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- Drama Clubs
Unleash your creativity with our Drama Club! It’s a space where you can explore acting, scriptwriting, and stage production. Drama Clubs Go Go Beyond the Classroom Clubs | Wraparound | Holiday Clubs Community Lettings Drama Clubs Internal / External Internal Age Range Year 7 Contact See EduLink for further details Unleash your creativity at our Drama Clubs! It’s a space where you can explore acting, scriptwriting, and stage production. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just curious, join us to build confidence, make friends, and bring stories to life. There are a variety of drama clubs on offer, see EduLink for further details. Drama Club for Year 7 Drama Sharing Events for Year 9-11 Production Rehearsals for Years 7-9 Go Wraparound | Clubs | Holiday Clubs Go
- Contact
Reach out to The Westgate School in Winchester for inquiries, visits, and more information about our outstanding educational offerings. Contact Contact The Westgate School, Cheriton Road, Winchester, SO22 5AZ | 01962 854757 Safeguarding Information Contact Form - Full Screen Opening Hours: The school office is open to visitors from 8.20am until 4.00pm. Contractors/Deliveries outside these hours, please contact the Site Team on 07546 003657 Reporting Absences: Please use EduLink to report pupil absences. For all other urgent enquiries, please call our main reception between 9.00am - 3.30pm. The receptionist will, if possible, put you through to the relevant person or log your call and pass it on. Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes. Correspondence: We endeavour to respond to emails within three school working days from receipt. This is because the matter may need investigation or indeed, because colleagues are engaged in teaching/working with pupils. Any requests for meetings will be co-ordinated by the School. Unfortunately, owing to the need to co-ordinate diaries when colleagues are teaching, electronic meeting invites from parents cannot be accepted. Please use the usual contact routes to request a meeting. We appreciate your understanding and partnership. Contact the right person: For parents of secondary phase pupils, your main contact will be your child's Tutor and then Year Leaders for more serious or pastoral matters. For parents of primary phase pupils, your main contact will be your child's class teacher. Executive Headteacher: Mrs Dean Head of School: Mrs Edwards Chair of Governors: Mrs Catchpole Data Protection Officer: Mr Pay Careers Enquiries: Mr Hurley Safeguarding Information: If your concern pertains to a matter of child safety, please do not hesitate to call the School Office (01962 854757) and ask to speak to: Your child’s Year Leader (Secondary Phase) Primary Phase: Mrs Edwards Mr Pearce, Deputy Headteacher, Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Fyvie-Rae, Associate Senior Leader, Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Evans, Deputy Headteacher, Senior DSL All-Through Further details are available on our Safeguarding Page Alternatively, please send an email using 'CHILD SAFETY' as the title to safeguarding@westgate.hants.sch.uk Please note this account is monitored during school open hours, term time only. If you have a concern about child safety out of hours and term time contact Children’s Services on 0300 555 1384 or the Police on 101 (non emergency) or 999 (emergency) Further details on reporting child abuse can be found here Hampshire County Council: Reporting Child Abuse For Pupils Emails are not monitored during the holidays so adults in school will not receive your email. If you are in immediate need of support, then you should tell an adult you trust. You can also call a service such as Childline 0800 1111; Samaritans 116123; Kooth - Home - Kooth ; Police 101 or in an emergency dial 999. SEN Information: If your child has a Special Educational Need and you would like to discuss this with our SENCO. Please use our contact form on this page using the option SEND marked for the attention of Mrs A. Villien. Information on SEN provision can be found in the SEN Report within the statutory Information page Community lettings / Facilities Hire Explore facility hire at The Westgate School. Ideal for events, sports, and meetings with modern amenities. Flexible scheduling and competitive rates. More details can be found on our Community Lettings page. Book now! Home Our School Headteacher's Welcome Ofsted Safeguarding Statutory Information | SEND Policies Admissions Governance Pupil Premium | Catch-up Statement Exam Results Vacancies School News House System Calendar & Open Events Collaborative Working & Partnerships Contact
- Art Club
Join the art club where everyone is passionate about art. Create and discuss all things art and make new friends along the way. Art Club Go Go Beyond the Classroom Clubs | Wraparound | Holiday Clubs Community Lettings Art Club Internal / External Internal Age Range Year 7 - 8 Contact See EduLink for further details Unleash your creativity and explore the vibrant world of art with The Westgate School secondary phase art clubs! Whether you’re a budding artist or an experienced creator, our clubs offer a welcoming space for all skill levels. Here’s why you should join: Diverse Artistic Opportunities : From painting and drawing to sculpture and digital art, our clubs cover a wide range of artistic disciplines. There’s something for everyone! Expert Guidance : Learn from experienced instructors and guest artists who provide valuable insights and techniques to help you grow as an artist. Collaborative Environment : Connect with fellow art enthusiasts, share ideas, and collaborate on exciting projects. Our clubs foster a supportive and inspiring community. Exhibitions and Events : Showcase your work in our regular exhibitions and participate in art events that celebrate creativity and talent. Creative Freedom : Express yourself freely and explore new styles and mediums in a judgement-free zone. Our clubs encourage experimentation and innovation. Join the School Art Clubs today and embark on a creative journey that will enrich your artistic skills and connect you with a passionate community of artists. Let’s create something amazing together! Go Wraparound | Clubs | Holiday Clubs Go
- Army Cadet Detachment
The Westgate School Army Cadet Detachment launches in September 2026, offering weekly training, leadership skills, confidence building and weekend camps. Army Cadet Detachment From September 2026, The Westgate School will be opening its own Army Cadet Detachment. This will operate as an after-school club every Wednesday, offering pupils an exciting opportunity to develop new skills, build confidence, and take part in a nationally recognised youth programme. As part of the detachment, cadets will also have the chance to attend regular weekend camps throughout the year. These will be run in partnership with other detachments from our Company (Minden) and with additional Companies across the South of England, giving our pupils the opportunity to form friendships, develop teamwork, and experience a wide range of outdoor and adventurous activities. If you are part of our school and are interested in joining the our cadet detachment please click on the link here to take you to the ACF page, add your postcode and submit an expression of interest. Home Parents & Pupils School Teaching Hours Exam Information Edulink PSA Pupil Portal School Uniform Authorised Absence Request Medicines & Treatment Consent Form Senior School Council Parent Information Army Cadet Detachment
- Authorised Absence Request
Find guidance for submitting an authorised absence request at The Westgate School, including how to apply, what qualifies, and key information for parents. Authorised Absence Request Authorised Absence Request Children have 13 weeks annual holiday from school and school holiday dates are published well in advance online. As such, all parents/carers are expected wherever possible to plan and take their family holidays at this time so as not to disrupt their children’s education. Education law states that parents do not have a right to take their child out of school for a holiday during term time. Only in exceptional circumstances may a headteacher grant permission for leave; and it is the headteacher’s decision on whether the absence is exceptional and how many days to approve. If you would like to apply for an authorised absence, please browse to the contact form via this link and select 'authorised absence request' where you will be able to complete an online request form. Parents/carers who take their child out of school without the absence being agreed and authorised by written permission from the school can be issued with a penalty fine. Information on Penalty Notices for non-attendance at school Home Parents & Pupils School Teaching Hours Exam Information Edulink PSA Pupil Portal School Uniform Authorised Absence Request Medicines & Treatment Consent Form Senior School Council Parent Information Army Cadet Detachment
- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Club
Join Westgate's Sci-Fi & Fantasy Club to explore new worlds, share interests, and have fun. Open to all secondary pupils. Sci-Fi & Fantasy Club Go Go Beyond the Classroom Clubs | Wraparound | Holiday Clubs Community Lettings Sci-Fi & Fantasy Club Internal / External Internal Age Range Year 7 - 11 Contact See EduLink for further details A club for all lovers of Sci-Fi and / or Fantasy games, books, films and TV shows. We meet twice a week every Monday and Friday - See EduLink for details We play table, board and card games. We present and share our favourite books, films and shows. We watch age-appropriate movies and TV. Go Wraparound | Clubs | Holiday Clubs Go
- SENDCo Network | The Westgate School
Connect with peers in our SENDCo Network for guidance and best practice in SEND provision. SENDCo Network Go Go SENDCo Network Lead Professional: Mrs. K Evans (Deputy Headteacher) Our SENDCo network bring together Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinators to collaborate on inclusive practices and provision. These networks enable professionals to share strategies, discuss anonymised case studies, and stay updated on policy developments, ensuring that pupils with additional needs receive tailored support to the best of our abilities and resources. By fostering collaboration, our SENDCo network reduces isolation and promotes professional learning and resilience across schools. We also take the opportunity to invite external specialists to inform our practice, according to the needs and interests of the group. For more information, use the contact form: Contact and sele ct Collaborative Working & Partnerships citing SEND. Go Collaborative Working & partnerships Next page Home Our School Headteacher's Welcome Ofsted Safeguarding Statutory Information | SEND Policies Admissions Governance Pupil Premium | Catch-up Statement Exam Results Vacancies School News House System Calendar & Open Events Collaborative Working & Partnerships Contact
- Subject Specialist Curriculum Support Year R to 11 | The Westgate School
Access expert subject specialist curriculum support to enhance teaching and learning. Subject Specialist Curriculum Support Year R to 11 Go Go Subject Specialist Curriculum Support Year R to 11 Lead Professionals: Mr. P Hurley; Mr. D Barton and Mr. J Green Our expert team of Subject Leaders and Co-ordinators work across all phases of our school to ensure a coherent curriculum with golden threads running across all five key stages. They are uniquely placed to understand a learner's journey all-through and would be happy to liaise and support colleagues beyond our setting. If you would like to join our programme of curriculum development, please use the contact form: Contact and sele ct Collaborative Working & Partnerships citing Curriculum . Go Collaborative Working & partnerships Next page Home Our School Headteacher's Welcome Ofsted Safeguarding Statutory Information | SEND Policies Admissions Governance Pupil Premium | Catch-up Statement Exam Results Vacancies School News House System Calendar & Open Events Collaborative Working & Partnerships Contact
- Emergency First Aider in the Workplace | The Westgate School
Gain essential skills with our Emergency First Aider course for workplace safety and compliance. Emergency First Aider in the Workplace Go Go Emergency First Aider in the Workplace Lead Professional: Mr. P Hurley (Assistant Headteacher) This first aid training course covers a range of basic lifesaving first aid skills and techniques, designed to ensure you have a comprehensive knowledge base in this area. Successful candidates will become formally qualified emergency first aiders and receive the nationally recognised Emergency First Aid at Work certificate which is valid for 3 years. On successful completion, the learner will be recognised as an Emergency First Aider in the Workplace and will be able to: Choking : Administer first aid to a casualty who is choking. CPR & AED : Administer CPR, including the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). Initial Assessment : Assess the situation and circumstances to act safely, promptly, and effectively in an emergency. Minor Injuries : Provide appropriate first aid for minor injuries, including small cuts, grazes, bruises, minor burns (including electrical), scalds, and splinters. Role of the Emergency First Aider : Understand the role of the first aider, including reference to gaining consent, preventing cross-infection, recording incidents and actions, and using available equipment. Shock : Administer first aid to a casualty who is suffering from shock. Unresponsive Casualty : Administer first aid to a casualty who is unresponsive, including seizures. Wounds & Bleeding : Administer first aid to a casualty who is wounded or bleeding For more information, use the contact form: Contact and sele ct Collaborative Working & Partnerships citing Emergency First Aider . Go Collaborative Working & partnerships Next page Home Our School Headteacher's Welcome Ofsted Safeguarding Statutory Information | SEND Policies Admissions Governance Pupil Premium | Catch-up Statement Exam Results Vacancies School News House System Calendar & Open Events Collaborative Working & Partnerships Contact
- Badminton Club
Join The Westgate School Badminton club! All skill levels welcome for fun, fitness, and friendly competition. Serve, rally, and smash your way to new skills! Badminton Club Go Go Beyond the Classroom Clubs | Wraparound | Holiday Clubs Community Lettings Badminton Club Internal / External Internal Age Range Year 7 - 11 Contact See EduLink for further details Serve up some fun by joining The Westgate School Badminton Club! It's a smashing opportunity to learn the game, improve your skills, and enjoy friendly competition. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, our club welcomes all levels. Come rally with us and be part of a team that values sportsmanship and camaraderie. Let's hit the court together! Go Wraparound | Clubs | Holiday Clubs Go
- English
English Read like a writer; write like a reader; question like a critic; think like an individual Go Go Our English Curriculum intends to: Instil in pupils a passion for literature and a life-long love of reading. Teach pupils to become critical, analytical and evaluative readers of fiction and non-fiction. Enable pupils to craft language so that they become convincing writers, able to adapt their writing for different audiences and purposes. Ensure that pupils are effective communicators in spoken English. Why learn English? English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. Our English course will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and, through their listening and reading, others can communicate with them. With reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Literature plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society: pupils who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised. The curriculum is taught as an integrated course combining the study of language and literature, which continues in Years 9 -11. Our vision is that from Reception Year onwards, all pupils develop a passion and enthusiasm for English through exploring and appreciating a range of texts, both literary and non-fiction, and learn how to craft language to suit a range of audiences and purposes. The English curriculum is taught as an integrated course. However, pupils will be entered for GCSE English Language and Literature as two discrete qualifications. EYFS | KS1 Content KS2 Content Year 7 & 8 Content Year 9 Content Year 10 & 11 Content Writing For EYFS/Key Stage 1 ‘Read like a writer; write like a reader; question like a critic; think like an individual’ begins with our youngest children, joining us in Reception. Writing begins with meaningful mark making, such as first attempts to write a shopping list, to writing their name. As they settle into Reception, children learn correct letter formation following ‘Letter join’ sequenced resources and are encouraged to write purposefully and clearly to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings. Following a rich and diverse text driven curriculum, children are inspired to write and enjoy opportunities for planning, drafting and reviewing. Oracy is a vital part of our Early Years Curriculum, and our children develop confident skills to become assured and articulate speakers. Through circle times and sharing their interests in key person groupings all children are supported to practise and develop formal and informal speaking skills. Children are also taught to understand the benefits of being sensitive, observant and attentive listeners. During Year 1 our carefully planned foundations of learning from EYFS are strengthened and refined. Handwriting skills develop and children are taught to progress letter formation into the beginnings of a cursive script. Children are taught a wide variety of writing skills such as: the art of letter writing, recount and instructional writing. ‘Talk for writing’ creates exciting narratives and figurative poetry. During Year 2 children begin to write more cohesively using a wider range of conjunctions and are expected to write with a greater stamina. Our text driven curriculum is thoughtfully planned to ensure children continue to develop a rich and varied vocabulary and understand that texts are set out in different ways for different purposes. Oracy skills are built upon, and children feel confident challenging each other and putting forward their point of view whilst accepting that others may think differently. Throughout KS1 and in reception, learning is assessed formatively using ‘pink for praise’ and ‘green for growth’ highlighters. Children are clear and confident to articulate what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their writing. Children are also taught how to begin to edit their own writing. Phonics and Reading Schemes For Key Stage 1 Children learn phonics through the carefully structured systematic synthetic Bug Club programme, then learn to transcribe phonic sounds into the early writing process of graphemes, words and sentences. Vocabulary development is a vital part of the curriculum, and we use the ‘Drawing Club’ model, in which children ‘share a treasure trove of vocabulary’ enriching language skills and encourage creativity and imagination. ‘Westgate Word Walls’ support children in every classroom from Reception to Year 6. Phonics is an important part of the curriculum and in the June of Year 1, children will take part in the National phonics screening check and the application of phonics to reading. Children progress through phase 5 and phase 6 phonics into Year 1 Bug Club Spelling and Grammar. Writing is centred around a diverse and exciting text-based curriculum. Fiction and non-fiction texts are chosen carefully to ensure enjoyment, humour, literary challenge and vocabulary development. Books are beautiful and we ensure all texts chosen are full of inspiring illustrations and captivating content! The end of this Key stage enables children to write more independently. Children re-visit phase 5 and 6 phonics and then progress onto Year 2 Bug Club Spelling and Grammar. The spelling and grammar curriculum during this year is challenging and children are supported to understand and apply a wide variety of spelling rules and grammar that will enhance their writing. Children will become more confident with new terminology and are able to develop their writing for a wider range of purposes and audiences. Writing in Key Stage 2 Children continue to follow the ‘Letter join’ handwriting programme and handwriting is expected to develop during this Key Stage to form a neat cursive script. Children progress from KS1 spelling and grammar skills following Bug Club spelling and grammar into KS2 resources. Consistent and accurate teaching ensures children’s writing develops with an authorial voice and a mature understanding of sentence structure and its effect on the reader. Stamina increases throughout KS2 and children create cohesive paragraphs in narratives and non-narrative material, whilst maintaining quality. Children are encouraged to read and check their writing for sense, editing for improvement is taught alongside audience awareness. There is a greater level of independence to select and propose changes for appropriate grammar and vocabulary and children are taught to use effective organisational and presentational devices. Challenging texts continue to be chosen carefully to ensure rich vocabulary development and an understanding of how authors write for effect. Writing outcomes are planned carefully using high quality texts to ensure that writing is effective and emotive and covering a range of genres. Older children often support younger children and listen carefully to each other’s ‘masterpieces’. Throughout KS2 writing continues to be assessed formatively using ‘pink for praise’ and ‘green for growth’. Children are clear, confident creative writers and can articulate what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their writing. Year 6 is the final Year of KS2 and we ensure a smooth and supportive transition from KS2 into the beginning of KS3. As part of our middle school model, colleagues from both phases, Primary and Secondary, deliver teaching and learning in our ‘all through’ school. Upper KS2 texts are chosen carefully in consideration of the KS3 English Curriculum and children are well prepared for this next stage of their educational journey. Phonics and Reading in Key Stage 2 Phonics is taught systematically, beginning in reception, using ‘Bug Club’ resources and planning. Whole-class teaching of phonics is supported by additional group and individual provision where required. Daily assessments ensure that children have understood, can remember and can apply their phonics. Teachers are highly skilled confident practitioners: misconceptions are picked up immediately and children make outstanding progress. Common exception words (CEWs) are introduced from the start of Reception. There are a set list of words for each Year group. (please see attachments below) These ‘tricky’ words although taught at school will need to be reinforced at home and children will need to be able to read and spell these words set words correctly, by the end of each Year. Reading Fluency Children follow the Bug Club Reading scheme and after the first half term they are matched to decodable books in order to develop reading fluency. From reception through KS1 children enjoy progressing through these books alongside the phonic sounds taught. In addition to the decodable books, children are allocated a ‘banded book’ that is not fully decodable but is at the correct level for your child. Parents and children are able to access the allocated decodable books on via the ‘e book’ platform on Bug Club. We use a combination of precisely targeted ‘ebooks’ to develop reading fluency and physical books to support all children on their reading for pleasure journey. Children read 1:1 with the class teacher and the Learning Support Assistant in reception. All reading (from Reception to year 6) at home and at school is recorded into a ‘reading record’. Vocabulary development is supported by ‘Drawing Club’ in reception based on a wide variety of rich texts children explore and develop vocabulary through the medium of illustration. Vocabulary is then used in context during the week and children are encouraged to use their vocabulary at home. Children begin guided reading in Year 1 and as confidence in reading fluency improves, children are introduced to reading comprehension skills. Exposure to stories, animated tales and traditional tales is valued highly. Every class will share a story after lunch through our “Westgate Story time” and through Drawing Club. Comprehension Reading and writing are intrinsically linked and from Reception through KS1 children are taught to discuss and sequence a narrative text. This is vital as it supports the ability to recall, retrieve and sequence reading. During KS1 children enjoy ‘book talk’ sessions where carefully chosen texts are used to stimulate rich class discussions, answer age appropriate comprehension questions and discover new vocabulary. Additionally, Guided Reading in small groups ensures children have the opportunity to read and discuss responses orally and in writing to comprehension questions based on: vocabulary, inference, predication, explanation, retrieval and summary. As children move into KS2, children complete ‘reading skill builders’ into reading journals alongside whole class reading. Children are encouraged to be creative and add illustrations and to take pride in their individual Reading Builders. Small group guided reading sessions continue through KS2 with the class teacher, where carefully selected questions for each age group are discussed and debated and cover each reading skill. Primary phase children enjoy support from Secondary Phase pupils and Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh pupils read and discuss: poetry, plays, fiction, and non-fiction with all year groups once a week. Children leave KS2 continuing confidently into their journey of ‘Read like a writer; write like a reader; question like a critic; think like an individual’ Overview of the Course: From the start of Year 7, all pupils are introduced to our core skills – the golden threads - so they are fully embedded by the time the pupils reach KS4. These key skills are taught through a study of novels, plays, poetry and non-fiction or media-based texts. Co urse Content: Year 7 Year 7 pupils begin the year with the ‘Heroes’ unit which is designed to develop a range of pupils’ inference as well as introduce the skills of analysis and comparison. Writing will involve crafting a persuasive speech to be delivered to the class. Subsequent units include the study of a modern novel; poetry of peace and protest; a creative travel writing unit; a media unit on representation and stereotypes and a Shakespeare play. Year 8 Year 8 has been designed to build on the skills that have been introduced in Year 7. The year begins with a unit on Gothic Literature where pupils analyse 19th century fiction and write an opening to their own Gothic novel. By the end of the year, all pupils will have also studied a dystopian novel to develop creative writing skills; a media-based unit on advertising; a Shakespeare play; poems from other cultures and developed reading skills to explore what life was like in the nineteenth century. The course is planned to provide a range of cultural experiences to widen pupils’ horizons and develop a passion for reading and the study of literature which we hope will stay with them throughout their life. Pupils are encouraged to transfer the reading and writing skills to other curriculum areas and these links are often made explicit in lessons. Course Skills: Reading: skimming, scanning and decoding skills, comprehension and inference, analysis of language and the structure of a text, and evaluation skills are introduced and consolidated over the two years. Writing: both creative and analytical writing skills are taught together with a focus on structure of the text, use of language devices, improving vocabulary and technical accuracy. Spoken language skills are practised through speeches and drama-based activities and debating and other structured talk. Assessment: Pupils will be assessed in every unit and each assessment will focus on a different skill for either reading or writing. All pupils will be fully prepared for the assessments and will practise the skills needed during lessons. The assessments will focus on key skills to provide a strong foundation for all pupils in improving their literacy, analysis or communication skills. To support your child’s learning in English and Media Studies clips will be shown from films such as: 'War Horse' and 'Romeo and Juliet' (Year 7); 'Macbeth' (Year 9); These clips and/or films will be shown in lessons according to our curriculum plans. In alignment with British Board of Film Classification regulations, pupils may be shown clips from films that are slightly above their chronological age (e.g., a film classified as a 12 for pupils in Year 7) where a teacher deems it appropriate for educational reasons. In doing so, adults will ensure that it is appropriate for the learning task and for the children in the class and if there are any scenes that could be upsetting, will advise pupils in advance. If you have any concerns and would like to discuss this in more detail, please do contact Mrs. Griffiths, Faculty Leader for English and MFL, as soon as possible such that we can adjust our plans, and we will be happy to work in partnership with you. English Language and Literature in Year 9 Overview of the Course: Pupils will develop their skills as critical readers of fiction and non-fiction texts and also become writers, adept at crafting language to suit a range of audiences and purposes. They will also become confident speakers able to express their opinion on a range of challenging ideas. Course Content: English language skills are taught in an integrated way, complementing and supporting the English Literature course. Pupils will read a choice of modern fiction, a Shakespeare text, poetry, a range of non-fiction texts including speeches, adverts and autobiographical journals. More confident learners will study Latin as part of their English Curriculum. The addition of Latin provides further enrichment and enhances learners’ understanding of language development, with a view to taking the language onto GCSE if they choose to. Other curriculum opportunities such as participating in a Shakespeare workshop, viewing a production or analysing speeches by famous historical figures and politicians broadens pupils’ cultural experiences further. Course Skills: Reading skills of inference, analysis and evaluation. Writing to persuade and argue and develop a distinctive voice. Writing creative texts including stories and descriptions. Spoken language presentation skills. English Language GCSE and English Literature GCSE The English curriculum is taught as an integrated course. However, pupils will be entered for GCSE English Language and Literature as two discrete qualifications and pupils will be entered for both GCSEs. English Language GCSE: Pupils follow the AQA course for GCSE English Language. Pupils will build on the skills of reading and writing they have been developing throughout their time at The Westgate School, but now it will be much more tailored to the demands of the exam. Pupils will continue to develop as critical readers with a focus on the skills of inference, analysis and evaluation and comparison. They will read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, both contemporary and from the nineteenth century. Assessment: The English Language GCSE is assessed through two linear exams, both worth 50% of the course: Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing Paper 2 Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives Pupils are given practice GCSE assessments at the end of each unit. English Literature GCSE: Pupils follow the AQA course for GCSE English Literature. They will read a nineteenth century novel, either: ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert L Stevenson, ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens, or ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley. They will also study a modern text: either ‘Lord of the Flies’ or ‘An Inspector Calls’ and a range of pre and post 1914 poetry on the theme of Power and Conflict, and ‘Macbeth’. Please note: texts are subject to change according to exam board review. Assessment: The English Literature GCSE is assessed through two linear exams: ‘Shakespeare and the Nineteenth Century text’ worth 40%. ‘Poetry and Modern Texts’ worth 60% of the course. Pupils are given practice GCSE assessments at the end of each unit. Home Learning: Pupils are expected to complete Home Learning every week. Usually this should take one hour. Home Learning will be set as a variety of tasks including reading tasks in preparation for the lesson, language analysis, and the completion of written tasks. Exam Board AQA 8700 - English Language Exam Board AQA 8702 - English Literature Our Curriculum Curriculum Intent Options Careers Employers Curriculum Subjects Art | Fine Art Computing | Computer Science English Design Technology Drama Food Preparation & Nutrition French Geography German History Latin Maths Media Studies Music Personal Development Photography Physical Education Religious Education Science Sculpture Spanish The Wellbeing Curriculum
- Spanish
Spanish Becoming an active communicator in the world's global village Go Go Our Spanish curriculum intends to: Broaden pupils' horizons by developing a passion for languages and cultures and recognise the additional career opportunities open to people who speak an additional language. Ensure that every pupil is encouraged and supported to study a language for GCSE. Encourage a growth mind-set in pupils to learning a new language and develop the confidence to communicate. Overview of the Course: The learning of a language encourages respect for other people; it fosters an understanding of the interrelation of language and human nature. Studying any foreign language will broaden minds and give pupils a better insight into the world around us. It will encourage empathy as an individual. It demonstrates openness to society and an ability to communicate with others on all levels. The learning of a language supports an appreciation of cultural diversity. Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education will foster pupils' curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. This enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It also provides opportunities for the pupils to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. Pupils will continue to study the language they have learnt at The Westgate School since Year 7. Some pupils choose to continue with a second language. German will also be offered as a GCSE starting in Year 9 (dependant on pupil numbers). Several trips run throughout the year to complement the learning of languages and broaden pupils' cultural experiences. EYFS | KS1 Content KS2 Content Year 7 & 8 Content Year 9 Content Year 10 & 11 Content Spanish is planned around the half-termly topics, the curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to learn subject-specific knowledge and understanding, explore links across subject areas and practise their writing. We deliver discrete short sessions of our target language with pupils from Year 3 building up the time and duration as they become increasingly confident in the vocabulary and tenses. We will focus on providing an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at Key Stage 3. It will enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, focused on familiar and routine matters, using their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary. The focus of our study in Spanish will be on practical communication. Pupils wil be taught to: listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English. Spanish is planned around the half-termly topics, the curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to learn subject-specific knowledge and understanding, explore links across subject areas and practise their writing. We deliver discrete short sessions of our target language with pupils from Year 3 building up the time and duration as they become increasingly confident in the vocabulary and tenses. We will focus on providing an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at Key Stage 3. It will enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, focused on familiar and routine matters, using their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary. The focus of our study in Spanish will be on practical communication. Pupils wil be taught to: listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English. Overview: Key stage 3 curriculum is organised in engaging termly topics though which the key skills are taught. Pupils in every class will be encouraged to verbally express themselves through a range of structured talk opportunities, as well as developing close and active listening skills. Both the reading and writing skills are explicitly taught so that the pupils can develop their confidence throughout the two years. Course Content: Year 7 focuses on developing the skills needed to become an active language learner; pupils will choose to study French or Spanish. In the Autumn Term, the unit: ‘This is Me’ teaches the pupils the skills for them to become confident at learning a language by encouraging pupils to speak almost immediately. The Spring term, using the world of comic books, encourages the pupils to give opinions and talk about themselves; Picasso and Dali stimulate descriptive language in the Summer term. Year 8 builds and develops the skills from Year 7. Most pupils will continue to study the language they chose in Year 7. Confident linguists may also choose to study French/Spanish in Year 8 as a second language; we will offer these depending on sufficient interest. (German is on offer to start at GCSE in Year 9 dependent on uptake.) Places and buildings are used to introduce the pupils to the future tense, through a topic on future towns and the past tense is introduced in the Spring Term when the pupils focus on castles and jousting! The Summer Term helps build on the pupils’ cultural capital, as well as their language skills, with a focus on celebrations: festivals and traditions. Many of the topics - and especially the trips organised to complement the curriculum - are designed to broaden pupils’ cultural experiences. Course Skills: Listening and Speaking: First pupils interact with their target language by developing active listening skills and the confidence of speaking a new language and communicating with each other. Reading : pupils’ skills are built up by activities involving word recognition and very quickly they develop the skills needed to decode meaning in more challenging texts. Writing : using sentence starters, vocabulary booklets and active learning strategies, pupils begin to construct meaning and manipulate language to express themselves and communicate in writing Assessment: Throughout both years the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing are assessed. The pupils are fully prepared for these in lessons before their summative assessment. Pupils will continue to study the language they learnt in Year 7 and 8. We will use the opportunity of the teaching time in Year 9 to broaden pupils knowledghe and increase their depth of understadning. We will focus on the following topics to help us: Holidays and preferences School life, rules and trips Technology, reading and family relationships Free time, TV and film, entertainment GCSE Spanish We will consider 3 main themes: Identity and culture Local, national, international and global areas of interest Current and future study and employment Assessments GCSE Spanish has a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series. Paper 1: Listening - Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language Pupils are expected to be able to: demonstrate general and specific understanding of different types of spoken language follow and understand clear standard speech using familiar language across a range of specified contexts identify the overall message, key points, details and opinions in a variety of short and longer spoken passages, involving some more complex language, recognising the relationship between past, present and future events deduce meaning from a variety of short and longer spoken texts, involving some complex language and more abstract material, including short narratives and authentic material addressing a wide range of relevant contemporary and cultural themes recognise and respond to key information, important themes and ideas in more extended spoken text, including authentic sources, adapted and abridged, as appropriate, by being able to answer questions, extract information, evaluate and draw conclusions. Paper 2: Speaking - Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes Pupils are expected to be able to: communicate and interact effectively in speech for a variety of purposes across a range of specified contexts take part in a short conversation, asking and answering questions, and exchanging opinions convey information and narrate events coherently and confidently, using and adapting language for new purposes speak spontaneously, responding to unexpected questions, points of view or situations, sustaining communication by using rephrasing or repair strategies, as appropriate initiate and develop conversations and discussion, producing extended sequences of speech make appropriate and accurate use of a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures, including some more complex forms, with reference to past, present and future events make creative and more complex use of the language, as appropriate, to express and justify their own thoughts and points of view use accurate pronunciation and intonation such as to be understood by a native speaker. Paper 3: Reading - Understanding and responding to different types of written language Pupils are expected to be able to: understand and respond to different types of written language understand general and specific details within texts using high frequency familiar language across a range of contexts identify the overall message, key points, details and opinions in a variety of short and longer written passages, involving some more complex language, recognising the relationship between past, present and future events deduce meaning from a variety of short and longer written texts from a range of specified contexts, including authentic sources involving some complex language and unfamiliar material, as well as short narratives and authentic material addressing a wide range of relevant contemporary and cultural themes recognise and respond to key information, important themes and ideas in more extended written text and authentic sources, including some extracts from relevant abridged or adapted literary texts demonstrate understanding by being able to scan for particular information, organise and present relevant details, draw inferences in context and recognise implicit meaning where appropriate translate a short passage from Spanish into English. Paper 4: Writing - Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes Pupils are expected to be able to: communicate effectively in writing for a variety of purposes across a range of specified contexts write short texts, using simple sentences and familiar language accurately to convey meaning and exchange information produce clear and coherent text of extended length to present facts and express ideas and opinions appropriately for different purposes and in different settings make accurate use of a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures, including some more complex forms, to describe and narrate with reference to past, present and future events manipulate the language, using and adapting a variety of structures and vocabulary with increasing accuracy and fluency for new purposes, including using appropriate style and register make independent, creative and more complex use of the language, as appropriate, to note down key points, express and justify individual thoughts and points of view, in order to interest, inform or convince translate sentences and short texts from English into Spanish to convey key messages accurately and to apply grammatical knowledge of language and structures in context. Home Learning: Online resources Memrise and Quizlet are often used to support the learning of vocabulary. Pupils are asked to learn vocabulary in readiness for lessons the following week. It is helpful to taken the “little and often” approach to learning vocabulary; therefore five – ten minutes each day provides optimum learning. Pupils will also be asked to improve written work based on feedback given by the teacher. Exam Board: AQA –8698 Our Curriculum Curriculum Intent Options Careers Employers Curriculum Subjects Art | Fine Art Computing | Computer Science English Design Technology Drama Food Preparation & Nutrition French Geography German History Latin Maths Media Studies Music Personal Development Photography Physical Education Religious Education Science Sculpture Spanish The Wellbeing Curriculum











