KS3 & KS4
All students have an identified keyworker who is their lead tutor. Students are either placed in a small group or on a personalised programme dependent up on their needs.
KS3 and KS4 are accommodated in the Danesgate Centre and the Skills Centre. Some students who are on bespoke programmes and are educated off site.
On a personalised programme, students have a mix of 1:1 and small group provision over the week. Each student will have an education plan that covers essential elements of the National Curriculum. An important part of the KS4 programme is what we call the Danesgate Baccalaureate – with a range of GCSE and NVQ style qualifications with English and Maths qualifications at the core of the study programme. An important part of the KS3 provision is the RSA ‘Opening Minds’ programme which makes sure essential national curriculum subjects are followed through a topic based approach.
Group sessions run from 8.30am to 1.30pm. Our KS3 and KS4 groups have a maximum of 6 pupils with a teacher and a teaching assistant at all times. KS3 are taught in mixed age and mixed ability groups. At KS4 students will either be in a Y10 or a Y11 grouping.
Breakfast club is open to all students from 8.15am.
The KS3 groups have a ‘start of day’ routine as follows:
They arrive for breakfast club at 8.15 and start lessons at 8.30. At this point they are expected to hand in valuables, remove coats hats etc, and change into the Danesgate jumper if they are not already wearing a plain black jumper.
Most lessons will take place with the tutor and a teaching assistant, minimising transition time.
Art, Cookery, Science and PE are generally taught by specialists.
The KS3 tutor provides the numeracy and literacy and for other subjects follows the Opening Minds Curriculum.
KS3 Curriculum
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Opening Minds*
- PE (Danesgate Centre Students)
- Art (Danesgate Centre Students)
KS4 Curriculum
KS4 students at Danesgate study the core subjects of English and Maths as well as a range of other qualifications as a one or two year course. Students also have the opportunity to participate in Work Experience in a variety of placements.
The school calendar gives the dates for CASS (Controlled Assessment) days and other exams. On exam days, students are off timetable and required to attend only for whichever assessments they are taking.
In KS4, each student has an Individual Education Plan based on need. A timetable for students who are in group provision – on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, students are taught in their forms at the Centre, where lessons take place from 08.30-13.30.
Forms remain in their classrooms for the first part of the day while teachers move round in a carousel, teaching Maths, English and other core subjects.
The day is broken up for lunch at 11.30-12 noon which is taken in form rooms with form tutors and provides an opportunity for daily pastoral time.
After this break students follow option subjects – our full curriculum offer is listed below.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, KS4 students have individual packages which may include a vocational course, for example, at the Skills Centre, or a Work Experience Placement or an alternative education plan off-site.
Planned KS4 Curriculum
Danesgate Centre groups
Curriculum offer for group pupils
- Maths GCSE
- English Lang GCSE
- Preparation for working life
- Art GCSE
- Expressive Art GCSE
- Child development GCSE
- Functional Skills Maths, English and IT
- OCR Sports and Leisure
- Citizenship GCSE
- Statistics GCSE
- Science iGCSE
- Humanities GCSE
- City & Guilds Land Based Industries (Level 1)
- City & Guilds Food Preparation and Cooking (Level 1)
- BTEC Construction (Level 1)
- City & Guilds Hair and Beauty (Level 1)
Personalised Programmes
- Maths GCSE
- English Lang GCSE
- Preparation for Working Life
- Functional Skills Maths, English and IT
- Subjects from the list above to be offered where appropriate
- General Studies GCSE
- Students can also be offered a number of new qualifications that meet the learners needs eg Psychology GCSE, MFL GCSE, Sociology GCSE, Graphic GCSE. History GCSE, Geography GCSE, Cambridge National ICT, GCSE Computer Studies