ENGLISH

Functional skills aim to provide students with the essential knowledge ,skills and understanding they need to operate confidently, effectively and independently in everyday life. Functional Skills English is divided into 3 parts- Speaking & Listening, Reading and Writing. Students work at a level from Entry Level 1-3, Level 1/2  suitable to their ability . They will complete work from all 3 parts throughout the year and will then sit an assessment at the end of the year, from which their final grade will be determined.

In Addition to the Functional Skills, students also have the opportunity to study the GCSE English course – depending on ability.

MATHS

We have a broad array of expected next steps this year, ranging from Functional Skills Entry Level 1, through to GCSE level (depending on ability). All groups will cover topics such as: the four operations, fractions, decimals, shape space and measure, percentages, time & money and charts, graphs and data. Higher levels will also incorporate probability, algebra, BIDMAS and averages. There is a strong emphasis on functional, applicable and relatable aspects of the topics where possible to engage all the students to the fullest, striving to achieve the objective of mathematical enjoyment as well as understanding

BTEC WORK SKILLS 

These qualifications which are taught at different levelsAward to Certificate, put learning into the context of the world of work, giving students the opportunity to apply their research, skills and knowledge in relevant and realistic work contexts. The qualification enables the development of skills such as applying for job vacancies, developing interview techniques, working within a team and Health & Safety at work. The units which the students complete different tasks on give a realistic learning experience which shows them different aspects of the world of work

ASDAN LIFE SKILLS CHALLENGE

The ASDAN Life Skills program provides learners with a wide-range of exciting challenges. The challenges promote a variety of different skills and cover a wide range of different topics – they are usually about being able to do things and they can all be adapted to meet the individual needs of the children. The programme includes a comprehensive set of challenges which are under headings such as Humanities, IT, History,

CREATIVE iMEDIA 

The Creative iMedia qualification is taught at two levels (Level 1/2) and students in their first year will work through two units and earn an ‘Award’. If students stay for a second year in sixth form they will work through another two units, working towards a ‘Certificate’ The subject is broken down into one optional/one mandatory unit in the first year. In the first half of the year, students will work through Unit 2 ‘Creating a Digital Publication’, where they learn everything surrounding images (types, resolution, pixels, legislation, planning a project) and then moving on to specialist software to create a digital publication based on a given scenario. The mandatory unit (Unit 1 – Pre-Production Skills), is assessed through an end of unit assessment. Here students will learn and understand the purpose and content of pre-production, planning for pre-production and producing/reviewing pre-production documents.

SPORTS & FITNESS (NCFE)

The units and activities undertaken are based upon the NCFE Occupational Studies in the Workplace Certification, where both individual and team sports are explored. My thanks must go to Prudhoe Community High School for granting us access to the astro-turf MUGA pitch and indoor sports hall on their site. This will enable us to try new sports such as handball and floorball, as well as more recognisable ones such as basketball, volleyball and badminton. CREATIVE iMEDIA SPORTS & FITNESS We will also be working on long term fitness goals, beginning by participating in base level tests such a bleep test, Illinois Agility test, Sergeant Jump and body weight exercises in order to look at where improvements can be made and areas of fitness to target. Students will also learn the rules of each sport and officiate their peers within those activities, as well as work on tactical knowledge and self-assessment strategies. An overall arc of improving confidence, communication, teamwork and decision making underpins the whole academic year, as well as also looking at how the body works and leading coaching sessions themselves.

PSHE

We wanted PSHE to be very much student centred and the topics to be discussed and agreed upon by the young adults themselves. They were encouraged to take ownership of how the academic year will look and the content we would explore, research and discuss. They have not disappointed, and as a sixth form they have highlighted subjects equally relevant and topical to them and their peers, such as the urban/rural MATHS PSHE ecosystem balance, increased national health problems, overpopulation, terrorism, conspiracies, adoption, lockdown effects and crime. The students share opinions, research information to either support or counter-balance their standpoints and listen to and respect the views of their peers. The aim is to give our young adults a greater understanding of the world around them and encourage them to display tolerance and respect, as well as enlightening themselves with the objective knowledge on the set topics.

PHOTOGRAPHY/ARTS AWARD

In photography and art we offer a Bronze Arts Award, this is a Level 1 qualification. The purpose of the award is to enable students to develop their interests, knowledge and skills in an art form. They will collect evidence in a portfolio documenting their experiences in a creative way. This portfolio will then show the skills the students have developed and can be used to showcase their creativity and understanding of the subject. Students will also take part in at least one arts event as an audience member and will review the event and the experience they had. They will research the career and work of an artist or craftsperson that inspires them and will have the opportunity to talk to local artists. As part of the award the students will experience passing on an arts skill to others to show what they have learnt. The students will have a qualification and portfolio at the end of the course, showcasing their creative journey and final pieces.