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About the case study

The school introduced a new key stage 4 curriculum for September 2002. Individual students are recommended to take programmes within a specific band of provision rather than having a free choice from an options array. GCSEs in vocational subjects are offered to all students at key stage 4. Disapplication is used for all three purposes.

Student apprenticeships have been developed as part of post-16 provision.

The school

Earlham School is an 11-19 mixed community comprehensive with 670 students on roll. It is situated on the edge of Norwich. Around one-third of its students have special educational needs without a statement.

Numbers post-16 are small and a high proportion take programmes at foundation or intermediate level.

Rationale for change

The school’s rationale for changing its curriculum is to:

• raise achievement and student success
• improve attendance rates
• ensure progression to 14-19 and beyond.

The senior management team wanted to develop a creative approach to support these aims, while building on those aspects of the curriculum that had served students well in the past, for example the provision for students not yet working at level 1 (of the national framework) in all subjects and the expertise previously gained by teaching part one GNVQ. Another priority is providing a key skills programme for students unlikely to attain level 2 (of the national framework) in English and mathematics to enable them to progress to work with training at age 19, rather than to low-paid, insecure work with no training.

Issues

There were some concerns from staff and parents about limiting choice, and discussion was lengthy. Fears were somewhat allayed by the fact that programme recommendations were derived from student data and preferences.

Some subjects that had been offered within the options system lost their place and were offered as twilight courses.

Resources had to be directed towards the new vocational courses to ensure their success. The school recruited specialists in ICT, business and leisure and tourism.

The curriculum at key stage 4

The school established criteria to decide which subjects to offer at key stage 4. These were:

• national curriculum status
• history of take-up and success at key stage 4
• contribution to school focus on vocational and work-related learning
• development of skills.

Subjects that do not meet these criteria are available as twilight GCSE courses. Currently history, humanities and a second modern foreign language are available.

At key stage 4, the decision was made to introduce a range of new GCSEs in vocational subjects, including applied information and communication technology for all, because:

• they support the school's focus on vocational learning
• the mode of assessment - two-thirds portfolio based -, suits a high proportion of the students
• attainment can be maximised when students take courses that correspond to their preferred learning style
• they develop students' transferable skills.

One band provides for students predicted to attain five or more GCSEs at A*-C. They can choose from single or double award (new) GCSEs.

Another band has students predicted to attain low- to middle-grade GCSEs. They take a GCSE in applied business in one option block and choose between GCSEs in applied art and design or leisure and tourism in the other.

A third band includes a high proportion of students with statements of special educational needs, many of whom have reading ages considerably below their chronological ages. They take a course leading to GCSE art and design, traditionally a popular and successful choice for similar students in this school. They have a guided choice from the GCSE design and technology provision, being steered towards courses that reward unit achievement.

Because a priority is preparing these students for the world of work, they have six lessons of key life skills, working towards WJEC's entry level certificate in life skills. They spend one afternoon per week at Easton College, working towards Edexcel's entry-level certificate in skills for working life and becoming familiar with the college environment. They have a two-week work placement in year 10 (in common with all other year 10 students) and a one-day-a-week placement in year 11.

The compulsory core for all students occupies 20 lessons out of 30 available per fortnight, including:

• three lessons of design and technology chosen from electronic products, food technology, industrial technology, graphic products, resistant materials, textile technology
• three lessons of ICT leading to a six-unit GNVQ, using online learning
• one lesson of community studies, comprising a carousel of religious education, citizenship and PSHE.

There are two option boxes of five lessons each. The options within each band differ.

Key stage 4 curriculum structure for 2002/4

View key stage 4 curriculum diagram

Student guidance

The steps in deciding on individual programmes were as follows:

1. Students completed a questionnaire with their views about their strengths, weaknesses, skills, subject likes and dislikes, preferred learning style, interests and ambitions.
2. Tutors discussed this with individual pupils during tutorial lessons.
3. A deputy headteacher collected and analysed all the information on individuals (including results of progress monitoring, end of key stage 3 teacher assessments, predicted GCSE grades) and a profile of each student was built up.
4. The whole year group was placed in rank order, according to a points system devised for the purpose of creating three curriculum bands.
5. In April, parents received a letter telling them how the 14-19 curriculum was developing and stressing the opportunities for progression offered by new GCSEs. This was followed by a parents' evening to discuss the new curriculum and the school's approach.
6. In May, an individual programme was recommended for each student, designed to maximise:
   a. individual motivation
   b. the number of GCSEs attained
   c. success during the 14-19 phase and beyond it
   d. opportunities for gaining fulfilling employment.
7. In July, all parents received confirmation of their child's programme, with details of each course including assessment methodology and progression within and from study of the subject.

Collaboration

The school is keen to work with other providers of programmes of different types and levels and has a range of partnerships of different kinds.

There are links with Easton College, which year 10 students attend on one afternoon per week supported by the Increased Flexibility Programme. Some units of the post-16 leisure and tourism and business courses are delivered by college staff at the school, and students from the college take A level biology at the school. Transport costs are minimised by using the same transport in opposite directions for the A level and year 10 groups. Some students who have attained GCSE in electronic products at the end of year 10 take AS electronics at Norwich City College in year 11.

Partnerships are facilitated by the appointment of a work placement officer. The post is partly funded from the Standards Fund and the local regeneration partnership. The placement officer's role is to find work placements, support students on placement and monitor their progress, and to provide support for the student apprenticeship programme. She is working towards a qualification in assessing work placements for health and safety.

Student apprenticeships

A new post-16 development is the offer of student apprenticeships to an initial target group of year 12 students who have not yet reached level 2 (of the national framework) and who would, without this opportunity, progress to work without training. The rationale for the student apprenticeships is to give the young people vocational experience, to build their confidence, skills and maturity before they enter the workplace, and to encourage them to undertake further learning or to seek work with training. Appropriate students were identified through the school's progress monitoring process and their previous attainment.

The student apprentices spend three days each week in school, taking GNVQ courses, discrete courses in three key skills and a programme of enrichment contributing to key skills portfolios. They spend two days in the college and/or on work placement. The local Learning and Skills Council recruited four training providers to be part of the scheme. The training providers report on attendance weekly and supply a quarterly review of progress. Liaison is maintained by the school's work placement officer, who also provides support for the students involved. The school has overall responsibility for the programme and for the students' pastoral care.

Also see

> Curriculum planning

QCA web links

> New GCSEs in vocational subjects

Other web links

> WJEC
> Edexcel

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