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The Curriculum

Tavistock College prides itself in offering students a very broad choice of subjects. In September every student is issued with a Curriculum Booklet, which gives brief descriptions of all the courses that will be taught during the year for each subject.

Key Stage 3

All students study the following courses:

Year Seven

Year Eight

Year Nine

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Key Stage 4

In Years 10 and 11 all students will continue to study English, Mathematics, ICT, Religious Studies, Personal Development and Citizenship, Science, a Modern Foreign Language and Physical Education. Students, in consultation with their parents, can choose subjects from those on offer.

The College offers a rich and diverse curriculum at Key Stage 4 and at 16+. In choosing courses, parents and students need to take a broad view of their needs and aspirations over the next four years and the study options available at 16+. We are keen that students choose a programme that

• leaves career and higher education options open
• provides the opportunity to achieve the highest possible GCSE grades
• offers breadth and a range of skills, understanding and knowledge
• leads to a further curriculum pathway at 16+

Most students will study 9 full GCSE courses and two short courses (one in Religious Studies and one in Physical Education).

Tavistock is a designated Specialist Language College; all students therefore study at least one Modern Foreign Language at KS4. A small number of students will be following the Increased Flexibility Programme for part of the week. This will necessarily limit the breadth of their GCSE courses.

Core Subjects:

Optional Subjects:

Diplomas

Diplomas are designed to help students gain the skills they will need in the workplace, they aim to create self-aware, confident, work-oriented recruits whom employers will value.

A Diploma course consists of three main components:

• Principal learning which focuses on developing the knowledge and skills that are needed for a chosen subject area, with a real emphasis on learning by doing. This part of the course will involve attending one day per week at City College Plymouth.
• Generic learning will enable students to gain a good standard in the English, Maths and ICT skills needed to deal with everyday life – as well as giving them a good grounding in the personal, learning and thinking skills which they will find useful both in further education and in the workplace.
• Additional and specialist learning which allows students to choose extra GCSE subjects to study. These subjects could be related to the chosen Diploma, or simply ones that reflect individual student interests and ambitions.

Diploma students will also get the chance to do at least 10 days work experience and to work on a project to put into practice what they’re learning.

Diplomas are assessed through a mix of exams and work marked by a teacher, to reflect the practical nature of the learning. The different parts of the Diploma are assessed separately and the results combined to make the whole Diploma. This means that students will get credit for each part that they achieve as well as a grade for the whole diploma course.

Although each Diploma focuses on a particular career area, it teaches a mix of subjects, giving a well-rounded education. So if a particular Diploma subject such as Engineering is chosen, it doesn’t mean you will have to opt for a career in engineering.

Increased Flexibility Programme

This course is designed for students that would benefit from a more work related vocational curriculum and involves the following:

• a vocational course at perhaps City College Plymouth or another provider of NVQ certificated courses on or off site

This will have an impact on options, and possibly core subjects (Maths, English and ICT). Some students in College will be directed towards this course.

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Page updated Wednesday, February 24, 2010