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EnglishENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE English is taught to all pupils throughout the school from Year 7 to Year 11; this culminates for all when pupils take GCSEs in English Literature and English Language at the end of Year 11. English Literature is also offered at AS and A2 Level in the Sixth Form. The English Department would argue that English Literature and English Language are the most important subjects our pupils take! They help define who and what we are: what it is to be human in all its complexity of thoughts and feelings. Language is power and helps create and mould meaning. Every employer or university is going to require an ability to communicate accurately and confidently both verbally and on paper; we seek to encourage pupils to consciously craft their verbal and written communication, adapting their words and tone to their context and audience. Over the course of their lives our pupils will come into contact with every possible means of communication; poetry, drama, novels, newspapers, advertisements, films, television and IT all speak to us in their various ways. We aim to give pupils the opportunity to analyse all these modes of communication over the course of their GCSE studies, encouraging them to be critical readers who are able to analyse the meanings and messages behind what they read and see, rather than passively accepting what they are told. English helps build discrimination and awareness, making it possible to live in the skin of other human beings, with other ways of looking at the world. Throughout the course, pupils will read major texts from the English literary canon across a range of time periods and genres; they will also read contemporary texts in English from different cultures. The department seeks to elicit personal responses through reading, observation, discussion and writing. Very often there are no right or wrong answers in English - an attractive proposition for some of us! What is more important than the conclusion is the way in which students justify their viewpoints and when responding to what they have read, refer back to the text. Pupils are entered for the AQA specification A course, although this will change in September 2010. During the GCSE course our pupils produce five pieces of coursework on the media, a modern play, a novel, something personal and/or imaginative and, of course, Shakespeare. The exams invite them to write about non-fiction texts and to persuade, inform, advise and describe. They will write about English poets and about poets whose first language and culture is now English. A longer work of prose fiction is also studied for this exam. TheologyTHEOLOGY Theology is taught to all students throughout the school from Year 7 to Year 9 after which it is part of the option structure for GCSE in Years 10 and 11. As a Christian school Theology is of considerable importance. In Years 7 and 8 students undertake an overview of the Old Testament, looking at both major characters and significant themes as they appear in a whistle-stop tour of the first 39 books of the Bible. In Year 9 students look at significant contemporary issues and examine the ethics and morals of topics such as war, poverty, marriage, fidelity and prioritising human needs. They also take a look at church architecture, examining the role of religious buildings and their adaptability. If a student chooses to opt for Theology at GCSE they will follow a two part course on Mark's Gospel and contemporary issues, developing their understanding of life and death issues such as abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia and just war. Both courses require a piece of coursework. HistoryHISTORY History is taught to all students from Year 7 to Year 9 after which it is an option for study at GCSE. It is also taught in the Sixth Form to AS and A2 Level. Currently it is a popular GCSE subject. There are two classes for both Year 10 and Year 11 and A level numbers tend to be around 8-10 students; an ideal number for discussion and healthy competition within the group. In Years 7 and 8 pupils study a course of British History. Year 7 pupils look at Medieval Britain and Year 8 pupils study Tudor and Stuart Britain. In Year 9 all pupils follow a 20th century world history course which especially focuses on World War One, the Russian Revolution, the rise of Nazism, World War Two and the Holocaust. The well-appointed classroom has an electronic whiteboard and a great quantity of interactive material has been created, adding to the appeal of the subject. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities for their own ICT generated work and field trips are organized to places of national interest, including Warwick Castle and The Black Country Museum particularly as part of the Saturday visits schedule. The GSCE course moves on to study in more depth aspects of modern world history. Pupils study four modules, including one coursework-based unit. At some stage in their course pupils have the opportunity to visit either the World War One battlefields or the Normandy beaches and the department is looking to extend deeper into Europe with a future trip to Krakow anticipated. Every second year the department has organized an educational tour to Washington and New York. BusinessBUSINESS STUDIES Business Studies is taught at GNVQ, AS and A2 Level in the Sixth Form. The Business Studies Department is a vibrant and exciting place to learn and study in Years 12 and 13. Currently there are three qualifications available to Sixth Formers. Our pupils are able to study the GNVQ Intermediate Course which, if successfully completed, is the equivalent of 4 GCSEs at grades A - C. Pupils study a variety of business-based subjects, including finance and recruitment. Those of our pupils with higher grades at GCSE are advised to study the AS Level course in Applied Business in the Lower Sixth. They can then go on to the A2 Level course in the Upper Sixth, if they so desire. This course allows a number of vocational learning opportunities to be delivered to the students in a flexible manner. All courses access a variety of learning opportunities, including business lessons, off-site trips, visiting guest speakers, case studies, practical and group work. All courses include a period of Work Experience and the opportunity to get involved with Young Enterprise. EconECONOMICS Economics is studied at AS and A2 level in the Sixth Form. Economic issues are central to the understanding of the real world. Our pupils are able to develop an understanding of economic concepts and theories through a critical consideration of current economic issues, problems and institutions. Economics is a social science that studies the production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services. The course considers the two main branches of economics: microeconomics, which deals with individual agents, such as households and businesses, and macroeconomics, which considers the economy as a whole. GeogGEOGRAPHY Geography is taught to all our pupils from Years 7 through to 9. Thereafter, it is part of the option structure where students are prepared for GCSE in Years 10 and 11. Throughout the years course content covers the traditional mix of human geography (things like population studies, agriculture, urban environments) and Physical geography (looking at coastal, glacial environments, etc. but also at weather and hazard.) These topics are illustrated in the context of real world examples, either from material presented in books, video or on the internet. A lot of the time our pupils themselves are the source of the illustrations and this helps them to see the relevance of geography to their everyday lives. Beyond this our pupils are also given information in line with the course from current affairs, whether this be the latest disaster, pronouncements from governments or news of social issues, some of which may be taken from television or other forms of the media. The work scheme allows our pupils to go out and experience this for themselves with staff. These visits range from afternoons or days out to the Year 10 three-day visit to the Dorset coast. LeisureLEISURE STUDIES Leisure Studies is taught at AS and A2 Level in the Sixth Form The Leisure Studies Department is a modern and well-resourced facility. A mixture of internal lessons, external lecturers, visits to outside organisations and guest speakers all add to the flavour of the course. The Leisure Studies qualification is ideal for those of our pupils who do not want to take a mix of purely academic A Levels. It offers the best of both worlds - a respected GCE qualification that encompasses a '’real world’ vocational approach. Pupils in the Lower Sixth can take Leisure Studies at AS Level and then progress on to the A2 course in the Upper Sixth, if they so wish. The course revolves around the world of Sport and Recreation. Our pupils will use our superb sporting and leisure facilities to help them with their coursework. Additionally, they will learn how important areas such as marketing, customer service, health and safety, business planning and outdoor adventure are to the leisure industry. During their study, pupils will have the opportunity to gain additional nationally recognised sporting and coaching qualifications. Awards currently on offer:
PSHEPSHE The PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) programme is designed to reflect and reinforce the Christian values and ethos of the school. Each of our students is recognised as being unique, with individual characteristics and needs. The department hopes to provide a wide base for personal, social and health education, preparing students for life now, and as adults and citizens. A high percentage of issues arising from PSHE are challenging and of an intimate nature and we endeavour to manage these issues in the classroom by creating a broad range of teaching and learning opportunities coupled with flexibility. Our programmes of Sex, Drugs and Alcohol Education are based on a sound knowledge of the relevant facts within a strong spiritual and moral framework. Other aspects of Life Skills teaching, including Citizenship issues, provide pupils with further grounding in the responsibilities of the adult world. |