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About the case study

This case study shows a curriculum that provides differential pace and progression. A core curriculum is supplemented by a range of specialist pathways that include opportunities for level 3 study at key stage 4.

The school

Dorothy Stringer High School, Brighton, is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school with approximately 1,560 students on roll. The school has specialist sports status. Twenty-two per cent of students have special educational needs without statements.

Rationale for the key stage 4 curriculum

• to maintain a breadth of curriculum at key stage 4
• to provide specialist pathways within the curriculum
• to meet the needs of individual students across a range of abilities.

The key stage 4 curriculum

When students select key stage 4 options they choose from a range of pathways that include specific subject groupings and further options (see ‘Key stage 4 curriculum structure’ below). This allows students to focus on their strengths and the school to target its use of disapplication for all three purposes

Pace and progression

In 2000 the school offered a fast-track GCSE French course in years 8 and 9. Fifty-six year 9 students sat the GCSE exam in 2002, with a pass rate of 98 per cent A*-C. Thirty-six of these students have progressed to AS French in year 10. The remainder chose other subjects from the key stage 4 options.

The school has liaised with a 16-19 provider in the area (Varndean College) and uses the same specification to enable progression to A2 at the college.

The school also delivers intermediate GNVQ in ICT in years 8 and 9, and from 2003 VCE ICT will be available as an option in years 10 and 11.

AS philosophy and ethics is offered at key stage 4 for students who achieve well in RE at key stage 3. Results in 2002 were 80 per cent A-E grades and 95 per cent in 2001. No local post-16 providers currently offer A level philosophy and ethics. However, the school offers it as a stand-alone AS to give students an opportunity to extend their thinking and critical skills in a way they might not otherwise experience.

As it is a sports college, all pupils are entered for GCSE PE, which they begin in year 9 and complete at the end of year 10. For year 11 the school is considering offering NVQ sport and recreation, the Junior Sports Leader Award (JSLA) and a range of coaching qualifications.

The school, with the local Learning and Skills Council and the University of Brighton, aims to provide for disaffected students by allowing them to take a BTEC first diploma in sport at key stage 4. Those who achieve it can then study for a level 3 qualification at a sports education unit linked to the local further education college. A guaranteed higher education place to study for a HNC in sport would then be available. The school sees this as a major step forward in securing progression for students who might otherwise leave the education system.

Learning support is timetabled as one of the options at key stage 4. Support is offered to students who are identified as being able to benefit from a reduced GCSE programme.

The key stage 4 curriculum structure

Students in year 9 are offered choices that lead to several pathways (see diagram 1) designated as non-specialist, specialist and work related. In timetabling terms, this translates into two routes: one accessing three subject option blocks and the other a work-related pathway (see diagram 2). The timetable is 50 one-hour lessons per fortnight.

Dorothy Stringer High School, Brighton, is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school with approximately 1,560 students on roll. The school has specialist sports status. Twenty-two per cent of students have special educational needs without statements.

Dorothy Stringer High School KS4 curriculum 2003/2005

Curriculum offer as timetabled

View key stage 4 curriculum diagram

Curriculum offer showing pathways as presented to students

View key stage 4 curriculum diagram

The entitlement areas

The structure of the key stage 4 curriculum, based on a core curriculum and three option blocks, allows most students to focus on a number of GCSEs appropriate to their ability, while providing more able students with an increased number of qualifications through fast-track and double-award options. While the range of subjects offered includes two or more subjects or disciplines in each of the proposed entitlement areas, it is not currently possible for a student to choose an option in each of the entitlement areas.

For 2004, when the entitlement areas become statutory, the school is considering a reduced core and four option blocks. This would allow students to choose subjects in each of the entitlement areas should they wish to do so. To do this the school is considering reducing to a single science core (in 10 per cent of curriculum time) with further science options in the option blocks.

The school’s delivery of modern foreign languages will remain unchanged, with more able students selected to do both French and German, and some students selected to do GCSE French at the end of year 9. Students who have studied two languages in years 8 and 9 opt for one modern foreign language in years 10 and 11.

Vocational programmes

The range of vocational options at key stage 4 includes GCSE applied business, GCSE leisure and tourism, and VCE ICT. A further group of students also follow college courses leading to NVQs in a range of occupational areas.

In 2002 this group of students followed the core programme with science (single award), two GCSE options and one day a week at City College Brighton and Hove. From 2003 this group (approximately 18 students or five per cent of the cohort) will follow a separately timetabled pathway at key stage 4, in order to allow for one day each week at City College and one day each week for work experience without disruption to core subjects on their timetable. In the three days in school, the group will be timetabled for mathematics, English, science (single award), PSE [Q: should this be PSHE?], PE, RE and mentoring time.

The college subjects available are NVQ (level 1 or 2) in food preparation and cooking, hairdressing, administration, construction, performing engineering operations and GCSE manufacturing (double award). The work placement, which takes place one day each week and forms part of this pathway, is organised by the school and is made relevant as far as possible to an individual student's programme of study.

Use of GCSEs in vocational subjects

In 2002 the school provided GCSEs in vocational subjects as follows:

	Subject	Numbers		Curriculum Time
	Applied business	63		10 per cent
	Leisure and tourism	21		10 per cent

Twenty-five per cent of the 2002 cohort studied a GCSE in a vocational subject, taught in the same time allocation as GCSE (single award) subjects. This follows the school's practice of delivering part one GNVQ in business in 10 per cent of curriculum time. The advantage of this approach is seen as allowing large numbers to opt for the subject while still being able to access a full range of GCSE options. The school is monitoring the progress of the 2002 cohort to ascertain whether it is sustainable.

The provision benefits from well-developed support from industry. Links with industry include visits to (with reciprocal visits from) the Goodwood Estate and Racecourse, the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, the Body Shop and local retailers. The school runs a Young Enterprise scheme with links and assistance from American Express as part of the applied business course. In addition, the School Bank, in conjunction with HSBC, provides a realistic work environment for students.

Also see

> Collaboration
> Curriculum planning
> Entitlement areas
> Pace and progression
> Using GCSEs in vocational subjects within the key stage 4 curriculum

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