Curriculum

Year 9 Transition

Year 9 is considered to be a transition year as students do not begin their GCSE courses until Year 10. At King Charles I School our curriculum is ambitious and challenging for all students. Our Year 9 curriculum is designed so that the students will study additional knowledge and skills that widens their breadth of subject knowledge, extending beyond the domain of the exam specification. The Year 9 transition year provides every one of our students with the necessary time and teaching needed to fully embed their knowledge and skills and ensure that they are ready and equipped to meet the demands of their chosen GCSE courses. To enable each subject to offer such a deep curriculum, students choose four option subjects to complement their core curriculum. The transition year offers further flexibility during Year 9 for students to change courses. This ensures they are following their chosen curriculum pathway for their GCSE subjects in Years 10 and 11. Year 9 students continue to have access to extra-curriculum clubs and opportunities in the subjects they are no longer studying.

For further information about the curriculum in Year 9 for the different subjects, please click on the ‘subjects’ link in the menu on the left hand side of the page.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)

• At Key Stage 4 all our students study the core academic subjects at GCSE: English, English Literature, mathematics, sciences (combined or separate awards), history or geography and a modern foreign language. Achieving good passes in these subjects keep students’ options open, and allow them to enter the widest ranges of careers and university courses.
• At Key Stage 4 students study a minimum of 9 subjects: the core academic subjects, and two option subjects. This is both academically challenging as well as offering a wide breadth of study.
• Although Key Stage 4 begins in Year 9 the curriculum is focussed around the components required to be successful as well as offering deeper, wider reaching complimentary content that supports the students when they begin their GCSE courses in Year 10.
• No subject at Key Stage 4 is constrained by the examination specification. Each subjects’ curriculum offers a deeper approach to the subject, offering a wide range of content that we deem is important for life-long learning. Appropriate time is given to these subjects to allow for the full delivery of the syllabi and wider subject content to all students.
• All subjects continue to promote a knowledge approach to the curriculum. The knowledge students are expected to know is specified in all subjects. This knowledge forms the foundations for curriculum planning including the schemes of work, the knowledge organisers, homework and assessments. In Key Stage 4 students develop how to apply their knowledge with more extended writing or problem solving tasks.
• Students are well supported through the option process to ensure they are on pathways that allow the greatest chance of academic success. We design the option blocks so that there is maximum flexibility of choice.
• Students are appropriately guided to whether they study combined science or separate science. Both science pathways are delivered within the allocated core lesson time.
• Students are only set in ability groups in the following subjects: mathematics, English and science. For all other subjects students will be in mixed ability groups.
• Physical education (PE) and personal, social, health and religious education (PSHRE) teaching continue to promote students health and wellbeing.
• PSHRE teaching and collective worship tutorials continue to promote students’ social, moral and cultural development.
• Students’ spiritual development and understanding of British values and culture is delivered through PSHRE and collective worship tutorials.
• The extra-curricular programme continues to enrich students learning, opening opportunities to experiences that broaden students’ horizons. The programme also includes GCSE support and exam preparation after term 1 in Year 11.
• The 3-year KS4 is to support students’ academic success on a very challenging pathway whilst maintaining a breadth of study. Students still have choice on which language and humanity they wish to take along with two additional subject choices. This gives the students opportunity to specialise in the subjects that are of most interest to them. The timetable for Key Stage 4 is based on a two-week cycle and comprises of a 25 period week with 5 periods per day (3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon). Lessons are scheduled as one hour sessions and are taught as mix of double or single periods where appropriate for the subject.

The full list of GCSE subjects available to the students are listed below:

In addition to the core subjects there will be opportunities to learn and put into practice the knowledge and skills related to work related learning and enterprise. These will take place across the curriculum within different subjects and activities. They provide students with an experience of working life and help them learn about working practices, the work environment and developing skills for working life. As a school we feel work experience is an essential aspect of students’ development and aim to support them in an ever increasing competitive world of work. We strongly support and encourage our students to broaden horizons and pursue their dreams. Consequently, all Year 10 students have a week of work experience during the summer term.

The government has made changes to the raising of the participation age (RPA) which has now increased to 18. This means that students will be expected to remain in some form of education (school, college or apprenticeship) to age 18. This makes the need to achieve their potential in all their subjects including English and mathematics at Key Stage 4 even more vital

Key Stage 5 (Years 12 and 13)

• At Key Stage 5 we have a wide curriculum offer enabling students the opportunity to continue to study in subjects of interest to them. We design the option blocks so that there is maximum flexibility of choice, including opportunity to study courses at Haybridge High School.
• At Key Stage 5 students are offered information, advice and guidance for their option choices but will not be segregated into curriculum pathways.
• The curriculum continues to be taught by promoting the mastery of knowledge through interleaving and regular formative assessment. At Key Stage 5 teaching also focusses on the development and mastery of applying knowledge to a broad range of contexts.
• All courses at Key Stage 5 are challenging and rigorous following, and extending on, the awarding bodies specifications.
• Students are offered high quality enrichment that is designed to prepare students for future pathways, broaden their horizons and enhance their academic programme of study.
• Students social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is promoted through the 6^th form enrichment programme.
• Students will sit terminal exams at the end of Year 13. Students will not be entered in Year 12 on AS courses.
• Study programmes require students that do not have a GCSE 9-4 in English and/or maths to work towards the achievement of these qualifications.
• Programmes also include work experience and other non-qualification activity to develop students’ personal skills and prepare them for employment, training or higher/further education.

The timetable for Key Stage 5 is based on a two-week cycle and comprises of a 25 period week with 5 periods per day (3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon). Courses are allocated 10 hours a fortnight. Lessons are scheduled as one hour sessions and are taught as mix of single, double or triple periods where appropriate for the subject.

We currently offer a wide range of courses in collaboration with other local schools. The courses we offer are listed below:

GCSE Reforms

Frequently asked questions about the new GCSEs

Courses and exams are changing to ensure that young people have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st Century. The new GCSEs ensure that students leave school better prepared for work or further study. They cover more challenging content and are designed to match standards in the strongest performing education systems elsewhere in the world.

Below are some of the frequently asked questions and answers for parents/carers about the GCSE reforms.

1. I have heard GCSEs have changed, what does this mean?
   GCSEs are now graded on a new ‘reformed’ scale of 9 to 1, with 9 the highest grade (rather than A* to G for the legacy ‘unreformed’ GCSEs), to distinguish clearly between the reformed and unreformed qualifications.
   
   The government and Department for Education (DfE) specified that the new GCSE syllabuses will include more challenging and knowledge-based content, with exams only at the end of the course. English and maths have been graded 9 to 1 since 2017, and the following subjects have used the numbered grading since 2018: art and design, biology, chemistry, computer science, dance, combined science, drama, food preparation and nutrition, geography, history, modern foreign languages (MFL), music, PE, physics, and religious studies (RE). All subjects now follow the numbered grading system.
   
   
2. If the exams are harder, what will happen to the grades this summer?
   Although the exams will cover a wider, more challenging range of content, the independent exam regulator Ofqual has made it clear that students sitting these examinations for the first time will not be disadvantaged. Whilst students may come out of exams feeling they have done less well, as we saw in 2017 and 2018 with the reformed qualifications, broadly the same proportion of students who achieved a C and above in each of the legacy qualifications will achieve a grade 4 and above in the new, reformed GCSEs.
   
   The exam boards will base standards on results of 16 year-olds who took unreformed GCSE qualifications, so that it does not disadvantage this year’s Year 11 students.
   
   
3. Will my son/daughter be disadvantaged taking these exams?
   In short, no. Whilst it takes a few years for teachers and students to get used to new qualifications and there are fewer past exam papers for students to practise on, the exam regulator Ofqual recognises that teachers are not as familiar with the new qualifications as they were with the old ones. Understandably, it would not be fair to penalise students for this, so the exam boards use statistics to help set grade boundaries. For example, a student who would have previously achieved a grade C or above would be expected to get a grade 4 or above in the new GCSEs. While the content and assessment have changed, Ofqual will make sure that grades are awarded fairly and your son/daughter will not be disadvantaged by the changes.
   
   
4. Why has this new grading system been introduced?
   The introduction of the 9-1 system increases the number of higher grades than the previous A*- G system. By using 9-1, there are now six different grades from 4 to 9, rather than four in the old system (A*, A, B, C), which means individual students can be more accurately recognised in terms of their results. The revised scale will also enable employers and others to easily identify which students have taken the new, more challenging GCSEs.
   
   
5. How does the new grading system match the old one?
   The new grade scale will not be directly equivalent to the existing one. However, to be fair to the students and to give meaning to the new grades, Ofqual has decided there will be some comparable points between the old grades, and the approach to awarding will ensure that, in the first year of a new qualification, broadly the same proportion of students will:
   • achieve a grade 7 and above, as currently achieve a grade A and above
   • will achieve a grade 4 and above, as currently achieve a grade C and above
   • will achieve a grade 1 and above, as currently achieve a grade G and above
   It is important to realise the new GCSEs have more grades. While it is true to say that the same proportion of candidates will achieve a 4 and above as previously achieved a C and above, it is not true to say a grade 4 is directly equivalent to a grade C. This is because of the expanded number of grades above a 4. So, a grade 4 represents the bottom two thirds of a grade C, while a grade 5 is equivalent to the top third of grade C and the bottom third of grade B.
   
   
6. As the top grade is grade 9, will there be similar numbers of 9s awarded to A*s from the legacy qualifications?
   There is more differentiation in the reformed qualifications, as there are three top grades (7, 8 and 9), compared to two in the unreformed qualifications (A and A*), so it will be the case that there will be less grade 9s than A*s previously.
   
   
7. I want my son/daughter to aim for the equivalent of a grade C across all subjects but I am confused as to whether they should be aiming for a 4 or a 5.
   Because the same proportion of candidates will get a 4 and above as currently get a C and above, aiming for 4 and above is equivalent to aiming for C and above. This is, and will remain the level that students must achieve so they are not required to continue studying English and maths after secondary school. The government has defined a grade 4 as a ‘standard’ pass. Where employers, FE providers and universities currently accept a grade C, the government expects them to continue recognising a grade 4.
   
   
8. I have heard there will be a ‘standard’ pass and a ‘strong pass’, what does this mean?
   The government will publish schools’ results, not just at the ‘standard pass’ (grade 4 and above), but also at the ‘strong pass’ (at grade 5 and above) in school performance tables only. The number of students achieving a ‘strong pass’ will be one of the measures by which schools are judged.
   
   
9. How will employers be informed and educated on the differences between the new and old grades and qualifications?
   The DfE, the independent regulator Ofqual and exam boards have designed a variety of products and channels including social media, to ensure all stakeholders can access the information they need. This includes ensuring employers understand that the new GCSEs are more demanding, and that a new grade 4 represents a similar level of achievement to a current low to medium grade C (the threshold for a level 2 qualification).
   
   
10. Will employers and colleges be asking for a 4 or a 5 as part of their entry criteria?
    Employers, colleges and universities will continue to decide the level of GCSE grades needed to meet their individual employment or study requirements. The DfE is encouraging employers, colleges and universities to have realistic expectations of students who sit the new, tougher GCSEs when setting their entry requirements for work or further study. Employers and colleges will also need to recruit the same number of students as previously, so are likely to set their criteria in terms of the equivalence of C and above, and 4 and above.
    
    
11. Will A levels be changing their grades too?
    No, A levels will retain their A*-E grades, and AS qualifications their A-E grades. 

Other

Enrichment
Alongside the academic curriculum, we really value the development of the whole person and offer great opportunities to broaden students’ social skills and confidence.

Personal Development
The personal development curriculum incorporates PSHRE (personal, social, health and religious education), sex and relationship, drugs education, religious education and citizenship education. It is taught through discrete curriculum provision in Years 7 to 11 and PSHRE focus opportunities throughout the academic year.

Religious Education
Religious Education is taught in accordance with the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. All our students are encouraged to participate in lessons, although individuals may be withdrawn. Any parent/carer wishing to withdraw their child is asked to make an appointment with Jamie Butler (Deputy Headteacher) to discuss the matter.

Sex and Relationship & Drugs Education
We aim to provide students with accurate information, to help them clarify their own values and attitudes, to help them practice skills in communication and decision making, and to recognise the value of family life and parenthood. In accordance with the Sex Education Act parents/carers have the right to withdraw their son/daughter from non-statutory aspects of sex education. Any parent/carer wishing to withdraw their child is asked to make an appointment with Jamie Butler (Deputy Headteacher) to discuss the matter.