Key Stage 4
To view information about what is studied at Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) for each faculty, please click the relevant link below.
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Art
Art
The GCSE in Art and Design is designed to provide engaging, challenging, coherent and meaningful learning experiences through a flexible structure that supports the sequential and incremental development of creative practice.
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Business
Business
The OCR Cambridge National in Enterprise and Marketing equips students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in either further study or work. The range of taught content is applicable to real business and provides a knowledge base for students to continue in to A-Level, undertake apprenticeships or even start their own business.
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Computing
Computing
The most important aspect of computer science is problem solving, an essential skill for life. Students study the design, development and analysis of software and hardware used to solve problems in a variety of situations.
OCR Computer Science equips students with the required practical and theoretical knowledge that would underpin a career in computer science. The skills of logical thinking, decomposition and algorithmic thinking are applicable to everyday life and will enable students to fulfil their wider personal life journeys. The course covers a wide range of computer science knowledge from the ethics of computers to the understanding of how data is transferred around a network.
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Creative iMedia
Creative iMedia
Creative iMedia embeds an expectation of excellence across students' learning by inspiring students in the development of vocational creative media skills, and providing learners with essential knowledge and transferable skills and tools to improve their learning in other subjects.
Creative iMedia enhances the employability of students when they leave education, contributing to their personal development and future economic well-being. The qualification will encourage scholarly independence, ambition, enquiry and creativity and awareness of the digital media sector.
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Drama
Drama
The Drama curriculum fosters excellence by encouraging and supporting students to go beyond their comfort zones. Students are encouraged to develop collaborative and caring relationships with others, as they work together to achieve goals. Students are also expected to be resilient and reflective in their scholarship as they challenge themselves to find new strengths and abilities in themselves, and develop confidence to share their skills.
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English
English
English is both a knowledge and skills-based subject. This means that pupils continue to improve their skills in production of written and spoken English, their ability to receive what they read or hear and their ability to write with technical accuracy.
They also gain great knowledge from English Literature, including theories of Literature and cultural capital from the study of Literature across the ages. Pupils study different texts and modules each year but are marked against their progress using reading, writing and speaking and listening criteria.
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Geography
Geography
We want our students to have a strong sense of time and place, to feel they belong to wider world community, to understand how their local actions can have global consequences. We want them to feel empowered to make positive choices in their lives to help protect and enhance God's creation, in relation to both nature and culture. We want them to be able to make changes within their communities by understanding the mechanisms of democracy, to become positive citizens with viewpoints that are empathic, tolerant and reflective. We want the students to be able to learn from past mistakes and consider independently a positive future for themselves and the global community.
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Health and Social Care
Health and Social Care
Health and Social Care provides students with the opportunity to acquire key knowledge whilst applying their learning to work related contexts, and to gain the skills they need for further study and employment.
This is achieved through a course structure that allows students to build on and embed their knowledge and to grow in confidence when putting their learning into practice.
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History
History
In Edexcel GCSE History you will study Weimar and Nazi Germany, Crime and Punishment in Britain, American West and Elizabethan England.
If you are interested in how the Modern World has been formed and influenced by past events, if you have an inquisitive mind and can connect ideas together, then you will enjoy this course. This course involves looking at a wide variety of sources from photos, videos and written documents and using them to build up a picture of the past.
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Hospitality and Catering
Hospitality and Catering
The Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering has been designed to support pupils in schools who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study.
This study provides learners with the opportunity to develop a range of specialist and general skills that would support their progression to employment.
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Maths
Maths
During the Maths GCSE curriculum, we continue to develop the problem solving skills which pupils will have encountered throughout Key Stage 3.
In addition to continuing to foster links between maths and real life situations; we also emphasise and highlight careers in which the skills learnt in maths would be central.
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Modern Languages
Modern Languages
The Key Stage Four Languages curriculum has been planned to ensure that students are well prepared to meet the demands of the GCSE examination and to continue to study languages later in life if they wish to do so.
There are opportunities to experience the culture of the country first hand through visits abroad, visiting theatre groups, visits to the local sixth form for cultural enrichment days or to local restaurants.
We explore the similarities and differences between life in Great Britain and in other countries as well as elements of Catholic Social teaching, through topic based study of issues such as the environment, poverty, unemployment, festivals or health.
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Music
Music
The BTEC Level 2 Music Award has been chosen for the students at St Bernadette Secondary School as it equips them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in either further study or work. The range of taught content is applicable to the Music Industry and provides a knowledge base for students to continue on to A-Level, undertake apprenticeships or a Level 3 qualification.
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Physical Education - Core
Physical Education - Core
The intent of the Physical Education curriculum is to provide a broad variety of inspiring activities that engage pupils to embed the knowledge, skills, leadership and understanding of how physical activity can benefit them in order to encourage lifelong participation.
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PSHE
PSHE
PSHE education at St Bernadette addresses key societal issues such as teenage pregnancy, substance misuse, unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity, emotional health and other key issues. The teaching of PSHE at St Bernadette aims to tackle barriers to learning, raise aspirations, and improve the life chances of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils.
For further information, click here
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Theology
Theology
As a Catholic school, the Theology curriculum follows the Theology Curriculum Directory (RECD) as set out by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
The aim of the teaching in Theology is to encourage all of our pupils to think about different beliefs in God, challenging questions such as the meaning and purpose of life, and to consider issues of right and wrong.
The Theology curriculum challenges pupils academically as the subject is rigorous in assessment and teaches pupils how to express opinion and belief with deep levels of analysis in extended writing.
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Science - Combined
Science - Combined
The overarching aim in the pursuit of scientific competency is to prepare students to be active citizens in the wider world in terms of critical engagement with their environment.
Our intent is for all students to develop a curiosity and a scientific understanding of the world around them and the ability to think critically about information presented to them.
We want them to be aware of the role of science and technology in the modern world and that our understanding nowadays is built on the research carried out by Scientists from many different cultures and civilizations throughout history.
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Science - Triple
Science - Triple
The overarching aim in the pursuit of scientific competency is to prepare students to be active citizens in the wider world in terms of critical engagement with their environment.
Our intent is for all students to develop a curiosity and a scientific understanding of the world around them and the ability to think critically about information presented to them.
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Sport Studies
Sport Studies
Sport is a key theme in education. The need for people to lead healthy and active rather than sedentary lifestyles is increasingly prominent, and this is reflected in the schools curriculum, where physical education and sport remains core. This qualifications seek to build upon this provision.