Key Stage 4 (Y10 – Y11)
In 2010 the percentage of students achieving 5 or more GCSEs at Grade C or above including English and Maths was 63%, significantly above the national average. The overall percentage achieving 5 or more ‘C’s or above was our best ever, at 79%.
Students currently have a free choice of three options chosen from a growing range of subjects as we steadily introduce greater flexibility into the range of provision at KS4. In particular we are looking to extend vocational provision and now offer BTEC level 2 in Construction, BTEC First in Sport and in Public Services together with an Applied GCSE in Art and Design. In 2010 a Diploma course in Environmental and Land Based Studies was offered for the first time in collaboration with Bishop Burton College and a further Diploma offer in Manufacturing is planned for September 2011.
Other established courses also provide qualifications with a vocational element at Level 2 and below, together with the recent introduction of a Foundation Learning course for a small number of students. There is a growing range of pathways for Science in KS4, including three separate Science GCSEs for the most able, a combination of Core and Applied Science or BTEC Science (Diploma or Certificate) and a single Science award for selected students.
Contrary to national trends, there is a high take up of Modern Foreign Languages at GCSE with students choosing to study French or Spanish, or even both. In 2010 we are also introducing November entry Mathematics GCSE for selected students and students who followed a GCSE Mathematics in Year 9 will complete in June 2011, followed by Statistics and iGCSE in Year 11. All Year 9s in 2010 are now following the GCSE course.