KS4 Elective Process

The school is proud of the range and quality of courses that it offers KS4 students, as endorsed by Ofsted (“The curriculum is good, with particular strengths in Key Stage 4”, December 2007). All students follow a core curriculum for 3 days per week which is designed to provide the best opportunity to achieve success in the key employability qualifications and the focus of the comprehensive information, advice and guidance process for Year 9 students is then on the choice of Pathways and subjects for the 2 remaining option-days each week:

Pathway 1 is the General (GCSE) Pathway which gives students the opportunity to study ‘Double’ Science (2 GCSEs with the option of 3 separate Biology/Chemistry/Physics GCSEs for the most able scientists) and also 3 ‘Electives’ from a wide range of 11 in-school GCSE subjects.

Pathway 2 is the Diploma Pathway which gives students the opportunity to study any of the five Level 2 Diplomas available within the local Vale Royal area, including the school’s own Creative and Media Diploma which, when first delivered in school in September 2008, was the first Creative and Media Diploma in Cheshire. Diploma study takes up two full days each week.

Pathway 3 is the Vocational Pathway which gives students the opportunity to study a vocational course at Reaseheath College (a local Further Education College) for one day each week and then study 2 ‘Elective’ GCSEs in-school on the other option-day.