Key Stage 4 Curriculum Plan

 

Principles and Purpose

Bishop Rawstorne is committed to a flexible and responsive curriculum that is outstanding, meeting the needs of all of our students and allowing them to flourish. Our broad and balanced curriculum addresses both the academic and non-academic needs of the students as well as promoting the Christian values and ethos of the school and its community.

 

Entitlement and Enrichment

Enrichment is integral to our support of the taught curriculum and we provide both subject specific and classroom based enrichment activities which include revision, lunchtime, homework and spaced retrieval, to name just a few.

All students are entitled to apply to go on the educational visits on offer to them, residential and non-residential, in the UK and to foreign countries. These and the many day excursions not only enhance the subject knowledge in school but also helps develop them further in their social and interactive skills.

There are ‘Arts For All’  and 'Cultural Experience' enrichment days where whole year groups are taken off timetable and enjoy a variety of different arts and cultural experiences.

 

Breadth and Balance

Our KS4 curriculum is always evolving and continually under review to ensure we offer a range of opportunities through strong creative, academic and practical subjects. As well as three core subjects, all students study religious education at GCSE, either history or geography and a minimum of 70%  of students currently study a modern foreign language. The variety of other subjects available are listed below.

 

Resources

Specialised classrooms and subject knowledge teachers provide good quality resources and an environment in which learning can and does take place. Specialist equipment is provided for activities both in and out of the classroom as well as being able to support the extracurricular activities that take place.

 

Review and Evaluate

Ongoing reviews of the curriculum take place to measure its impact on teaching and learning and also the knowledge retention of students. We continue to widen their future opportunities (two new GCSE equivalent qualifications have been introduced since 2020 which have already proven highly popular with students).

 

Year 8 Options

The school believes that it is vital that curriculum provision at Key Stages 3 and 4 is varied and flexible in order to meet the individual needs of all of our students. We ensure that there is a continuum of progression for the transitions between different Key Stages, both Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4. Our broad and balanced Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum addresses both the academic and non-academic needs of the students as well as promoting the Christian values and ethos of the school and its community.

The students are grouped into one of two ‘pathways’ when they are making their GCSE choices, the composition of these groups is based on prior attainment at Key Stage 3 across the subject areas and these groupings ensure that each student is following an appropriate quantity and range of subjects in Years 9, 10 and 11.

Blue Pathway

For these students, all students will study GCSEs in English language, English literature, mathematics, science (either combined science leading to the possibility of 2 GCSE grades or triple science, taken as one of the enrichment options, leading to the possibility of 3 GCSE grades in the separate sciences), religious education, either geography or history and German. In addition to this, students will be able to choose two additional enrichment options, which will lead to the possibility of 10 GCSE subject awards. Physical education and PSHE/citizenship will also be studied.

Yellow Pathway

For these students, all students will study GCSEs in English language, English literature, mathematics, science (either combined science leading to the possibility of 2 GCSE grades or triple science, taken as one of the enrichment options, leading to the possibility of 3 GCSE grades in the separate sciences), religious education and either geography or history. All students will have the option to study German and all will be able to choose two additional enrichment options which will lead to the possibility of 10 or 9 (if German is not chosen) GCSE subject awards. Physical education and PSHE/citizenship will also be studied. For certain non-linguists additional time is available within the curriculum to provide tailored support in English or geography or history or maths.

 

Key Stage 4 Courses

Bishop Rawstorne currently offers the below courses at Key Stage 4:

  • Art and design GCSE
  • Computer science GCSE
  • Creative iMedia Cambridge National Award
  • Design and Technology (Product Design)
  • Drama GCSE
  • Engineering manufacture Cambridge National Award
  • English language GCSE
  • English literature GCSE
  • Food studies and nutrition GCSE
  • French GCSE
  • Geography GCSE
  • German GCSE
  • History GCSE
  • Mathematics GCSE
  • Music GCSE
  • Music technology BTEC 1st
  • Physical education both GCSE and core
  • PSHE (including citizenship)
  • Religious education GCSE
  • Science combined double GCSE
  • Science triple Award; biology, chemistry and physics GCSEs

 

Further information regarding curriculum provision at Bishop Rawstorne can be obtained by contacting Mrs C Lane, Assistant Headteacher via the school office.