Art
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- Year 7 – Students explore techniques used by artisans to create their own pottery and ceramic pieces.
- Year 8 – Students use professional cameras to take portrait shots and edit using photoshop.
- Year 9 – Introduction to Bugs and Butterflies project. How art influences artists and their work, such as product design, fashion and textiles, photography and architecture.
- Year 10 – Trip to Birmingham to take observational photos and understand the processes that photographers go through when capturing their images.
- Year 11 – Free choice project that allows them to explore their own style of art which can also link to any future career prospects. For example, a project based on popular culture if a student is looking to study video game design at University.
- Year 12 and 13 – Coursework based on a design brief which asks students to explore the creative process, which can be linked to many careers within the creative industry.
- Extra-curricular art club explores different vocations in art such as textiles, animation, art graphics and photography.
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Business
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- Year 9 – Unit on recruitment allows pupils to research various job roles before creating a set of recruitment documents based on the chosen role.
- Year 9 – Unit on Enterprise. Who started what business? When? Successes/failures?
- Year 10 – Introduction lesson. Where can a qualification in Business take you?
- Year 11 – Pathways in Business
- National Enterprise Challenge – Exposes pupils to industry whilst competing in a national challenge.
- Year 12 – YE Company Program – pupils create their own product, run their own business with a view to sell to the public at a trade fair.
- Year 13 – Pathways in Business
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Dance
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- External workshops with DanceXchange and Mel Simpson introducing different dance styles and linking such to different companies/career pathways.
- External artists working in residence with the school (ArtsConnect)
- Performance skills integrated into every lesson (A01)
- Knowledge and understanding the PA industry and such career pathways (A04)
- A Level Dance – Introduction to professional colleges, workshop days, headshots and performance/portfolio showreels.
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D&T
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- Year 7 Induction lesson – What is D&T and where can it take you?
- Year 8 Pathways lesson – Where can GCSE D&T take you? To provide guidance and information on qualifications and career choice.
- F1 in Schools Challenge – STEM club students will participate in the challenge, supported and mentored by employees from the Arconic Foundation. Focus on raising STEM careers awareness.
- YE Company Programme – allows students in year 9 and 12 to become entrepreneurs and run their own businesses.
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Drama
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- Year 7 look at the different types of theatre and how they can create emotion using a range of different skills. This introduces them to the topic and can build confidence ready for any jobs.
- Year 8 look at theatre in education which develops their understanding of topics and how they can explore them. This introduces them to theatre companies that explore this and how they can gain a career in educating people through performance.
- Year 9 look at devising and the different roles they can take within a theatre such as acting, directing, lighting and sound, stage managing. This allows them to explore the different roles in a theatre as well as exploring themes and ideas in a practical way. This will encourage them to understand the different careers in a theatre.
- Year 10 and 11 participate in their GCSE which focuses on various techniques and how they can bring a play to life. This allows them to explore different plays that would be performed in a theatre and how they could become professional actors or how they could take alternative roles within theatres.
- Drama also encourages teamwork and confidence which allows them to access a variety of jobs and encourages them to be supportive of their peers.
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English
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KS3: complete a wide range of topics – all of which broaden their horizons are encourage them to have a deep engagement with a wide range of literature. This literature can spark interests in other fields, such as history, due to its cross-curricular nature, thus providing them with multiple skills. They learn key reading and writing skills which are vital for any career. Creative Writing club is offered to all KS3 students in order to ignite a love for writing and careers which link to this. Stratford-Upon-Avon trip where The Globe Theatre is visited as well as Shakespeare’s birthplace. Allows students to see the journey and career of arguably the most influential writer in English history.
KS4: Year 10 and 11 study their GCSE texts all of which raise their cultural heritage. They learn how to decipher the meaning of non-fiction texts for one of their language papers which links nicely into any career in media. They also learn how to critically evaluate texts and become independent learners, whilst sharing their strengths with others in their class. Both independence and teamwork are skills that can be transferred into any career. Speakers Trust complete a day session with Y10 students in order to equip them with the skills needed to deliver an effective speech. They link this in to the different careers where strong verbal and communication skills are needed.
KS5: Sixth form Open Evening and induction lesson in Year 12. Consistent focus on the skills being practised in lessons and how these are transferable to various different careers/higher education courses. |
Geography
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- Introduction lesson in year 12
- Coastal Management lessons
- Tropical Rainforest lessons looking at the roles of sustainable management and the key players
- Sustainability – who and why?
- River management
- At the end of each unit of work – what career could I get from this topic?
- Ocean lesson – link to careers
- RGS careers talk
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History
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- Teachers explicitly explain to students when they are doing university level History work, e.g. historiography
- “Write like an historian” tasks in KS3 to encourage academic historical aspirations
- “What is History?” scheme of work in Year 7 includes discussion about why we study history, including careers
- Explanation of careers which historical skills are useful for: law, communication, politics, public affairs, advertising, civil service etc
- 6th Form Open Evening: University routes discussed
- School trips with a focus on what impact historians have in the real world
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Health & Social Care
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- Within coursework and exam teaching students learn about the many different careers available in the health and social care sector. This leads to many conversations about the qualifications needed to progress in this area and the differences between the different jobs available in many different sectors.
- Students also have 1:1 and class conversations regarding UCAS applications and subject choices. If students apply for Health and Social Care or a similar subject then they are given a series of 1:1’s and tailored advice and guidance for their personal statements and for extra reading.
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ICT
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Students are exposed to industry standard software, for example students use excel, python and the Adobe suite to complete coursework. In coursework units, students are given client briefs to respond to so that each task is treated like students are in the ‘real world’. Giving students the opportunity to respond in role and to a professional standard exposes them to the rigorous and demanding climate of the ICT industry. |
Law
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- Open Evening for 6th form students
- Trips to the law courts organised to see law in action
- Links to the real world with case studies used from the actual Law cases used and studied
- Social science trip about criminal justice system
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Maths
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In KS3 and KS4 students experience a mastery-based curriculum designed to provide students with the mathematical skills needed to succeed in their future careers. Real-world scenarios and statistics are used frequently in lesson planning to give students an understanding of the application of mathematics in context.
Last year, students were taken on a trip to see Bletchley Park – the once-secret location where WW2 mathematicians famously cracked the Enigma code.
Our highest attaining current year 11 students were given the opportunity to visit Oxford University
6th Form: Core maths students explore and engage the concept and application of financial mathematics and learn how taxes will influence the economy of this world.
As part of A level mathematics, students learn about modern professional applications of maths, such as how to interpret and analyse spreadsheet data. |
Media Studies
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Links to the real world: Students in Year 10, 12 and 13 use industry standard professional DSLR cameras when completing photography work.
Students are also exposed to industry standard software, for example students in Year 10, 12 and 13 are given the opportunity to use and master the Adobe package. Students develop skills, particularly in Photoshop, that they would not be able to learn readily elsewhere.
In coursework units, students are given client briefs to respond to so that each task is treated like students are in the ‘real world’. Giving students the opportunity to respond in role and to a professional standard exposes them to the rigorous and demanding climate of the media industry.
As part of the Sixth Form enrichment programme, KS5 Media students come into one KS4 Media lesson a week to support year 10 pupils, bringing with them a wealth of practical and theoretical media experience, for example showing students how to use more advanced tools in photoshop, exposing Y10 students to a higher level of media skills.
Year 10 UoB Trip/Media Taster Day – eight (NCOP only) students come to the University to make and edit a film (on a higher education related theme) with some professional film makers. The number is limited to eight so that each student can have a specific role. The students will need to write a script and allocate roles in the weeks beforehand, and you will be sent some preparation materials to help you with this. On the day, students will also attend a film related lecture and have input from some media professionals about their careers. Lunch will be provided. Four schools attend, and at the end of the day, their four films are shown to the panel of media professionals, who choose a winner. Each school is sent a copy of their film, which they can then show in their school. Three schools have booked onto the event so far, meaning you could bring a group if you wish. |
MFL
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- Options evening for year both year 8 and year 11
- 6th Form Open Evening: University routes discussed
- Students in year 7 first introduced to Spanish and the opportunities that it can give you
- European Day of Languages – careers in languages
- Barcelona trip for year 7 and 8 happening next July to give students real life experiences of Spain and to build their confidence in languages to hopefully continue them into their future.
- Year 9 topic about Jobs and the Workplace dives deeper into why languages are important and are so valuable in a career.
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Music
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- Lessons on music production in Y9 using software that is a basic version of Logic Pro, a sequencer that is widely used in the recording industry. Students develop an understanding of how music is recorded, produced and mastered as it would be in a recording studio
- Lessons on live music performance in Y9 to introduce students to the basics of the roles needed to produce a live performance (musician, sound tech, marketing and promoting etc..)
- Lessons on composition and sound FX work in Y9 to introduce students to the work of a composer and foley artist.
- Extra-curricular opportunities for students to perform at various venues to see how live performance events are run.
- Yr 11 coursework brief to respond to in composition, as they would do as a composer in the real world.
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PE & Sport
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- Leadership and this girl can units in Year 9 linking to careers.
- FA Young leaders Course
- Loughborough trip
- Options evening
- What can you do with PE?
- Sport Studies and GCSE PE units linking to careers working with NGBs etc
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Psychology
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- ‘I’m a Scientist’ is a platform where psychology students are given the opportunity to speak to 5 scientists in a specific field of psychology. I chose mental health as the area links to one of the core areas of the Unit 3 exam. This is the most difficult exam for them and focuses on characteristics of disorders, history of mental health and categorising mental health.
The session consists of taught lessons leading up to a half hour live chat with psychologists as well as 2 evening sessions involving their parents to increase parental engagement. It is an interactive service where students can ask questions about their chosen career, how they got to that stage with what work experience and what their typical day looks like.
- This process lasts 2 weeks and allows the students to learn about how to become a psychologist or specialist. It is student led.
- Students also have 1:1 and class conversations regarding UCAS applications and subject choices. If students apply for Psychology or a similar subject then they are given a series of 1:1’s and tailored advice and guidance for their personal statements and for extra reading.
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RE
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- University taster day at the University of Birmingham
- School retreats to Alton Castle and Soli House as well as Lourdes in the past.
- Introduction lesson in year 12
- Pupils study what it means to have a vocation in year 8 AT1
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Science
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- In KS3 and KS4 students cover a wide range of science topics across, biology, chemistry and physics. This knowledge and skill will help students to move onto a wide range of jobs or further studies.
- Year 9 students visit the Natural History Museum in London, with the opportunity to see the research scientists working in the museum.
- In the 6th form we offer A-levels in biology, chemistry and physics, each of these includes links to industry in lessons as well as opportunities for trips and visit. Students visit to Bodyworks to see human dissections.
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Sociology
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- Year 9 Options evening
- Sixth form Open Evening
- Induction lesson in Year 12
- Consistent focus on the skills being practised in lessons and how these are transferable to various different careers/higher education courses.
- Case studies from the real world included into studies
- 6th form trips to the law courts and an education skills trip from Hodder Education.
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