THE LEARNING SUPPORT CENTRE

The Learning Support Centre at George Stephenson High School complements and extends the strategies and support mechanisms that exist in the school to raise students’ aspirations, achievement and attainment.  It caters for students of all abilities, and at all key stages, offering alternative, traditional academic support and alternative learning pathways in order to help them fulfil their potential.

The centre is used as the focal point for a wide range of activities and initiatives that operate in the school including:

• community projects;
• breakfast Club;                                  
• fund-raising;
• school-based apprenticeships;
• student employment;
• mentoring;
• extra curricular activities;
• out of school hours learning;
• group work.

The main part of the Department’s work however is in the following area:

DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF ALTERNATIVE CURRICULA

The following curricula are currently offered by the department:

Key Stage 2:

Literacy through music short course

This is an 8 week course offered to students in our associated primary schools where students learn musical composition techniques to enhance their English skills.  At the end of the course all students perform and record their compositions.

Key Stage 3:

Philosophy For Children

This course gives students the opportunity to develop critical thinking and questioning skills, which they can apply not only in all other subject areas, but also in their everyday lives beyond school.

Key Stage 4:

Courses at Level 2 (GCSE grades A*-C):  

1.  ASDAN Wider Key Skills

This is a course with six modules. As the title suggests, the course gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in three areas that are vital for success in both education and the world of work.  The three areas covered are:

• Improve Your Own Learning;
• Working With Others;
• Problem Solving;

Students undertake two modules of work in each of the three areas, and all modules are based on applied or practical situations.

Students who successfully complete the course will gain two GCSE’s at grades A*-C.

2.  Dual Award Diploma in Applied Studies

This is a double qualification and it is based on a series of challenges, which are designed to develop students’ skills and abilities in a wide variety of settings.  There is a quite wide range of option modules available for students and the course can be personalised to a considerable degree to allow individuals to develop their own particular interests and abilities.

Students who successfully complete the course will gain two GCSE’s at grades A*-C.

3.  ASDAN Certificate In Community Volunteering

This is a double qualification and students study the following five units of work and build up a portfolio of evidence which is submitted to the examining board for assessment.  Students will base their portfolios on actual voluntary work they carry out on community programmes and projects.

• Preparing To Volunteer;
• Skills For Self Management;
• Dealing With Meetings;
• Working To Good Practice Standards;
• Understanding Needs, Issues And Responses.

Students who successfully complete the course will gain two GCSE’s at grades A*-C.

4.  ASDAN Key Skills

This is a course with six modules. As is the case with Wider Key Skills, the course gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in three areas that are vital for success in both education and the world of work.  The three areas covered are:

• Literacy;
• Application of Number;
• Information and Communication Technology.

Students who successfully complete the course will gain two GCSE’s at grades A*-C.

ASDAN Career Planning

Students undertake work in the following three modules:

• Career Management;
• Self Development;
• Career Exploration;

Rather than undertake paper exercises, students actually plan, investigate, select and implement the next steps in their real-life careers, be that college, sixth form or employment, and build up a portfolio of evidence which is assessed by the examination board.  To date we have a 100% pass rate at A*-C for this course and are also very proud of the fact that over 50 of our students have managed to obtain paid employment working for the local authority in after school clubs and community projects, whilst studying Career Planning at George Stephenson.

Students who successfully complete the course will gain one GCSE at grades A*-C.

Other courses

Prince’s Trust XL Club-Bronze, Silver and Gold Level Awards

Students studying this course will carry out work in the five following areas:

• A Community-Based Project or Residential Experience;
• Personal, Interpersonal and Team Skills;
• Entrepreneurship and Enterprise;
• Citizenship and Community Awareness;
• Preparation For The World of Work.

Students are assessed on a portfolio of evidence showing that they have, planned, undertaken and reviewed their work in each of the five areas.  We are very proud of the fact that we are the only school in the country whose students have successfully achieved Bronze Silver and Gold Level Awards in Year 10.

Entry Level 3: EDEXCEL Life Skills/Skills For Working Life

Students undertake six modules of work, the following three of which are compulsory:

• Health and Safety;
• Managing Money;
• Interview Skills.

Students then select three modules to study from one of the following areas:

• Practical Skills;
• Business Administration;
• Hair and Beauty;
• Horticulture;
• Retailing;
• Enterprise.

Weekly work experience placements can be built into the above course, to allow students to get a taste of what they may be considering as a career choice.

Key Stage 5:

AS/A2Level Philosophy (AQA)

At AS level, there are three units of study, two of which are:

The Theory of Knowledge;

Moral Philosophy;

For the third unit, students will study one Key Philosophical Text from the following :

The German Ideology by Marx and Engels;

The Republic by Plato;

Existentialism and Humanism by Jean-Paul Satre;

Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes;

At A2 level students will study an additional 3 units:

• Themes:  Philosophy of the mind, Political philosophy and the Philosophy of Science;
• Texts: Students will select one philosopher’s work from a choice of six;
• Synoptic Study:  This account for 20% of the A2 qualification and takes the form of an extended essay.

Students will assess the impact of one philosopher’s work on the development of ideas within a theme, or alternatively will assess the relative contributions of two philosophers to a major debate.

ASDAN Wider Key Skills

Most students will be familiar with Level 2 Wider Key Skills from Year 11. Level 3 Wider Key Skills are a progression from this and are more easily attainable at Level 3.

The Level 3 Wider Key Skills qualification will give students 60 UCAS points (20 for each Wider Key Ski) which is equivalent to an A grade at AS Level.

Wider Key Skills at Level 3 consists of three modules;

• Working With Others;
• Problem Solving 
• Improving thier Own Learning.

ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness

To gain this qualification which carries a total of 70 UCAS points, students must choose challenges from the following areas:

• Active Citizenship;
• Work Related Activities;
• Career Planning;
• Global Awareness;
• Enrichment Activities;
• Research and Presentation Skills.

Students will need to complete a minimum of three modules of work and demonstrate competence in the wider key skills of Working With Others, Improving Own Learning and Problem Solving, as well as competence in:

• Planning and Carrying Out Research;
• Communicating Through Discussion and;
• Planning and Giving An Oral Presentation.

ASDAN Career Planning

This course is suitable for any students regardless of whether they are intending to go into higher education or employment after sixth form.  Its particularly suitable for those who haven’t yet decided! There are three units of study:

• Self Development;
• Career Exploration;
• Career Management.

Students successfully completing the course at level 3 gain 60 UCAS points, the equivalent of an A grade at AS level.

ASDAN Key Skills

As with Wider Key Skills, most students are familiar with Level 2 Key Skills from Year 11. Level 3 Key Skills are a progression from this and are more easily attainable at Level 3.

The Level 3 Wider Key Skills qualification give students 60 UCAS points (20 for each Wider Key Skill) which is equivalent to an A grade at AS Level.

Key Skills at Level 3 consists of  3 modules:

• Communication;
• Application of Number;
• Information and Communication Technology.

ASDAN Expressive Arts Award

This is a 60 hour course where students compile a portfolio of evidence. The portfolio demonstrates: exploration, creation, performance and presentation, appreciation and research into working in the arts. Areas of interest include the playing and recording of music, photography, sculpture, production and dj-ing, graphic art and film/drama. Work completed can be accredited to Wider Key Skills Level 3.   

Level 2:          

GCSE Psychology (AQA)

This is a full time course that covers a number of areas within psychology.  Including; Cognitive, Social and Developmental Psychology, Pro and Anti-Social Behaviour and Research Methods.  Work is assessed by external examination and there is a practical project to complete.

ASDAN Certificate In Community Volunteering

This is a double qualification and students study the following five units of work and build up a portfolio of evidence which is submitted to the examining board for assessment.  Students will base their portfolios on actual voluntary work that they carry out on community programmes and projects.

• Preparing To Volunteer;
• Skills For Self Management;
• Dealing With Meetings;
• Working To Good Practice Standards;
• Understanding Needs, Issues And Responses.

Students who successfully complete the course gain two GCSE’s at grades A*-C.

NVQ Levels    In conjunction with Barnardo’s Palmersville Training Centre and

1, 2 and 3        NTTS we are able to offer School-Based Apprenticeships in:

• Joinery;
• Hospitality and Catering;
• Painting and Decorating;
• Motor Vehicles;
• Bricklaying.

Students spend 3 days per week at the training centre or on placement with an employer and the remaining two days are spent studying in school.

LEARNING SUPPORT CENTRE STAFF

Mr P Turner - Curriculum Leader

Ms R Bennett - Teacher

Ms L Ring - Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Mr P Robinson - Learning Mentor