Proposed Post-16 / Sixth Form Provision

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Proposed Post-16 / Sixth Form Provision

• Presentation to St Benedicts Parents
• Tim Sara / Jim Nallen
• Thursday 9 October 2008

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Developments

• 1. Front of school changes
• (separate from Sixth Form)
• 2. Post-16 / Sixth form developments

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Front of School

• More classrooms / specialist rooms
• Re-developed library
• Improved and increased office space
• Improved and increased storage

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Post -16 / Sixth Form

• Why are we here?
• Presumption Process
• Curriculum Overview

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Why are we here?

• Outstanding OFSTED
• Outstanding Value Added
• High Performing Secondary School
• 2nd Specialism
• Applied Learning/Vocational
• Confidence
• Opportunity

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Sixth Form Presumption Process
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• CURRICULUM
• OVERVIEW

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Collaborative Post-16 Provision AS/A2 IT,
Spanish, Law, PE, Sociology, Forensic Science
Diploma Based Learning 14 -19 IT, Humanities
2011, Science 2011, Construction

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
Post-16 Provision Foundation Levels 1 2 V.GCSE
post 16, IT Skills, Functionality (Eng, Maths,
Sc) NEETS

CORE
EBP

IAG
Community Based Courses Day Twilight
Evening Community Xtend
Community/Adult Range of courses
Range of courses For NEETS, OAPs IT,
Languages, ESOL Numeracy, Literacy
Vocational Based Qualifications Levels
1-3 Apprenticeships Skills Centre flexible
- Construction, Engineering, Hair
Beauty
Build 8-10 tutor rooms, IT suite, IAG suite,
common room, EBP centre, Skills Centre, 1
artificial pitch, learning resource centre,
conference room, staff room, offices x 6
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Issues

• Managing the process
• 11 16 school
• Community views

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Benefits

• Increased opportunity for St Benedicts pupils
• Increased opportunity for other pupils
• Greater flexibility of options / courses /
  progression routes
• Applied / vocational courses across all areas
• eg. Diplomas
• Continuity of Catholic education
• Continuity of our ethos
• Improved Information, Advice Guidance (IAG)
• Meeting 21st Century needs
• Staff Opportunities

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International Baccalaureate

• OBJECTIVE
• The aim of this presentation is to give an
  insight into the International Baccalaureate
  and to explore its main aims and philosophy, so
  the broader family of St Benedicts can make
  informed decisions about its proposed
  introduction as part of the post-16 provision.

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Mission Statement

• The International Baccalaureate aims to develop
  inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people
  who help to create a better and more peaceful
  world through intercultural understanding and
  respect
• To this end the organisation works with schools,
  governments and international organisations to
  develop challenging programmes of international
  education and rigorous assessment
• These programmes encourage students across the
  world to become active, compassionate and
  lifelong learners who understand that other
  people, with their differences, can also be right

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The IB Ethos

• Provides an introduction the ideology behind the
  Diploma and its uniqueness
• A mission to create a better world through
  education
• Hard-earned reputation for quality, for high
  standards and for pedagogical leadership
• Promote intercultural understanding and respect,
  not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and
  national identity, but as an essential part of
  life in the 21st century

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(No Transcript)
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The Strength of the Curriculum

• The Hexagon
• Allows continued breadth of study
• Students have wider options for university
• Grades are criterion-referenced
• Holistic approach
• Addresses the physical, social, moral, aesthetic
  and spiritual aspects of human development
  through CAS, TOK and the Extended Essay

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IB Diploma Programme Key Points

• Internationally accepted qualification taught
  across the world (currently 1496 schools
  authorised, 101 in the UK)
• University entrance level examination
• Broad, balanced curriculum. Ideal compromise
  between specialisation and breadth
• Theory of Knowledge. Helping students to learn
  how they learn
• Extended Essay
• Creativity, Action and Service. Educating the
  whole person
• Encouraging students to appreciate other cultures
  and attitudes, and to be informed, tolerant and
  willing to communicate with others

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What we aim to achieveThe IB Learner Profile

• Principled
• Caring
• Open-minded
• Well-balanced
• Reflective

• Students who will be
• Inquirers
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Risk-takers
• Knowledgeable

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Advantages

• Breadth and balance
• Flexibility
• Structure and momentum commitment and
  motivation
• The Theory of Knowledge making sense of
  learning
• Results
• Suits a wide variety of students
• International and free from interference

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Higher or Standard level?

• 3 subjects at Higher, 3 at Standard
• Higher Level is broadly similar in standard to A2
• Standard level is rated at 2/3 of A2 by UCAS
• Higher level required to be taught for 240 hours,
  Standard level for 150 hours

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IB Points

• Each subject HL or SL is graded on a 1 to 7 scale
• Total points from 6 subjects is 42
• TOK the Extended Essay provide 3 more points
• 24 points necessary to pass rates a level 4 as
  a pass (minimum 12 points in Highers)
• The maximum of 45 points was achieved by 64
  students in May 2005 (out of a total of 27,000
  candidates worldwide)

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UCAS Points

• Total IB points used as the basis for allocation
  of UCAS points from 2008
• Max IB points 45 UCAS 768
• Average IB points 34 UCAS 512
• A bare pass 24 IB points UCAS 280
• 3 levels A at A

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Examples of Diploma Programmes

• Science Specialist
• Highers
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics

• Standards
• Business
• English
• French

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• Humanities Specialist
• Highers
• English
• Geography
• History

• Standards
• Mathematics
• Biology
• Italian

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• Language Specialist
• Highers
• English
• French
• Spanish

• Standards
• Mathematics
• Design Technology
• World Politics

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• All-rounder
• Highers
• Mathematics
• English
• Chemistry

• Standards
• Spanish
• Music
• IT in a Global Society

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The Core

• Theory of Knowledge
• The Extended Essay
• Creativity, Action and Service (CAS)

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Theory of Knowledge

• Ways of knowing perception, reasoning, language,
  emotion
• How is knowledge developed in the main subject
  areas?
• Assessment by presentation and externally marked
  essay
• Some recent essay titles
• - Can a machine know?
• - Can literature tell the truth better than
  arts or other areas of knowledge?

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The Extended Essay

• A dissertation
• 4000 word piece of original research which is
  externally marked
• 40 hours work minimum
• Research topic selected by student with guidance
  from subject supervisor

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CAS

• Experiential Learning
• 150 hours over the course of two years
• Must be completed to pass the diploma
• Changes students perceptions and takes them out
  of their comfort zone

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Examples of CAS

• Language teaching in primary school
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Choir, band , orchestra etc
• Rugby, football, tennis, dance, swimming etc

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The Journey

• Inform teachers, students, parents, governors,
  LA, local schools, wider community
• Be clear and honest regarding advantages and
  challenges
• IB brochure downloads, IB World
• Presentations through information events
• Use - IB students past and present
• - Existing IB Coordinators and teachers
• - Schools with the IB network
• - The support mechanisms available for all
  stakeholders

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The Road to the IB September 2008

• Timeline to September 2011
• Stage 1
• Feasibility study ? Intent to Apply
• Interested Schools Form (2 yrs 4 months prior to
  implementation)
• Request for consultant by May 2009
• ACTIONS
• - Submit form
• - Request consultant
• - Promote IB Professional Development
• - Strategic plan
• - Consider coherent curriculum plan
• - Review and prepare Application Form Part A

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The Road continues .

• Stage 2
• Application Form Part A to be completed by
  October 2009
• ACTIONS
• - Submit Part A Form
• - Set up Teacher Accounts with the online centre
  
• - Send staff on IB CPD
• - Development of courses
• - Review and prepare for Application Form Part B

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. and continues

• Stage 3
• Application Form Part B - Application for
  Authorisation - April 2011
• ACTIONS
• - Submit Part B Form
• - Continue IB CPD
• - Continue development of curriculum
• - Prepare and review documentation for the
  authorisation visit

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. and continues

• Stage 4
• Authorisation by Autumn 2010 ensures that the
  candidate school is genuinely committed to IB
• Ascertains schools readiness to offer the IB
• Verifies schools planning has been systematic
  and comprehensive
• Stage 5
• School authorised to deliver IB in September 2011

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Student Support

• Pastoral
• Head of Sixth Form
• IB Co-ordinator
• Form Tutors
• Student Welfare Officer

• Academic
• Induction days
• Weekly forum
• Subject Co-ordinator
• IB Co-ordinator

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Universities

• The IB diploma is widely recognised by the
  world's leading universities (IBO)
• Cambridge offers are regularly made on the
  International Baccalaureate, at a level of
  between 7,6,6 and 7,7,7 in the higher level
  subjects, with overall scores between 38 and 42
  points out of 45. (www.cam.ac.uk)
• Oxford for students studying the International
  Baccalaureate, colleges will normally be looking
  for candidates who are like to achieve at least
  38 points. Many offers will be set at a higher
  level than this however, and will often specify 6
  or 7 in one or more subjects at the higher level.
  (www.ox.ac.uk)

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Universities

• Leeds Business 24 points
• Aston Engineering 27 points
• Keele Law 30 32 points
• York English 36 (6 points each from English
  and one other subject at higher level)
• Kings College London Medicine 36 points.
• 6, 6, 5 at higher level incl. chemistry and
  biology, at least one at higher level

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Useful Websites

• www.ibo.org/diploma/curriculum/core/
• www.ibsca.org
• Actual examples of school case studies
• www.norreg.dk.ib/hexagon.htm
• www.colchsfc.ac.un/department/ib/

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• CONSULTATION
• DOCUMENT

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Proposals for adding a Sixth Form Introduction
In April 2008 St Benedicts was awarded
Specialist Applied Learning School status by the
Department for Children, Schools and Families
(DCSF). As a High Performing Secondary School
(HPSS) with this specialism, we are eligible to
change our age range from 11-16 to 11-18 and
develop proposals to add new post-16 provision.
The legislation and guidance for proposals to
change age range is complex but the government
has stated that there is a strong presumption in
favour of HPSS proposals. This puts us in a
strong position but we still need to go through a
consultation process and make sure that we take
every opportunity to shape the best proposals for
our young people, our community and the local
area. The formal consultation process is based
on this document which will be circulated to
relevant stakeholders. There will also be one
meeting for parents and one for the public. The
whole process concludes in March 2009, when we
have to submit our proposals to the Local
Authority.
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• The proposal to open a sixth form and extend
  post-16 provision is made in the context of St
  Benedicts excellent academic and vocational exam
  results, very high Value-Added ratings and being
  judged outstanding by OFSTED, coupled with its
  strong commitment to professional collaboration
  and applied learning.
• Since 2000 St Benedicts has taken a proactive
  part in the South Warwickshire Initiative for
  Training (SWIFT), which provides applied learning
  courses for the 14 16 age range within a
  consortium of 8 schools and 2 colleges. We will
  build upon this productive and successful
  provision which has given a greater diversity of
  opportunity and strong staff development
  opportunities. Within a rural location, it is
  important to reduce travel time by providing
  additional and alternative progression routes to
  support continuity of learning opportunities in
  Alcester, South Warwickshire and South-East
  Worcestershire.

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What are our proposals? We propose to change our
age range from 11 16 to 11 18. We propose to
offer a broader range of post-16 courses in new
purpose-built facilities. Discussions are taking
place with other providers and the Learning and
Skills Council about the details of our
curriculum proposals. How long would it take? We
propose opening our post-16 purpose-built
facility by September 2011 but will develop a
range of courses in the interim period, 2009
2011. The vision of the proposal is a core
element of students (aged 16-18) studying the
International Baccalaureate. There will also be
a range of post-16 collaborative courses meeting
a wide range of local needs, extending
opportunities, broadening pupil progression
routes and increasing local parental choice.
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What could be in the post-16 curriculum? We are
proposing that the International Baccalaureate
(IB) Diploma will be at the core of the
provision. It is an internationally acclaimed
post-16 qualification which is becoming more
popular in the UK. The International
Baccalaureate has the same currency for
university entrance as traditional A Levels but
is much broader. There is a strong academic bias
and breadth of study which will enable young
people to acquire a much wider range of skills,
knowledge and understanding. The government is
encouraging Local Authorities to increase
diversity of choice by offering the International
Baccalaureate. This increased diversity
alongside the international dimension of the
International Baccalaureate will give students a
unique qualification, giving access to a wide
range of university opportunities post-18/19. In
addition to the International Baccalaureate there
will be a range of other qualifications enabling
students to access, on a part-time/ collaborative
basis, academic and applied learning
opportunities. The 14-19 Diploma is a part of
the vision of the proposed sixth form.
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In collaboration with other institutions it is
envisaged that we will develop opportunities as
principle provider for the Diploma for IT
(linking with our other specialism Maths and
Computing), Science (increasing numbers of
post-16 Science to meet government targets) and
Languages. We also propose establishing a local
Skills Centre which would be flexible to the
ever-changing needs of the employer. This centre
would accommodate and provide future training
opportunities which may not be an apparent need
now, for example in construction or engineering.
Our proposals need to have some flexibility to
respond to changing demands in the future. The
overall vision for the post-16 build is also to
increase capacity and provision for pupils where
it does not presently exist or is difficult to
access, by the establishment and/or extension of
AS / A2 (A Level) courses where none exist or
access and capacity is limited, for example
Spanish, Sociology, Law, Art and Design, and PE.
Equally, opportunities to develop Level 2 courses
(GCSE/BTec/NVQ) post-16 across a range of
subjects will greatly enhance provision locally.
New legislation requiring young people to
continue in education or training until age 17
will increase demand within the area for such
provision.
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What could the new facilities include? The
proposed building is likely to include 8 - 10
tutor rooms, a Skills Centre, Connexions careers
information and advice facility, Education
Business Partnership Centre, Learning Resource
Centre, a Conference Room, IT suite, common room,
staff room, offices and a new multi-use games
area (artificial pitch). Detailed plans will be
produced as part of our proposals for submission
to the Local Authority in March. How would it be
funded? All of the capital costs would normally
be met from the 16-19 Capital Fund which is
provided by the government and administered by
the Learning and Skills Council. As a voluntary
aided school we are required to find 10 of the
capital costs and this has already been agreed.
We are in discussion with the LSC about the
capital application process required to secure
the funding. If we are successful it is
anticipated that the capital allocation would be
in the region of 6 million. Revenue funding for
the additional staff and other running costs
would be provided through the Local Authority as
part of the annual school budget setting
process.
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What are the benefits? New facilities at St
Benedicts would increase the range of
opportunities available to all our pupils from 11
18 and the community. Additional staff would
add a wider range of expertise and further
capacity to support every pupil. We already play
a leading role within and beyond Alcester,
developing a widening range of community based
activities and courses. Increased provision will
allow us to extend these opportunities even
further, especially in providing day courses
alongside our twilight and evening ones. We can
further address community cohesion issues and
provide a wider range of qualifications for
disadvantaged groups and groups which are
difficult to reach. Information, Advice and
Guidance (IAG) will be available to all through a
purpose-built centre, as well as a facility to
promote business links through the Education
Business Partnership. Commitment to community is
demonstrated by our appointment a year ago of a
Community Co-ordinator who is quickly
establishing firmer and sustainable links with
our community. We have the capacity and scope
for a substantial building on our site along with
good access and the required infrastructure.
Given our proven track record across relevant
areas of academic and applied learning,
collaboration and community we have the necessary
expertise and commitment to extend high quality
provision across a broad range of post-16
qualifications. We look forward to doing this.

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How can I respond? Come along to a meeting to
hear about the proposals both 7.00pm at St
Benedicts 9 October St Benedicts Parents
Meeting 15 October Public Meeting If you
have any comments on these proposals or views you
would wish to express could you please return
them to the following address by 4.00pm on Monday
3 November 2008. NB. This document and
further information is available on our website
www.st-benedicts.org Chair of Governors St
Benedicts Catholic High School Kinwarton
Road Alcester Warwickshire B49 6PX