KS4 Curriculum
Section outline
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Schools necessarily design their KS4 curriculum around the requirements of the GCSE specifications they follow and their own school calendar for pre-public examinations.
Schools should access the wealth of materials provided the examination boards around their GCSE specifications, both in their open access areas and in their secure sites, as the quality and precise application of the materials provided is excellent. -
Functional Skills qualifications are nationally recognised, stand-alone qualifications.
They are worth, in points, the equivalent of half a GCSE. Level 2 Functional Skills is the equivalent of half a GCSE at grade 4 or above, while a Level 1 qualification is the equivalent of half a GCSE at grades 1-3.
The flexibility around assessment windows and the inclusion of a Speaking and Listening element makes these an appropriate qualification for some students, either in addition to GCSE or as their main qualification.
AQA Functional Skills Level 1 and Level 2 Specification
Edexcel Functional Skills Level 1 and Level 2 Specification
Edexcel also offer an Entry Level Certificate in Functional Skills English, which sits below the Level 1 specification.
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For students unlikely to access the GCSE or Functional Skills qualifications, an Entry Level qualification may be more appropriate. These specifications sit at the level below GCSE grade 1. Some exam boards have given these qualifications their own names.
AQA Step Up to English specification
Edexcel Entry Level Certificate specification
Eduqas Entry Level Certificate specification
OCR Entry Level Certificate specification
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These documents offer prompt questions for departmental or leadership reflection and discussion that can lead to action planning.