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About the case study

This case study shows a school with a strong international ethos. It combines its commitment to a broad and balanced entitlement curriculum with an international dimension. Post-16 progression includes the International Baccalaureate.

The school

The Anglo-European School in Ingatestone, Essex, was established as a local comprehensive school with a distinctive international ethos. It is now a specialist language college and 85 per cent of students travel from throughout the county and have a clear commitment to its international bias; 4 per cent of students have special educational needs without statements.

Rationale for the key stage 4 curriculum

In designing its curriculum, the school aims to strike a balance between:

• a commitment to breadth and balance, providing access to essential skills for further education and employment and
• a commitment to develop an international outlook on which the school’s Anglo-European and international dimension has been built.

These twin emphases permeate both the taught curriculum and the extracurricular programme.

The school regards its immediate community as an important resource for learning. In encouraging students to think globally, it also encourages them to act locally. Successful community liaison is a high priority. The key stage 4 booklet indicates the extracurricular opportunities for each subject.

The key stage 4 curriculum

The school ensures that all students have a broad programme throughout their school career. This involves mathematical, literary, scientific, social, linguistic, aesthetic, moral and spiritual experiences.

To achieve this, all students study a core of English (language and literature), mathematic, science (double award), personal and social education (PSE) and physical education. Religious studies is delivered as a six-week unit of PSE in years 10 and 11. Aspects of comparative religion are covered in the citizenship course, which leads to the school’s own award in European citizenship. The small number of students who study a third language do not take part in the taught citizenship programme but can gain the certificate by taking a self-assessment test of their European knowledge.

Students then choose one subject from each of five remaining themed option blocks: languages (two), humanities, technology and the arts. This maintains the breadth needed for post-16 choice of the International Baccalaureate. All sixth-form students must include a language in their programme.

The key stage 4 curriculum structure

The school operates a seven-day timetable cycle of 49 one-hour lessons.

View key stage 4 curriculum diagram

 

Differentiated progression

The school’s counselling process strongly supports post-16 progression and the key stage 4 handbook contains information on the implications of subject choice. The school is confident that progression for those entering the International Baccalaureate course at 16 is secure. This group is generally about 25 to 30 students each year: 15 per cent of the cohort. Those students who will take a combination of A levels and International Baccalaureate subjects also benefit from the breadth of courses at key stage 4.

It is anticipated that able students will be able to complete the GCSE in applied ICT earlier than year 11. They would then work independently towards an AS level in ICT, perhaps taking unit assessment at the end of year 11.

The entitlement areas

The school’s curriculum model is structured so that it places the desired emphasis on modern foreign languages. It not only fulfils the new statutory entitlement requirements but also encourages the majority of students to study courses in all four entitlement areas.

All students study a language and have a choice between French and German. For the past several years, no student has failed to attain a GCSE grade in a modern foreign language. Further languages are available in a second option block, with history offered as an alternative. Special needs support is offered to a small number of students in this block.

Three option blocks are based on the other three entitlement areas: the humanities, design and technology and the arts. A choice of subjects and disciplines is offered in each curriculum area. The school’s definition of the entitlement areas is wider than the statutory definition. For instance, humanities includes business studies and religious studies, whereas the arts includes physical education. However, the structure ensures that all the statutory entitlement subjects and disciplines are available to those students who wish to study them.

In the technology block, all students follow a course leading to the GCSE in applied ICT plus a GCSE short course in one of five technology options. ICT skills are also developed across the curriculum and every subject at key stage 4 specifies an entitlement to ICT.

Also see

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

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Page updated: 12 June 2008
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