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Issue 13It seems very strange for me to be writing this brief article. As you will be aware, our recently departed Deputy Head, Paul Fowler, took responsibility for writing this section of the Update as part of his wider responsibility for curriculum matters. Paul has now retired and, according to the last I heard of him, is now sitting on a beach, sipping cocktails! I’m sure that Paul will be greatly missed by pupils, parents and staff alike, a fact that was witnessed by the impressive numbers of cards and messages sent in to him by well-wishers. Following Paul’s retirement his curriculum responsibility falls to me and, as part of it, so does the writing of this article. These are fast-changing and potentially exciting times in schools. Curriculum changes have been and are taking place at national level. The National Curriculum Key Stage 3 programmes of study have been considerably revised leaving less content and more flexibility for curricular and cross curricular planning. A similar pruning exercise is taking place at Key Stage 4. Polesworth has been involved to a certain extent with this welcome attempt to facilitate more interesting and creative schemes of work that identify certain skills rather than just content. Aiming to be at the heart of things, we are contributing to QCA’s (the government’s) working group on the new curriculum. We are also developing two Year 7 projects for introduction in 2008. I am leading a group to create our ‘World of Words’ project which will focus on language acquisition skills. Meanwhile Miss Howell is working with a group on a project, ‘Learning for Life’, which has as its focus thinking and learning skills. Both projects will be driven by our status as a specialist language college and there will be cultural and spiritual links to our international status developed by subjects like RS, History and Geography. We will also be looking to encourage more independent learning as well as IT based longer term studies through the medium of ‘We Learn’. Preparations are also underway at school for the introduction in September 2008 of a whole set of new A Level specifications. KEY STAGE 4 PROSPECTUSYou will be aware from the school diary that there are two parents’ evenings this term for Year 9 students. The first took place on 24th January. At this, all parents and students had the chance to discuss progress in different subjects. The second, the KS4 Curriculum Evening, is scheduled for Thursday 28th February, two weeks after the February half-term break. The focus of this meeting will be curriculum provision in Key Stage 4 from September 2008 for incoming Year 10 students. Information will be given on the range of subjects available, whether common to all (core) or option choices. Parents and students will have an opportunity to talk to subject staff about their option choices for Years 10 and 11. You may be aware that last year we modernised our approach to option choices. In place of the rather outdated booklet ‘The Way Ahead’ is our online Key Stage 4 Prospectus which can be accessed here. Details of all subjects, both core and option, are available and are subject to regular updates by departments. Details of which option subjects are available, how to apply and deadlines are included in the prospectus. We are aware that some students will not have access to the internet at home. These students are able to scrutinise the information thoroughly both in and after school time. Adrian Boulstridge |
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