Key Stage 4
Recovery Curriculum for all
The Recovery Curriculum will be built on the 5 Levers: Relationships, Community, Transparent Curriculum, Metacognition and Space as a systematic, relationships-based approach to address individual gaps in learning and skills.
Curriculum Principles
- Personal and academic progress over their time within the school community.
- The majority of curriculum time is given to Core Subjects to ensure that our learners have the essential skills needed for life and access to the wider curriculum
- Personalised, differentiated support to stretch and challenge our learners so progress is accelerated from point of entry.
- Ensure all our learners make progress towards national expectations to narrow the gaps in learning.
- Enrichment through a creative curriculum and outdoor education which underpins SMSC and British values to create responsible and active learners.
- Provide smooth transitions between different phases of school life to enable continuous and progressive learning at all points.
- Intervention programmes and community activities are offered to enhance learning, personal development, and safety
- Careers Information Advice and Guidance is embedded across the school
Classes are typically taught in mixed age groups based on individual needs and dynamics.
We help learners aged 14-16 to overcome their difficulties and achieve their potential by raising their aspirations, confidence and self-esteem. We provide an exciting and relevant individualised curriculum with a strong emphasis on important academic qualifications, functional skills, life skills, vocational skills and employability. The curriculum is designed to ensure that learners are equipped for the next stage in their lives. Staff at the Link School are highly dedicated, professional and determined to help the learners who attend the provision.
Academic achievement
|
R Effort Achieve C H |
GCSE (Core)
· English language · English literature · Maths · Statistics · Combined Science · Citizenship |
| GCSE Options
· Art & Design · Hospitality & Catering |
|
| Functional Skills (Level 1 and 2)
· English and Maths |
|
| NCFE (Level 1/Level 2)
· Creative Craft in Art and Design · Food and Cookery Skills · Technical Award Art and Design · Health and Fitness |
|
| Vocational options
· Hair & Beauty · Mechanics · Construction · Joinery · Painting and decorating |
Preparing for working life
|
Respect E A Communication Happy & Healthy |
NCFE (Level 1 and Level 2)
· Award for CV writing
|
| FAA (Level 2)
Emergency first aid at work |
|
| Careers
Work Discovery Week. · National Careers Week. · High quality careers education, information and guidance. · College Visits · Careers guidance interviews. · Enterprise Advisor activities · Weekly Department for Work and Pension sessions. · Attendance at school and external careers fairs. · Opportunities for work placements with a range of different providers. · Promotion of STEM across the curriculum. |
Becoming active and responsible citizens
|
Respect E A Communication Happy & Healthy |
NCFE (Level 1 and Level 2)
· Award in alcohol awareness · Award in sexual health awareness · Award in mental health · Award in substance misuse awareness. · Mindfulness and well- being across the curriculum |
Remote Learning (Respect, Effort, Achieve, Communication, Healthy)
In the event of a school closure, the school is committed to providing continuity of education to its learners and will do so through a process of remote (online) learning. Extensive remote learning would apply particularly in a situation in which the school is closed for an extended period of time, but a high proportion of learners and teachers are healthy, and able to work as normal from home.
The primary platforms the school will use to deliver continuity of education are:
Microsoft Teams: accessed via the relevant app or desktop application, or via the following URL: https://teams.microsoft.com
Century Learning: https://www.century.tech/
This is an online learning platform for secondary learners. Century adapts personal pathways contains micro-lessons called ‘nuggets’ designed to address gaps in knowledge, provide stretch and challenge and promote long-term memory retention.
The extent to which different methods of instruction are employed is likely to be determined by the length of any school closure and the ability of both learners and teachers to participate in remote learning.
Alternative Pathways to GCSE (R, Effort, Achieve, Communication, H)
We offer a range of pathways to GCSE to meet the specific learning needs of our students but to enable them all to be highly employable. This includes our children and young people having access to work placements, we currently work with:
- Springboard – hair and beauty, mechanics, construction, joinery, painting &decorating.
- Evolve Soccer Academy – functional skills in English and maths, biology, BTEC Sports diploma.
- Pinnacle Training – construction
- World Training – English, Maths and BTEC Sports.
- Chameleon Training – provides training, qualifications and apprenticeships for people wanting to pursue a career in the Automotive industry.
Daily Tutorial
Students have a daily tutor time covering PSHE topics and preparation for the next stages in their learning journey.
1 to 1 Programme (Respect. Effort, Achieve, Communication, Happy & Healthy)
For those learners people who are significantly vulnerable and are unable to access the curriculum offer in school, these learners are offered one to one tuition where they are offered access to English, Maths and a PSHE/Citizenship curriculum. The aim is to re-engage them in learning and return full time to into school.
KS3/KS4 Websites
Flashcard apps and Quizlet
Save paper and the pain of trying to decipher your handwriting with a flashcard app. Look for a version like Flashcards+ (iOS), which lets you create your own cards or import existing sets through Quizlet, a brilliant community site for students to share study notes.
BBC Bitesize
This breaks down subjects into handy smaller chunks (there’s a clue in the name here..) and lets you revise topics, watch video summaries, complete activities and test yourself as you go. The site covers subjects from Key Stage One to GCSE.
Revision planning apps
A big part of revision is getting organised and keeping track of your study. The Revision Ace app lets you make a revision plan, record your time spent on each subject and track your progress as you go. Alternatively, you can create a colourful PDF timetable with the help of getrevising.co.uk, which will even suggest a schedule for you to follow.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a not-for-profit learning tool that aims to provide a world-class education to anyone with Internet access. The site includes video tutorials and tests in Maths, Science, Economics, Computer Programming and History. The site keeps track of your progress and gives you awards for achievement. This is a great tool for getting to grips with the basics or taking on advanced study for extra credit.
Spark Notes
Explore English Literature texts, watch video summaries and study a host of other subjects with popular study notes site Spark Notes. Try out No Fear Shakespeare, which puts the original text side by side with a modern translation to help you pick up the story and translate new words as you go.
S-Cool
Revise GCSE and A-level subjects, test yourself, make a revision timetable for free and download apps from this comprehensive revision website.
BBC Brain Smart
Need a quick study break? Why not stay productive and wake up your brain by playing a game from BBC Brain Smart. There are fun games to help you boost your memory, remember chains of numbers, get motivated and manage stress.
Other Online Resources Available
For more online resources click here
You can read our full KS4 PSHE Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 PSHE Programme of Study.PDF
You can read our full KS4 English Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 English Programme of Study.PDF
You can read our full KS4 Science Physics Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 Physics Programme of Study.PDF
You can read our full Science Biology Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 Biology Programme of Study.PDF
You can read our full KS4 Science Chemistry Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 Chemistry Programme of Study.PDF
You can read our full KS4 Maths Programme of Study by downloading the PDF below:
KS4 Maths Programme of Study.PDF
Contact
Link School Springwell Dene
Swindon Road, Springwell, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR3 4EE
Tel: 0191 561 5777
Email: caroline.granton@schools.sunderland.gov.uk
Link School Pallion
Waverley Terrace, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR4 6TA
Tel: 0191 561 4777
Email: anita.blakeman@schools.sunderland.gov.uk
