INTRODUCTION – PE FAST TRACK COURSE

This is a very important time of your child's life. Choosing the right courses now may influence their future career path. This booklet gives details relating specifically to the GCSE courses we offer at Kingshill School.

The following general points relating to the GCSE courses on offer should be noted.

1.      GCSE scale of awards for 2006 – 2008:

A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and U

Those from A* to G are passes with A* to C commonly referred to as "higher" grades. In addition a grade X implies that the candidate has failed to meet the minimum requirements of the examination either through failure to complete coursework or non­ attendance at the terminal examinations. Vocational GCSE courses are graded in exactly the same way.

2.      Accurate Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar in GCSE Examinations

Current guidelines state that 5% of total marks available should be allocated to spelling, punctuation and grammar. The full 5% can be earned with a high level of accuracy. This affects all GCSE examinations except Mathematics.

3.      Coursework

Please take note of differing requirements between subjects with regard to coursework. The coursework component is obviously of importance and we would ask you to support your son's/daughter's work through:

·       regularly asking him/her which coursework pieces he/she is presently engaged in, and/or which are coming up in the near future.

·       asking for marks/grades of latest pieces.

·       asking to read through completed pieces, thus checking for completion, sense,

grammar etc.

·       helping them to plan their time with regard to other demands and the needs of

your family life.

·       ensuring things are not left to the last minute.

·       ensure he/she makes the most of opportunities available to them e.g. documentaries etc on TV or radio, using the Town Library, using the experience, knowledge and skills of people, gathering information from sources such as the Internet.

The most important aspect of success in Upper School Courses is that the pupil should be well organised. It is essential that Student Planners are maintained and that adequate time is given to completing the tasks set.

OUR CORE CURRICULUM

Kingshill wishes to offer a broad balanced curriculum for all its pupils in order to ensure that their options are left open at post 16 level, hence there is a large core curriculum which the majority of pupils follow : -

 

Subject

English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Core P.E / Health related fitness

Citizenship / Careers, RE Short Course GCSE

 

In addition pupils choose three more courses, which account for the remaining 30% of the timetable.

 

The following pages describe the course available to your son/daughter over the next two years. The section printed on white paper contains details of the core subjects, which all pupils will study. The section printed on yellow paper contains details of the optional subjects.

 

When helping your child to decide on their subject choice for Key Stage 4 please bear in mind the following points:

 

(i)         It is our belief that pupils benefit from following a broad range of subjects and that this range should only be narrowed in exceptional circumstances.



(ii)        Pupils who choose to pursue one area at the expense of another should only do so for positive reasons, i.e. their strengths and talents in Design & Technology or Creative & Expressive should be emphasised rather than their weakness elsewhere as justification for dropping a subject.

 

(iii)     The form “Your Subject Choice” at the back of this booklet should be completed and returned to Form Tutors by Friday 24th March at the latest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P E FAST TRACK COURSE

 

EXAM GROUP                                   GCSE (see GCSE PE)

                                                            AS Level         OCR

 

TEACHER I/C SUBJECT                  MR P HAMBLIN

 

METHOD OF ASSESSMENT

GCSE                                                  60% Practical Coursework

40% Examination

AS Level                                              70%     Examination

                                                            30%  Coursework

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course will cover the GCSE PE course in Year 10 and the AS level PE in Year 11. The course will prepare pupils for further studies in PE and Sport at Key Stage 5.

The fast track option has been developed to provide those pupils with the ability in PE with an opportunity to achieve their potential in this subject.

There is a demanding theory section to this option and consequently those pupils who choose it will be selected for their ability to cope with the academic as well as the practical aspects of the course.

In order to accommodate the high course content, pupils undertaking this option will be required to use their core PE time as well as their option lessons. A commitment to extra­curricular sport is also an important prerequisite for this course to supplement and support practical assessments.

Year 10 Course content

Please see the GCSE option pages of this booklet

Year 11 Course content

The AS Course covers 3 Areas of Study including:

·         Physiological and Psychological influences on performance

·         Contemporary and socio-cultural influences on sport participation and development

·         Analysis and evaluation of performance, incorporating practical assessment and a Personal Performance Portfolio (PPP)

Pupils who pass the AS level will be able to complete the PE A level in one further year as part of their Key Stage 5 studies, provided they are following the same examination board.