SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Swans aims to provide a broad and relevant international curriculum which will allow our students to develop their intellectual skills and make progress through school and university and to achieve to their full potential.

The curriculum broadly follows the UK National Curriculum up to Year 11, while students entering our Sixth Form (Year 12 and 13) follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. In addition, Spanish students and native Spanish speakers have the opportunity to follow relevant areas of the compulsory Spanish curriculum (Educación Primaria – ‘EP’ - and Educación Segundaria Obligatorio – ‘ESO’).

The following is a broad summary of the curriculum we offer

Years 7, 8 and 9 (‘Key Stage 3’)

All Swans students in Years 7, 8 and 9 (known as Key Stage 3 under the UK National Curriculum) study the five core academic subjects set out below, as well as Drama (in combination with English), Music, French and Physical Education:

Core Subjects:

English
Maths
Science
Spanish (EP, ESO or Second Language Spanish)
ICT

First-language Spanish students in Year 7 follow the Spanish EP programme, which comprises Lengua and Conocimento del Medio; in Years 8 and 9, these students follow the Spanish ESO programme, which comprises Lengua and Sociales. Students not following the EP or ESO programmes have separately timetabled lessons in Geography and History.

Years 10 and 11 (‘Key Stage 4’)

At the end of Year 11 (and earlier, for certain subjects) all students sit I/GCSE (International/General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams. These are public exams set by independent examination boards in the UK. Therefore, before starting Year 10, all students must select the I/GCSE subjects they plan to study in Key Stage 4.

In Key Stage 4, all students are required to study the five core subjects as follows:

English: Most students will study for I/GCSEs in First Language English and English Literature

Spanish: Students follow either the ESO programme (comprising Lengua, Literatura and Sociales) or Second Language Spanish. All students take I/GCSEs in either First or Second Language Spanish; in addition, some students may also take an I/GCSE in Spanish Literature

Maths: Students generally study Maths at either Foundation or Higher level

Science: Students normally follow the so-called ‘double award’ combining Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

ICT: A single examination combining both theory and practical elements.

In addition, students select either two (in the case of ESO students) or three (non-ESO students) further I/GCSE options from a range which currently includes French, Business Studies, Drama, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education

Details of the available I/GCSE subject options are communicated to parents and students during the Spring Term of Year 9. At that time, students and parents are provided with an options booklet which details the different subject choices available and the selection procedure.

Years 12 and 13 (‘Sixth Form’)

Swans is an IB World School and offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to all students in the Sixth Form. The Diploma Programme requires students to select and study six subjects from a range of disciplines, including first and second languages, sciences, humanities, maths and the arts. Students must also follow core studies in Theory of Knowledge and CAS (creativity, action and service) and complete an extended essay on a chosen topic.

The Diploma Programme is highly-regarded among many of the world’s universities and is an excellent platform for post-18 study. However, owing to the academically rigorous nature of the Diploma Programme, entry to the sixth form at Swans is subject to students achieving at least six passes (Grades A* to C) at I/GCSE, including English and Maths.

During Years 10 and 11, parents are invited to attend presentations which provide an introduction to the Diploma Programme and review the options available to their children. During the Spring Term of Year 11, students and parents are required to inform the School whether they plan to continue into the Sixth Form after completing their I/GCSEs and to provide a preliminary indication of the subjects they would like to study.

At present, Swans offers the following IB subjects:

Block 1	Block 2	Block 3	Block 4	Block 5	Block 6
English A1	English B	Business & Management	Biology	Mathematics	Art
Spanish A1	Spanish B	History	Physics	Maths Studies	Chemistry
		ITGS*		Economics	French B