Core subjects
Academic Skills programme – Non-examined
All students will take part in the programme in Y10 and Y11 in order to prepare them for their IGCSE and IB courses. The course has been written to introduce students to the 5 Approaches to Learning in the IB programmes: Thinking skills, Communication skills, Social skills, Self-management skills and Research skills. There is a strong focus on reflection to enable students to manage their own progress towards becoming an independent learner. The aim is to help students transfer these skills to their academic subjects.
The course is taught for one lesson a week and is compulsory for all Y10-Y11 students. Students will study the following:
- What is the academic world?
- Why and how are Latin and Greek used in academic world
- Critical and logical thinking
- Identifying arguments
- Evaluating given material
- Socratic seminar preparation and participation
- How to take notes from oral and written material
- Verbal communication as an academic skill
- Active listening
- Planning an essay response
- Academic referencing and formatting
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) - Non-examined
Why study this subject
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is a subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. It helps children and young people to stay healthy and safe, while preparing them to make the most of life and work. Research has shown that formal PSHE education also helps pupils to achieve their academic potential. The focus is to provide a “curriculum for life”, where the content and skills are framed in three core themes:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Living in a Wider World
Within these themes, topics include:
- Student Safety, both offline and online
- Physical Health
- Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
- Building key skills for life and work
- Maintaining Healthy Relationships
- Tackling Stigma
- Diversity
- Communication Skills
- Identity
- Setting Goals
In Yr10 and 11, many of the topics covered refer to ‘managing’ or ‘responding to’ challenging situations. This means exploring a variety of strategies which, depending on the context, might include: being able to identify risks or warning signs; resisting internal or external pressures; making informed decisions; exit strategies for unsafe situations; and knowing whom, how and when to ask for help, including reporting concerns.