Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, learners build on the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired at Key Stage 2. They have experiences that make history enjoyable, interesting and significant, and that will enable them to engage as active citizens with issues of sustainable development and global citizenship. They learn by enquiry about the main political, economic, social and cultural features of selected periods from the histories of Wales and Britain during the last millennium. They place these developments in context by enquiring into the history of their own locality, the historical experiences of the countries that make up the British Isles, and aspects of European and world history. They learn about the diversity of people’s experience in each selected period, and develop their understanding of causation and change over time. They study aspects of the past in depth, and the differing spiritual and moral values of the periods studied. They establish their sense of chronology, and use and evaluate a range of historical sources and interpretations. They communicate and record their knowledge and understanding with increasing independence.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, learners build on the knowledge, understanding and skills that they have already acquired at Key Stage 2. Geography develops and stimulates learners’ interest and fosters a sense of wonder about the variety of places and the complexity of the world. Through a study of Wales, Europe, other countries, different environments and issues in the news, learners extend their locational knowledge and understanding of how processes shape both natural and human landscapes. They carry out investigations, use maps, gather data, and analyse and synthesise information. They apply their knowledge and skills to explain relationships between places and patterns of activity at a range of scales from local to global. Learners are encouraged to make informed judgments about everyday issues and develop and reflect on their own views and opinions. They develop an understanding of why countries are interdependent, how people interact with their environments and the importance of sustainability. They are encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility for the environment and their role as global citizens.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, religious education stimulates learners to think for themselves in order to develop an understanding of life, the world, and search for meaning that inspires them to bring about transformation personally, socially and globally, thus building on the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired at Key Stage 2. By engaging in practical activities, stimulating discussion and personal investigations of religion in their locality in Wales, in Britain and globally, learners will apply and evaluate their insights concerned with fundamental religious and moral questions; in doing so, they will be given opportunities to think creatively and ask deeper and more challenging questions. Knowledge of religion(s) and the impact that religion and religious ideas have locally, nationally and globally will foster greater understanding of the significance of religion and its importance in promoting social cohesion, stability, global citizenship and sustainability. Through stimulating experiences learners will reflect on the spiritual and moral dimensions of life, recognising the importance of the non-material for both religious and non-religious people. Learners will be given opportunities to express and justify their own feelings and opinions about their search for meaning with sufficient stimuli to inspire and promote openness to new ideas.
Key Stage 4 and Post-16
At Key Stage 4 and Post-16, religious education stimulates learners to engage with fundamental questions and issues that relate to their individual needs, meet the demands of the modern world and motivate and challenge their own and others’ thinking, thus building on the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired in the previous key stages. Through active participation and involvement, challenging debate and in-depth investigations of religion and religious/non-religious ideas evident in their locality in Wales, in Britain and globally, learners should use and apply their knowledge to present theories and create hypotheses, thus stimulating deeper and more challenging questions. An in-depth and extensive knowledge and understanding of religion and religious ideas will foster cultural sensitivity and respect, the valuing of diversity, greater social cohesion and responsibility locally, nationally and globally. Religious education crystallizes spiritual and moral development, and can stimulate expressive personal responses when learners discover a wide range of world views and values beyond the mundane and material, and when they become illuminated by newly understood connections or awareness. Through their exploration learners should begin to understand that conclusions drawn regarding fundamental and personal questions are partial, inconclusive and open to different interpretations.
Course Description
This GCSE specification introduces learners to the business world, empowering them to develop as
commercially minded and enterprising individuals. Learners will have the opportunity to develop a wide
range of skills, enabling them to use business information critically, to develop arguments, to make
justified decisions and to prepare them for further study and career pathways.
What will you study?
The main elements of the Business Studies syllabus are:
The subject content enables learners to apply their knowledge and understanding to different business
contexts, including businesses ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals and businesses
operating in local, national and global contexts. Learners are required to develop an understanding of
how these contexts impact on business behaviour.
How will you study?
Use of Information Technology is an important part of the course and students are expected to use
digital competency and ICT skills to present information effectively. Lessons are based in the school’s ICT
rooms and students will use Google Apps such as Docs, Sheets and Slides to present their work. All
resources will be available through Google Classroom to encourage learning and revision outside of
lessons, which is expected at GCSE level.
