Key Stage 4

KS4 is a very important part of your child’s learning journey at Sir John Hunt Community Sports College. Please take the time to read through this webpage, where you will find some useful tips and pieces of information to help you and your child through their final two years of compulsory school education.

During Year 10 & 11, your child will build on the knowledge and skills they have built up throughout their KS3 journey at SJH. This culminates in GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11; however, this does not take away from the importance of the work your child and their teachers will put in throughout Year 11 as well. As your child transitions into Year 11, their school day will change, due to the addition of Period 7, which is a compulsory additional hour of lessons each day, taught by teachers. This is a highly valuable extra 5 hours a week that other schools do not provide for their students, thus increasing the curriculum time allowing for extra teaching and progress to be made. Period 0 has also been timetabled every morning following roll call, to allow students to receive intervention for 15 – 20 minutes a day in the following subjects on a rota throughout the week: English, Maths, Science and their EBacc option.

GCSEs are assessed through a combination of final exams and coursework (also called Non-Examined Assessments or NEA). Some subjects will rely more on exams, while others (like Art or Design & Technology) may place a greater emphasis on NEA. You will be informed of assessment dates via email in advance, so that you are able to best facilitate your child’s revision and attendance to catch-up sessions or masterclasses when appropriate. Your child’s attendance is important throughout their time in KS4, however it is imperative that holidays are not booked without clarification from the school as to when GCSE examinations are.

Champions' Hour runs every night after Period 7, from 4-5pm for Year 11 students in the Learning Café. It is an opportunity to complete homework, revision tasks or use the IT facilities. Staff are on hand to support and motivate students. Champions’ Hour is a really valued session by our Year 11 students as it gives them a chance to complete revision in a warm and collegiate environment with access to refreshments. We also reward students that attend through praise points, skip the lunch queue passes and shopping vouchers depending on the ambition and endeavour they have shown.

At SJH we encourage communication if you need clarification or reassurance about a students’ education. Form tutors are more than happy to help however they can, however if you would rather contact the school directly this can also be done through email or by phone.

Revision for our students is compulsory at Key Stage 4 and is set mainly on platforms such as Sparx Maths, Seneca for English and Sparx Science. Option subjects at Year 11 set revision using different methods. Revision completion as shown last year by our Year 11 students has a massive positive impact on outcomes, with students completing homework consistently achieved nearly half a grade more on average per subject than those that did not.

Though it might seem far off, it’s important to start thinking about futures beyond KS4. We ensure that your child receives guidance on the different options available to further their studies, whether it be sixth form or apprenticeships. Careers guidance is in place, explaining the qualifications and subjects your child might need for their next steps.

Work Experience is also another thing that is highly valued at Sir John Hunt, and something which you can find out more information on, on our website.