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About the case study

This case study illustrates a key stage 4 curriculum that has a vocational option block for all students, including a range of GCSEs in vocational subjects.

The school

Leigh City Technology College in Dartford, Kent, is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive school. It has approximately 1,300 students, 17 per cent of whom have special educational needs without statements.

Rationale for the key stage 4 curriculum

• to ensure a breadth of curriculum for all students
• to meet the needs of students of all abilities
• to allow for differentiated pace and progression.

The key stage 4 curriculum

The school adopted a six-term year in 1999. Fixed terms of six (or seven) weeks allow for planning, delivery and assessment within a modular structure for all subjects across the year.

The key stage 4 curriculum structure

The timetable consists of a core and four option blocks. All students choose from a vocational option, a technology option, a languages option and a free option block. A pathway allowing students to access training for NVQ awards at the local further education college (North West Kent College) is timetabled against the technology and language options.

The school operates a weekly timetable of 20 lessons of 1 hour 25 minutes.

View key stage 4 curriculum diagram

Differentiated progression: a short key stage 3

The school piloted early completion of key stage 3 science by 50 per cent of the year 8 cohort in the 2001/2 academic year. In 2002, these students progressed to intermediate GNVQ in science starting in year 9.

In 2003 the school aims to complete a range of key stage 3 SATs in year 8, allowing students to embark on a three-year key stage 4 curriculum in year 9. The school hopes to introduce enrichment activities at key stage 4 as part of a more flexible approach that includes experience of vocationally related activities. These might be in areas such as animal care, car maintenance, first aid, gardening, chess, model car building/racing, charity fundraising, community service and personal finance.

Vocational programmes

All students choose from a vocational option block that includes a range of GCSEs in vocational subjects (see below) and intermediate GNVQ in performing arts. Students take the GNVQ award in the vocational option block and in the free option block (this is equivalent to 25 per cent of curriculum time).

The vocational options include a vendor-certificated network engineering qualification (Cisco Certified Network Associate, CCNA). The school acts as a regional academy for the Cisco network academy programme, making extensive use of e-learning.

The school liaises with a local nursery school and is considering introducing entry level and vocationally related qualifications in childcare and early years education, which will involve two days’ work placement per week.

Use of GCSEs in vocational subjects

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

GCSEs in vocational subjects represent the majority of subjects in the vocational option block. They are taught in 15 per cent of curriculum time (with the exception of ICT), are delivered as part of the core curriculum and build on students’ learning in key stage 3.

Before 2004 all students followed a course in either applied science or intermediate GNVQ in science. Applied science was offered in the core, with those who took GNVQ science also took it within the vocational option. Students now begin their intermediate GNVQ science in year 9 and take the qualification over three years, removing the need to use the vocational option block.

Students opting for art and design or business can choose between a double-award GCSE in 15 per cent of curriculum time or a single award in 10 per cent of curriculum time.

Applied business students have benefited from links with businesses in London and Kent. A visit to a manufacturing company in south London involved the students in a factory tour, including a video presentation and talk from the managing director, and a practical session during which they assembled models of the company’s products. Representatives from the company also visited the school to give a follow-up presentation. The students used the experience and information gathered to inform their portfolio work, using the company as an example.

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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