Subjects – The Barlow RC High School

English

Subject: English

Faculty Leader: Mrs S Turner

Deputy Faculty Leader: Miss D Keenan

School Mission

“As a Catholic school, our mission is to show love through our respect for others. We value our God-given gifts, talents and abilities. Our aim is to bring out the best in everyone, within a safe and happy environment. Everyone should know that we are followers of God by what we do, not just by what we say.”

Faculty Vision

“To create an ever-evolving curriculum to meet the needs of all through engagement and challenge.”

Inspirational Quote

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

George R.R. Martin

Curriculum Intent

English is essential to all pupils to help them develop the literacy skills that are crucial, not only to access all areas of the curriculum, but to enable them to succeed in society. At The Barlow there is an expectation that pupils also gain the following skills through their study of English:

Whilst being exposed to a varied and challenging curriculum young people will foster an affection and appreciation of literature and the social and historical contexts that books and plays are set.
As a faculty, the hope and aspiration is that reading for enjoyment and entertainment will form part of their lives and that the joy of literature is nurtured and developed in lessons and conversations with young people.
Within lessons, the aim is to foster an atmosphere of creativity and nurture a flair for writing.
English is an imaginative subject that unlocks the minds of young people. Therefore, it is the faculty’s mission to engage the imaginations of young people and allow them to exercise their minds thoughts.
English makes young people curious. Curious about their lives, the lives of others and how those lives are intertwined.

KS4 Course Rationale

AQA (9-1) English and English Literature:

Large consensus across the local authority in using AQA, which therefore allows collaboration of planning and sharing good practice.
Staff expertise as examiners for AQA allows for the development of the teaching of the subject using the knowledge learnt from the marking experience.
One staff member an APE (Assistant Principle Examiner) for AQA which means that she conducts reviews of marking, attends meetings and had input into the examiner’s report and is very familiar with the mark schemes for both subjects. As a result, these expertise are shared within numerous training sessions for the staff on teaching in preparation for the examination.
Finally, AQA share all their question stems and have assured educators that they won’t be changing without notice so it is easy to teach pupils how to respond to these questions.

Useful Websites:

AQA.org.uk/english examination specification
For specimen papers for the new English Language curriculum, please click here: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-language-8700/assessment-resources
For specimen papers for the new English Literature curriculum, please click here: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702/assessment-resources
BBC Bitesize

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Mathematics

Subject: Mathematics

Faculty Leader: Mr G Tomlinson

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mrs S Brennan

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“To develop a bespoke curriculum to meet the needs of all students. To create an infectious climate for learning where students develop their knowledge of Maths through engagement and challenge.”

Inspirational Quote

“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”

Albert Einstein

Curriculum Intent

At The Barlow RC High School we aim to inspire all children to reach their full academic potential. In mathematics, this means ensuring we have a curriculum that is fully inclusive for all children which:

Develops children’s fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills – all of which are inextricably linked.
Develops children’s knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts whilst enabling them to practise and hone skills and methods.
Enables them to think critically and communicate their understanding to others.
Gives them opportunities to apply learned mathematical skills, in different contexts, across the curriculum.
Provides opportunities to develop problem solving skills useful for maths and in other areas of the curriculum.
Be prepared for applying their skills effectively in everyday life situations, in their future learning and in the work place.

KS4 Course Rationale

Edexcel (9-1) Mathematics:

Pupils should expect to put into practice the skills and facts they learned at Key Stage 3 to develop and consolidate their abilities to discuss, interpret, describe and solve problems and present reasoned arguments using mathematics. They will continue to learn topics and skills in:

Within these areas there is a greater emphasis on independent and collaborative learning. Students will develop their skills in multi-step and increasingly complex problem-solving questions. The aim is to enable students to meet the rigours of the new Mathematics Specification, equipping them to succeed in using Maths in other subjects such as Science, Geography, PE, Technology, as well as in their home, and later, their college, university and work lives.

Useful Websites:

Maths GCSE specification – http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/mathematics-2015.html
An excellent interactive website allowing students to watch videos on each topic, answer interactive questions and access worksheets – www.vle.mathswatch.co.uk
An extensive selection of videos and worksheets on every topic, arranged by grade. Answers also available – www.corbettmaths.com
A revision guide and resource bank for students. The revision resources include revision notes and video explanations of GCSE topics. Exam questions and model answers for GCSE Maths and are organised by topic and as full exam papers – www.mathsgenie.co.uk
Useful exam style questions, allowing students to access a range of topics – www.mathsbot.com
Differentiated bronze, silver, gold questions for a wide range of topics that students can use to test their knowledge – www.mrcartermaths.com
A website filled with problems and investigations to cover all topics. Very good for challenging able students – www.nrich.maths.org
Useful resources website – www.numberloving.co.uk
Some great worksheets and homework sheets – www.missbsresources.com

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Science

Subject: Science

Faculty Leader: Mrs S Teare

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mr A Sirett

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“This, and future generations, will have to tackle the problems of a rapidly changing climate, a planet strained for finite resources, and a decline in biodiversity that has not been seen for millennia. As a faculty we feel it is vital that we are developing a group of young people who are equipped with the skills and knowledge that such a demanding world requires.”

Inspirational Quote

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”

Charles Darwin

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current science curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To develop curious, inquisitive young minds that will one day influence society.
To equip students with the knowledge required to solve unfamiliar problems, in a rapidly changing world.
To embed an ethos of investigation into all concepts, and to wonder about what lies beyond.
To develop a skill set that allows for life-long learning to continue long after they have left The Barlow.
To develop contextual, and relevant knowledge in all branches of science.
To promote an appreciation of scientific phenomena, and an awareness of the role it is has had in developing our understanding of the world around us.
To raise awareness of the role of humans in our changing world, and the potential we have to enforce positive change.

KS4 Course Rationale

AQA GCSE (9-1) Combined Science GCSE (Trilogy) and AQA GCSE (9-1) Biology, Chemistry and Physics

All courses provides a wide breadth of study across the 3 major branches of Science.
The examinations provide an accessibility that is not as apparent from other course providers.
The availability of revision resources is far greater for the AQA specifications.
The question style present in the examination papers is consistent, applying command words the students have worked with from Year 7.
Question style on assessments from AQA have analysed the literacy demand for paper and as a result have adjusted the presentation and sentence length for questions, pertinent for a lower literacy ability pupil.

Useful Websites:

Comibed Science Examination Specifications:

AQA Combined Science http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464

Key Stage 4 Separate Science Examination Specifications:

AQA Biology http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/biology-8461

AQA Chemistry http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/chemistry-8462

AQA Physics http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/physics-8463

Other useful websites:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zng4d2p

https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zrkw2hv

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBgvmal8AR4QIK2e0EfJwaA

http://www.docbrown.info/

https://revisionscience.com/gcse-revision

https://www.educake.co.uk/ (for which each pupil has a login)

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Religious Education

Subject: Religion

Faculty Leader: Ms R Proctor

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mrs A McCreesh

School Mission

Faculty Vision

‘To ensure our pupils enjoy and achieve in Religious Education whilst fully engaging with the religious and cultural ethos of our school.”

Inspirational Quote

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you came to birth I consecrated you.”

Jeremiah 1: 4 – 5

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current religious education curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To provide a broad balanced challenging curriculum that develops pupils’ spiritually and academically. Such a curriculum that develops pupil’s knowledge, understanding of the Catholic faith, whilst deepening their understanding of other world religions.
To provide pupils with the knowledge, skills and confidence to approach social and moral issues in a diverse society reflecting on Catholic Social Teachings (CST).
To examine various religious beliefs in a Multi-Faith Society so that pupils can demonstrate tolerance towards others, as part of SMSC.
To help pupils focus and evaluate the key religious teachings and principles of the Catholic faith through Catholic values, The Catechism, reflecting scripture and Sources of Wisdom and Authority.
To understand Jesus’ ministry and key moral teachings and apply these to our daily life to fulfil our school’s Mission Statement.

KS4 Course Rationale

Eduqas/Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Religious Studies:

The Religious Studies Curriculum follows the GCSE guidance and those outlined by the Diocesan guidance. PSHE, Citizenship, Drug Education, Sex and Relationship Education is taught within the curriculum. The curriculum is delivered in 10% of curriculum time over the key stage as per Diocesan guidance.
Year 9 and 10:Study Edexcel Religious Studies Specification A: Catholic Christianity with Judaism.
Year 11: Study WJEC Eduqas Religious Studies Specification B: Catholic Christianity and Judaism.
The qualification allows for a wide breadth of study, covering a range of issues on a local, regional, national and global scale.
Question style on assessment materials is more accessible for cohorts with lower literacy ability.

Useful Websites:

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Arts

Subjects: Art, Drama/Music/3D Design

Faculty Leader: Miss V Catcheside

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mrs T Taylor

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the Arts faculty is to develop knowledge, skills and understanding of the Arts and to encourage creativity through the exploration of the various art forms. As a faculty we endeavour to stimulate a lasting enjoyment and interest in the Arts. We offer extensive extra-curricular activities which give pupils the opportunity to further their artistic skills and talents and to develop their self-confidence.”

Inspirational Quote

“I want every single young person to have the opportunity to discover how the arts can enrich their lives. Access to cultural education is a matter of social justice”.

Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, former Secretary of State for Education

Curriculum Intent

The rationale for the current arts curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To provide a broad, stimulating and challenging curriculum which engages and inspires pupils.
To promote a lasting enjoyment and interest in the Arts through our enthusiasm and passion for our subjects .
To enable pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding and to encourage creativity through the exploration of the Arts.
To explore Art forms from different cultures and traditions to widen pupils’ experience and promote mutual respect.
To create a safe and inclusive environment for each pupil to grow and develop as an individual, promoting a sense of belonging as well as building self-confidence.
To enhance the mental and spiritual wellbeing of pupils by enabling self-expression through Art, Music and Drama.
To nurture and develop the God-given gifts and talents of pupils in order to reach their full potential in line with our school Mission Statement.
To promote practical skill-based courses enabling pupils of all abilities and social backgrounds to achieve.
To provide pupils with invaluable life/employability skills;communication, creativity, collaboration, cognitive skills, motor skills, self-discipline, analysis, evaluation.
To provide extensive extra-curricular activities giving all pupils the opportunity to further their creative skills and talents and to develop as an individual.

KS4 Course Rationale

All Arts courses at KS4 allow for progression from Key Stage 3 whilst providing a strong foundation for further study. Courses are practical courses allowing pupils of all abilities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in the Arts. Courses offered in Music and Drama will vary depending upon the cohort of pupils opting for each subject.

AQA GCSE Art and Design- Art, Craft and Design and Graphic Communication:

The GCSE Art and Design qualification features a range of titles including Art, Craft and Design and Graphic communication. The flexibility of its design means the course can be tailored to pupils’ of different abilities. The course aims to further develop knowledge, skills and understanding in Art and Design using a range of media and techniques. Each assignment requires the exploration of ideas from direct observation, research of artists, designers or from a particular culture. The course promotes the development of individual work; students are encouraged to create their own personal response to a given theme.

This practical skills based course has two components (60% coursework, 40% Exam);
Component 1- Portfolio of work (60%)
Component 2-Externally Set Assignment (40%).

AQA GCSE Music:

The GCSE qualification offers the chance to study a wide range of musical genres, with more opportunities for practical learning. This course allows pupils to develop and apply their musical knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, evaluation and analysis and to develop their performance skills and creativity through musical composition.

The course is made up of three components (60% coursework and 30% exam);
Component 1- Understanding Music- Listening/Written exam- Section A- Listening, Section B- Study pieces (40%).
Component 2- Performing Music- 2x performances- 1 Solo and 1 ensemble (30%)
Component 3- Composing Music – 2x Compositions- 1 from Set brief, 1 free choice (30%)

Edexcel BTEC Music:

This is a vocational course designed to provide pupils with the skills, knowledge and understanding of the music industry and roles within the creative arts.

This practical course allows pupils of different abilities to develop their performance and compositional skills and gives them the opportunity to plan and deliver a musical product.

The course is made up of 2 Core units and 2 optional units (75% coursework and 25% exam);
Unit 1 (Core)- The Music Industry (25%) Written exam.
Unit 2 (Core)- Managing a Music Product (25%)
Unit 4- Introducing Music Composition (25%)
Unit 5- Introducing Music Performance (25%)

Eduqas GCSE Drama

The WJEC Eduqas GCSE Drama specification is designed to give pupils a broad and balanced experience of drama. This is a practical course designed to enable pupils to apply knowledge, skills and understanding when making, performing and responding to drama.

The course is made up of three components (60% coursework and 40% exam);
Component 1- Devising Theatre- Devised performance from a stimulus and studies of a practitioner, portfolio of supporting evidence (40%)
Component 2 Performing from a Text- 2x extracts from 1 play (20%).
Component 3 Interpreting Theatre- Written Exam- Section A- Set Text, Section B- Live Theatre Review (40%).

The NCFE Level 1 and Level 2 Technical Award in Performance skills

This is a vocational course designed to provide pupils with the skills, knowledge and understanding of the performing arts industry.

The course is made up of two units (60% coursework and 40% exam);

Unit 01- Working in the Performance Industry (40%) Written examination (March and November one opportunity to re-sit)

Unit 02- Planning and Performing (60%) Synoptic Project- (December- submission March and one opportunity to re-submit in May).

Useful Websites:

Exam Specifications:

GCSE Art and Design – Art, Craft and Design, Graphic Communication – Exam board: AQA: http://www.aqa.org.uk/
GCSE Drama – Examination board: EDUQAS: www.eduqas.co.uk
Performance Skills Qualifications
GCSE Music – Examination board: AQA: http://www.aqa.org.uk/
BTEC Music – Examination board: EDEXCEL: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Business/Computing

Subject: Computing, Business and iMedia

Faculty Leader: Mrs N Ahmed

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“Creating opportunities and inspiration for learners to recognise and prepare for opportunities in a digital future “

Inspirational Quote

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”

Stephen Hawking

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current Computer Science curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To inspire in learners a curiosity and fascination about the digital world
To equip learners with knowledge, provide opportunities for understanding and application of the core concepts in computer science
To develop the knowledge to analyse problems in computational terms.
To provide the framework and approaches that equip learners with problem solving skills

KS4 Course Rationale

The faculty has always strived to offer a broad curriculum appropriate for the context of the school:

Computer Science:

Logical thinkers and problem solvers – Providing the logical learners further opportunities to develop mathematical skills beyond the core subject.
Developing resilience, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity within our young learners.
OCR GCSE Computer Science is assessed externally via 2 examinations. We have A CAS Master teacher who has enabled the school to become a Lead in this subject area.
Business
Creative Entrepreneurs – Providing opportunities, suitable for the Barlow’s context, to aspire and learn about how Businesses are instigated and developed.
Raising aspirations, self-belief, work ethic, collaboration and communication within our young leaners.
Developing the learners understanding of real life mathematical problems and spoken and written communication.
Edexcel GCSE Business is assessed externally via 2 examinations and the department is well equipped with expertise in the Business subject.
The uptake of this subject continues to remain strong despite changes to curriculum and pathways

Business:

Creative Entrepreneurs – Providing opportunities, suitable for the Barlow’s context, to aspire and learn about how Businesses are instigated and developed.
Raising aspirations, self-belief, work ethic, collaboration and communication within our young leaners.
Developing the learners understanding of real life mathematical problems and spoken and written communication.
Edexcel GCSE Business is assessed externally via 2 examinations and the department is well equipped with expertise in the Business subject.
The uptake of this subject continues to remain strong despite changes to curriculum and pathways

IMedia:

Creative technologists – IMedia provides an opportunity for learners who prefer a practical element to learning.
Vocationally related, engaging, practical and inspiring and therefore complements our other offerings
Currently assessed through 25% external examination that may be resat. The department is well resourced to deliver technical qualifications and has previous outstanding results within this context.

Useful Websites:

Examination Specifications:

Other useful websites:

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Child Development

Subject: Child Development

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the Child Development Faculty is to equip learners with the knowledge and practical skills required to pursue a career in child care.”

Inspirational Quote

“All children are born to grow, to develop, to live, to love, and to articulate their needs and feelings for their self-protection.”
Alice Miller

Curriculum Intent

This qualification is for learners aged 14-16 who wish to develop applied knowledge and practical skills in child development. It is designed with both practical and theoretical elements, which will prepare students for further qualifications in Child Care.

What will the student study as part of this qualification?

All students will study three mandatory topics as follows:

Health and well-being for child development
Understand the equipment and nutritional needs of children from birth to five years
Understand the development norms of a child from birth to five years.

KS4 Course Rationale

The first topic of study underpins all of the other learning in this qualification. Students will develop the essential knowledge and understanding in child development, covering reproduction, parental responsibility, antenatal care, birth, postnatal checks, postnatal provision, conditions for development, childhood illnesses and child safety. Knowledge gained would be of use for further studies in PHSE, Biology and other child development qualifications.

In the second topic of study, students will gain knowledge of the equipment needs of babies and young children and an understanding of the factors to be considered when choosing appropriate equipment to meet all of these needs. This topic will also cover nutrition and hygiene practices and students will be given the opportunity to investigate feeding solutions, comparing these to nutritional requirements and evaluating the outcomes. Evaluation skills are developed, which would be of use in further studies in a number of areas.

In the third topic of study, students will gain an understanding of the development norms from birth to five years and the stages and benefits of play. Students will gain knowledge of, and skills in, developing activities to observe development norms in children up to the age of five. This topic will include researching, planning and carrying out activities with a child and observing and evaluating these activities, as well as comparing the child to the expected development norms. Researching, planning, observing and evaluating skills would be useful in further studies as these are transferable skills and can be applied to many other subject areas.

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Design & Technology

Subject: Design and Technology

Faculty Leader: Mr Frame

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mr Tilbury

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“As a Design and Technology team, we endeavour to prepare pupils to participate in a rapidly changing society. In our subject, pupils learn to think creatively and solve problems, through both independent and collaborative work.”

Inspirational Quote

“Design and Technology is about making things that people want and work well. Creating these things is hugely exciting. It is an inventive and fun activity.”

James Dyson

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current design and technology curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To develop diverse practical skills across multiple technology disciplines.
To work both collaboratively and independently to solve design problems and manufacture a range of contemporary products associated with modern industry.
To learn skills that can lead directly to future employment and aid them in their everyday life.
To apply knowledge from a range of other subjects.
To understand the value of developing skills across the wider curriculum.

Pupils at KS3 are taught on a carousel, where they study Materials and Electronics, Fashion and Textiles, Food and Nutrition, and Computer Aided Design and Manufacture (CAD/CAM). Throughout the carousel pupils learn a range of practical skills within each of the subject areas through a range of focused practical tasks. Pupils will also learn about the design process through challenging design tasks linked to the projects delivered within each area of Design and Technology. By the end of Y8 pupils will have acquired all of the skills identified within the National Curriculum and be fully prepared for the option of specialising in one of the areas of Design and Technology offered a KS4.

KS4 Course Rationale

AQA GCSE (9-1) Design and Technology:

The qualification prepares pupils to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world.
Pupils will gain awareness and learn from wider influences on Design and Technology including historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic factors.
Pupils will get the opportunity to work creatively when designing and making and apply technical and practical expertise.

BTEC Level 1/2 Technical Award in Engineering Manufacture:

Developed for learners to have the opportunity to gain a broad understanding and knowledge of the engineering sector and develop a range of personal skills and techniques.
Pupils can achieve a nationally recognised level 1 or level 2 engineering qualification that supports progression into a more specialised level 3 vocational or academic course or into an apprenticeship.
Learners have the opportunity to enter potential employment within a wide range of engineering sectors such as mechanical, automotive and electrical.

Useful Websites

Examination Specifications:

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Geography

Subject: Geography

Faculty Leader: Mr A Hardy

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mr A Wall

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the Humanities Faculty is to open the eyes of our pupils to events in the present and past so that they are fully prepared for the future.”

Inspirational Quote

“The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. And in the end, it’s about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.”

Barack Obama

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current geography curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
To equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
To develop understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments.
To provide the framework and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
To develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine.

To develop competency in the geographical skills needed to:

Collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork.
Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length .

KS4 Course Rationale

Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography A:

The qualification allows for a wide breadth of study, covering a range of geographical issues on a local, regional, national and global scale. The use of real examples is left open rather than prescribed so that we can select examples that are relevant and up-to-date. The modules offer a good balance of physical and human geography, with assessment seeming ‘holistic’ relying on literacy skills, numeracy skills and geographical skills.
Assessment of the teams’ expertise and historical use of Eduqas led to a foundational knowledge of the specification.
Question style on assessment materials is more accessible for cohorts with lower literacy ability.

Useful Websites:

Examination Specification : http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/geography/GCSE-A/

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

History

Subject: History

Faculty Leader: Mr A Hardy

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mr A Wall

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the Humanities Faculty is to open the eyes of our pupils to events in the present and past so that they are fully prepared for the future.”

Inspirational Quote

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current History curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To extend and deepen pupils’ chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, so that it provides a well-informed context for wider learning.
To enable pupils to identify significant events, make connections, draw contrasts, and analyse trends within periods and over long arcs of time.
To enable pupils to use historical terms and concepts in increasingly sophisticated ways.
To enable pupils to pursue historically valid enquiries including some they have framed themselves, and create relevant, structured and evidentially supported accounts in response.
To enable pupils to understand how different types of historical sources are used rigorously to make historical claims and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.

KS4 Course Rationale

Edexcel (9-1) History GCSE:

The qualification allows for a breadth of study including; Thematic Study and Historic environment, Period study and British depth study and Modern Depth study.
3 terminal exams ranging from 1hr 15mins to 1hr 45mins in duration supports the ‘chunking’ of assessment comparative to other exam boards where the exams are longer in duration and the number of extended answer questions is greater in each paper.
The structure of the exams allows access for students across the ability spectrum, as short answer questions precede more challenging extended answer questions. Clear instructions and guidance are given to students. This negates the need for alternative curriculum provision.

Useful Websites:

Examination Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/history-2016.html

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Languages

Subject: Modern Foreign Languages

Faculty Leader: Mr A Casey

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mrs R Phillips

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the MFL faculty is to empower pupils with a thirst for language learning and to ensure that all pupils are made aware that the world is a big place that can be explored more easily through the power of language acquisition.”

Inspirational Quote

“If you talk to a man in a language that he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current modern foreign languages curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about world cultures, the languages within it and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
To equip pupils with knowledge about language structure and development, verbs, tenses and moral and cultural issues, together with a deep understanding of how to develop and manipulate language in such a way that communication is clear and precise.
To develop pupils’ skills across all 4 skill areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
To provide a balanced curriculum that covers all of the key areas of global and social issues, personal relationships, free time and leisure together with education and future plans.
To develop contextual knowledge of the foreign language across all 4 skill areas -using both authentic and artificial source material.
To develop competency in an MFL learner so that the pupil is able to:
Work out the meaning of familiar and unfamiliar language using context.
Translate a written text or audio material from one language to another.
Communicate accurately in a variety of ways, including through speech, response to an audio track or through the use of extended writing .

KS4 Course Rationale

AQA GCSE (9-1) French and Spanish

The qualification allows for a wide breadth of study, covering a range of topics on a local, national and global scale. The course is split into three themes and within each theme there are four sub topics that are relevant and up-to-date.
The topics offer a good balance of grammar and communication skills, with assessment taking place at the end of the course with four equally weighted skill areas relying on literacy skills, language recall, communication and grammar skills.
Question style on assessment materials is more accessible for cohorts with lower literacy ability if they are entered for the foundation tier with more challenging texts and assessments being made available at higher tier for the more able within the cohort.

Useful Websites:

GCSE French Examination Specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
GCSE Spanish Examination Specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698

To find out more about the subject and course options please contact admin@thebarlowrchigh.co.uk

Physical Education

Subject: Physical Education

Faculty Leader: Mrs E Holland and Miss L Quartey-Papafio

Deputy Faculty Leader: Mr A Greenlees

School Mission

Faculty Vision

“The aim of the PE department is to inspire, encourage and equip pupils to live a healthy mental and physically active lifestyle; developing skill sets to help improve their ability to cope not only in education but in life.”

Inspirational Quote

“Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong.”

John F. Kennedy

Curriculum Intent

The rationale of the current PE curriculum at The Barlow Roman Catholic High School is:

To inspire in pupils the basic requirements to live a healthy active lifestyle
To encourage positivity and respect for oneself and that of others
To develop teamwork
To help alleviate the stresses pupils encounter in today’s education

To develop competency in PE skills needed to:

Develop practical skills through repetition and analysis of skill using a variety of different methods (video analysis, verbal and visual feedback)
Collect and analyse a range of data gathered through testing then use this to improve performance
Interoperate data provided in graph format
To have the ability to both self and peer assess

KS4 Course Rationale

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physical Education

The qualification allows for a wide breadth of study, covering applied anatomy and physiology; physical training; movement analysis; health, fitness and well-being, sports psychology and socio-cultural issues.
Students will develop their practical performance skills in three different physical activities.
Students will complete a Personal Exercise Programme (PEP) in a chosen sports. This will develop their ability to analyse and evaluate personal fitness to improve/optimise performance in physical activity and sport.
The components offer a good balance of practical and theoretical Physical Education which encourage students tolearn about the world of Sport and Physical Education; keep up to date with sporting issues, perform and develop own practical performances, communicate and explain ideas, think independently, learn reflectively and solve problems.
Assessment is varied and therefore plays to the different strengths of individual students. There is a range of multiple-choice, short answer and extended writing questions as well as practical assessment and coursework.