St Ivo's broad and balanced curriculum provides all students with a wide range of both challenging and rewarding learning experiences.
Our students come to us from five main junior/primary schools in this area, with additional numbers coming to us regularly from further afield. This intake provides a good mix of student ability and aspiration, and we seek to secure a positive working relationship with our cluster of local schools in order to achieve the necessary continuity between phases.
Each student is allocated to a tutor group on entering the school. These groups are carefully put together to ensure that each group is balanced in gender and ability. A student's form tutor is the first point of contact between home and school if any concerns arise.
We recognise that some of our students have a high ability in a range of different areas. Whilst this may be subject specific, showing academic giftedness, others may show a particular social skill, or talent in areas such as music, sport or dance. We encourage students to excel, both through the teaching we offer and extra curricular opportunities.
Student Support offers a wide range of services. This includes extra literacy and numeracy support at Key Stage 3, and in Year 9 a small group follow the Foundation Learning Pathways which progress to Key Stage 4 as appropriate.
Key Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9
All students follow a broad balanced curriculum, with a typical Year 7 timetable as shown below. All lessons are one hour long and we operate a two week timetable.
|Tutor period & assembly|
|Tutor period & assembly|
In Year 8 and Year 9 there are slight variations on the allocation of time given to each subject.
In Years 7 and 8, students are taught for most subjects in mixed ability groups. Students are put into ability groups for Maths in Year 7 and for languages and science at the beginning of Year 8. Technology is taught in smaller mixed-ability groups for healthy and safety.
Key Stage 4 - Years 10 and 11
All students take English, Maths, Science, Learning4Life, Computing and PE. Students choose four further options from a wide choice; students are guided to choose from different areas (including a language, history or geography) so that they have a broad base for further/higher education choices. All subjects reflect an element of citizenship. For most students, this curriculum will result in their obtaining 9 or 10 GCSEs.
Details of the Key Stage 4 curriculum, are summarised in the Key Stage 4 prospectus, which can be accessed through the propspectus page.
In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11), students are grouped by ability for Maths, English and Science. Groupings for other subjects are largely dictated by option choices. Students remain in the same tutor groups as in Years 7 to 9.
Post 16 - the Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13)
The majority of St Ivo students return after GCSEs to the St Ivo Sixth Form. The school offers AS and A levels, Applied A levels and a range of Level 2 qualifications including BTEC and Cambridge Nationals. The Sixth Form prospectus can be accessed through the prospectus page.
Courses available include:
|Applied Art (double)||Applied Business||Art||Biology|
|Business Studies||Chemistry||Classical Civilisation||Computer Science|
|Dance||Drama & Theatre||Economics||English Literature|
|Film Studies||Food Science & Nutrition||French||Geography|
|German||Government & Politics||Graphic Communication||Health & Social Care|
|Maths (Further)||Media Studies||Music||Philosophy & Theology|
|Photography||Physical Education||Physics||Product Design|
|Psychology||Textiles||Vocational Sport (double)|
Level 2 courses include:
- Business Suite
- Health & Social Care
- Public Services
- Sports Development Programme
- Travel and Tourism
In addition, students follow a PSHE programme and participate in PE/games, community service and/or work placements.
Many students following vocational styled courses participate in a work-related activity or work placement related to the subject they are studying. A Level and Applied A Level students can undertake a work placement in which they develop a piece of research related to their A Level studies.
Other Curriculum Information
We recognise that some learners may take slightly longer to achieve the benchmark of 5 GCSEs at grade A-C. St Ivo school has therefore introduced a Foundation Learning Pathway (FLP) for these learners, which enables students to opt for all or some level 1 vocational subjects. A level 1 qualification is roughly equivalent to GCSE grade D-G and we run the following courses:
- BTEC Level 1 Certificates in cookery
- Level 1 ASDAN bronze/silver award
- Entry Level 3 motor vehicle studies (at Huntingdon Regional College)
These vocational subjects offer a valuable introduction to various career pathways, but also allow the students to develop important life and employability skills.
Learners are able to opt for a combination of FLP and traditional GCSE subjects, together with the English, maths and science. Alternatively, all of their options could come from the FLP, combined with English, maths and science.
Once students have completed year 11, they can progress to St Ivo sixth form, where they can study a range of Level 2 BTEC qualifications, including English, maths, public services, travel and tourism and business studies.
We recognise that some learners may take slightly longer to achieve the benchmark of level 4 in English and maths at the end of Key Stage 2. At St Ivo School, we feel that every child deserves the support and opportunity to make the best out of their school careers. 7Jump is for these learners, through a smaller and more individualised learning environment it gives the students the ideal opportunity to progress to the levels they should be reaching.
The 7Jump groups are typically between 10-15 pupils. Students follow the 7Jump programme for English, maths, history and geography, intending to allow students to catch up in both English and maths while allowing cross-curricular prospects in humanities subjects which will lead to important transferable skills when the students, supported further by the 7Jump team, make the transition back into mainstream lessons.
It is our aim to ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience enjoyment, challenge and support in 7Jump lessons and at school in general so that they fulfill their potential and lead happy lives.
Sex and Relationships Education
We believe that sex and relationships education belongs within a broader framework of knowledge, social skills, attitudes and values. As well as providing information, our course aims to encourage students:
- To know what a healthy relationship is.
- To understand concepts such as trust, consent and mutual respect.
- To understand their responsibilities
- To form mature and stable relationships in the context of family life
- To accept and explore the attitudes and beliefs of a variety of cultures, religions and peoples.
We are committed to sharing this role with parents and carers, who are the key figures in their children's social and moral development. Sex education is given in science, Personal, Social and Health Education and Learning4Life lessons. Further information can be found in the Sex and Relationships Education Policy.
Students take part in a year assembly once a week. Assembly themes address a very wide range of issues important to young people, including those of a spiritual, moral, social and ethical nature.
Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship and religious education should they wish to do so. Students who have been withdrawn will be provided with alternative work.