, only clear, basic language that anyone can understand; 3 Transparency – every skill is assessed so that the students know exactly what is expected of them; 4 Transferability – students are expected to exhibit
Communication Relating to people Enterprise Applying knowledge
their skills in a wide range of settings, not just in
Thinking
school;
Emotional intelligence
5 Evolutionary – CREATE will evolve every year to reflect new research, qualifications and a changing jobs market.
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The diagram opposite explains CREATE in further depth.
The CREATE Framework Communication
Relating to People
Enterprise
Applied
Thinking
Emotional Intelligence
Definition Learners can
Learners understand
Learners are
Learners
Learners are able to
Learners understand
communicate
and are able to
creative and have
understand and are
independently build
and are able to
effectively through a
successfully interact
the initiative skills
able to effectively
connections,
manage theirs and
variety of methods
with others in a
to recognise and
apply their
processing
others emotions,
range of
respond to
knowledge and
information to make
channelling them
circumstances
opoortunity
skills to a variety
reasoned
effectively and
of situations
judgements and
positively
solve problems Skill Area Explain
Collaborate
Create
School and Learning
Research
Interpreting myself
Express
Negotiate
Plan
Family and Relationships
Analyse
Managing myself
Present
Responsibility
Execute
Work and Employment
Decision
Interpreting others
Reflection
My local Community
Managing others
Wider world
Key stage four option booklet
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Reinforcing CREATE skills
assessment objectives of speaking and listening, reading and writing. Lessons involve a wide variety of activities. As well as
During year 10 and year 11 students will spend four hours per
developing skills in writing, students explore non-fiction and
week with a local employer. This will enable students to put
media texts through their Core Project work. A broad range of
CREATE skills into practice in a variety of situations.
poetry, prose and drama from the twentieth century and other historical periods, as well as from varying cultures, will be studied for English Literature. Shakespeare is of course a
The English Baccalaureate
compulsory area of study. An example of how we approached this in our core project was
The English Baccalaureate was introduced by the Coalition
‘How can I tell the story of Macbeth to French audience?’ allows
Government in 2010 as a key indicator of academic success. It
students to learn about the text and use their creativity to
comprises of 6 GCSEs: English, Mathematics, Double Science, a
develop a product that narrates its story to a target audience.
Modern Foreign Language and a Humanities subject.
This project is commissioned by a French school with students
There is more detail about the six GCSE’s offered by the
who learn English. Prototypes of the product will be pitched to
Stephenson Studio School that enable students to attain the
the school and if good enough will become a live resource for
English Baccalaureate. GCSE English Language and English Literature All students will study both English Language and English Literature. These are taught as an integrated course and much
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the school to use. GCSE Mathematics Students will follow the AQA GCSE in Mathematics. This specification comprises of the following topics:
of the learning will take place through the six core projects, but
Statistics and Probability
will lead to two separate qualifications at GCSE. The course will
Number, Algebra and Geometry
be wide ranging and stimulating, based around the three
Functional skills.
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This specification has been developed in consultation with practising teachers and members of the wider mathematics community, including subject associations. Teachers have told us the importance of sound technique in working with numbers and understanding fractions, decimals, percentage and basic ratio. These feature across both examination papers and across both tiers, giving learners opportunities to apply these fundamental skills in a variety of ways, which may be in real world, everyday contexts, statistical problems or more abstract, mathematical scenarios. The assessment is undertaken at the end of the two year period of study and consists of two question papers, differently weighted so that 60% of the assessment allows the use of a calculator. All assessment is covered in two examinations taken within the same series. No examination paper is overly long with a maximum of two hours at the Higher tier. This specification offers excellent preparation for GCE mathematics. Much of the skills and knowledge in the three units will be incorporated into the six core projects.
Key stage four option booklet
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GCSE Double Science (worth two GCSE’ s) Science is made up of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and is studied as two separate GCSE’s. There are a number of topics where current issues in science are reviewed and discussed e.g. the energy debate, global warming and healthy diet. GCSE French This is a continuation of the aims and methods of students’ key stage 3 language studies. The four GCSE skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing are further improved through ensuring all the core topics have some work in French. This gives students the opportunity to apply French in real life situations to build their confidence and vocabulary. French has many business applications, particularly with businesses that export and import to France and other French-speaking countries such as Luxembourg, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Guyana, French speaking Canada and other French colonies.
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GCSE Humanities (a choice of Geography or History) Students will be able to choose from either GCSE Geography or GCSE History: GCSE Geography This is for students who take an interest in what is happening in the world and who enjoy working things out for themselves, for instance by watching documentaries and reading newspapers. The course will appeal to those students who are interested in:
GCSE History This will focus on analysing key historical events and developments to better understand the modern world. History allows us to look at a vast array of other subjects such as Politics, Economics, Psychology, Geography, Medicine and other sciences in order to understand why things are as they are. The main topics covered are: Unit 1 - Crime and Punishment Unit 2 - Life in Nazi Germany
The issues which affect people and the places they live in;
Unit 3 - Crime and Protest, using sources
How villages, towns and cities are changing and why;
Unit 4 - Controlled Assessment (Topic chosen from
How people are effecting the environment we live in;
The USA in 1920’s or USA and Vietnam War)
What causes different landscapes; And Who enjoy travel and finding out about new people, places and landscapes; Enjoy a subject that is relevant to their lives and experiences; Want the opportunity to do fieldwork.
Key stage four option booklet
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Other examined GCSEs In addition to the six GCSEs and the CREATE skills students have the opportunity to take two further GCSE subjects which are:
study two units with unit 1 being assessed through a written exam worth 40% of the marks and unit 2 assessed as practical project worth 60% of the marks: Unit 1 –Living in the digital world In this unit students explore how digital technology impacts on
Separate Sciences
the lives of individuals, organisations and society. Students learn
Through an enrichment programme, students may opt to
about current and emerging digital technologies and the issues
extend their science studies to sit three separate science GCSE
raised by their use in a range of contexts (learning and earning,
subjects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics rather than double
leisure, shopping and money management, health and wellbeing,
award science. This will require additional time commitment
on the move). Students develop an awareness of the risks that
and should not be undertaken lightly.
are inherent in using ICT and the features of safe, secure and responsible practice.
GCSE ICT ICT is an integral part of Studio School life and the core projects. All students will be entered for GCSE Science and will
Unit 2 –Using digital tools This is a practical unit designed to broaden and enhance students ICT skills and capability. They work with a range of digital tools and techniques to produce effective ICT solutions in a range of contexts. Students learn to reflect critically on their own and other’s use of ICT and to adopt safe, secure and responsible practice. They put into practice what they learn in unit 1 to support the work of the core projects.
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Non- examined subjects: Students will take part in activities and studies to broaden their skills for life and ability to manage their career progression, health and personal finances. These subjects are not examined. Sport, fitness and recreation All students will take part in a programme of fitness or sport as part of a healthy lifestyle. Students who have a passion for particular activities can arrange to pursue these activities during the allotted school sport and fitness session. These can be substituted for the school sport and fitness programme. Otherwise the school will put on a range of sports and fitness activities to promote health and wellbeing. All students will be encouraged to take part in the recreational activities programme. There is a choice of sporting and fitness activities both in school and in outside facilities, which provide the opportunity to enjoy traditional games or develop new interests. In addition there will be the opportunity to work towards a ‘world challenge’, ‘Duke of Edinburgh Award’ and take part in a host of clubs.
Key stage four option booklet
Personal, Social, Health and Enterprise Education This is an important area to enable students to cope with the pressures of the ‘outside world’ and to enable them to make sensible choices about sexual health, drugs and financial management. These topics are dealt with sensitively and nonjudgementally. The work of the personal coach and the close home school links should support this area of study and seek to reduce the stresses of the teenage years. The success of this part of the school curriculum can be measured by the student’s ability to make sensible and healthy life choices.
Careers information and guidance
World religions and cultures
Personal coaches will help students to make sense of career
All students will have a thorough understanding of world
options. External visitors will be invited to speak to students.
religions and cultures to make sense of the 21st Century
Impartial advice will be offered.
environment. The students will have the opportunity to understand the main aspects of the main world religions of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism.
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The Stephenson Studio School
Stephenson Studio School Thornborough Road Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3TN Tel: 01530 519099 Fax: 01530 814253 www.stephensonstudioschool.co.uk