Key Stage 4 

The Key Stage 4 programme of study is made up of two parts. The first part is our Creative and Performing Arts curriculum, which begins in year 9. Five hours a week is dedicated to the pupil's choice of one of the four creative and performing arts options, and there are additional activities such as rehearsals, workshops, events and performances.

Alongside this runs our Core curriculum of subjects that ensures our commitment to providing a broad and balanced education that values the essential knowledge and skills within National Curriculum subjects. 

The Core GCSEs cover the English Baccalaureate with the addition of Art or Design. They are also ‘gateway’ qualifications, meaning that pupils will be able to study any subject post 16. Provision for alternate GCSEs and other qualifications may be put in place if we deem that a pupil is better served this way. We also run Illuminate courses to support pupils in Maths and English.

Illuminate Courses 

We are committed to enabling all pupils to succeed. The purpose of the Illuminate courses is to ensure students needing further provision and support are able to achieve the very best outcomes in GCSE English Literature, GCSE English Language and/or GCSE Maths.  

The Illuminate courses are instead of the Options courses in those Blocks and places are allocated based on prior assessment data. The Illuminate courses are aimed at students who have previously struggled to reach the required levels in Mathematics and/or English. 

Any pupils who are at risk of not achieving a Level 4 in their GCSE would be placed on this course. The course will supplement students’ normal Maths/English lessons and will provide an opportunity to revisit topics, to practise and to gain a deeper understanding of the work covered in the core curriculum.