Yes! Each expedition is mapped to National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 in Years 7-9 and GCSE standards in Years 10 and 11
Students at XP Schools study these standards through cross-curricular learning expeditions that typically last around 12 weeks. We appoint teachers that can teach across more than discipline to enable this. Expeditions can combine all subjects together, or sometimes there might be a HUMAN and a STEAM expedition happening at the same time. At GCSE there can be expeditions for a single GCSE subject.
Expeditions are centred around a guiding question which provokes thought about a range of disciplines. Each expedition starts with an immersion which builds background knowledge. There are then a number of case studies that look at different people, places, periods or concepts. Students work with their teachers and in addition alongside experts in the community to carry out purposeful fieldwork. Expeditions then culminate with students producing purposeful products that have an audience beyond the classroom and impact upon their community.
For example year 7 students studied an expedition called From the Ground Up with the guiding question “What do the communities of North East England owe to the miners?” creating a local history book which is now on sale at Seven Stories.
Our Key Stage 4 Offer
Our core offer at Key Stage, studied by all students, is:
- GCSE Maths
- GCSE Statistics
- GCSE English Language
- GCSE English Literature
- GCSE Dual award Science
- GCSE History
- GCSE Art and design (with a choice of fine art or photography pathways)
- A Communication strand (one from):
- GCSE Spanish
- Level 2 Interactive Media
- Additional support for English and Maths
- A ‘leading our own learning’ strand – an option block with smaller groups with expert teachers (one from):
- GCSE Geography
- GCSE Religious Studies
- Level 2 Health and Social Care
- Level 2 Sports
- Additional support for English and Maths
