The Avon Valley School & Performing Arts College
THE KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM
All students will follow a core curriculum in the following subjects:
English Language and English Literature GCSE
Mathematics GCSE
PE
PSHE (Includes RE, Careers and Citizenship)
Combined Science: Synergy (equivalent to two GCSEs).
For those students with an interest and ability in science, they will be selected for the Separate
Sciences of Physics, Chemistry and Biology GCSEs- parents/carers will be notified during Year 10,
to begin studying in Year 11.
What courses are on offer?
GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education
The GCSE will account for the greater part (if not all) of a student’s courses in Key Stage 4. The
courses will be linear with final examinations - the exams will be taken at the end of Year 11 for
all subjects except English Literature (end of Year 10).
All GCSE subjects for students currently in Year 8 will be graded 9 to 1, with 9 being the very
best grade possible.
BTEC First Award, Technical Awards & the OCR National Award
A BTEC First Award, Technical Award and OCR National Award are vocational qualifications that
include internal assessment and practical learning. These awards all contain an examined section.
The qualification is equivalent to one GCSE.
Legacy GCSE grading
New GCSE grading
(not valid for students in Year 8 onwards)
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
U
Vocational grading
(BTEC, Award, OCR National Award)
9
8
7
6
Level 2 Distinction *
Level 2 Distinction
5 (good pass)
4 (standard pass)
Level 2 Merit
Level 2 Pass
3
2
1 Level 1 Distinction
Level 1 Merit
Level 1 Pass
U U
4