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I have great pleasure in writing this introduction to our Specialist School Review which illustrates the tremendous impact that Specialist School status has had on our school, its curriculum and the community since its introduction in 2005.
The Specialist School initiative has enriched and broadened the opportunities available to students at TGS and our partners. In 2004 our GCSE results in technology subjects were good, with a 72% A* to C pass-rate far exceeding national figures for technology subjects. However, only 99 of our 200 plus candidates took a GCSE in a technology subject. Less than half our students were taking a public examination in what is an increasingly vital area of learning! In 2009 over ninety percent of our students were entered for a technology based GCSE examination and we still obtained an A* to C pass-rate of over 73%, compared with a national figure of just 62%. Many of these students were “fast tracked” and took their GCSE technology examination early.
At Senior Student (Sixth Form) level we have also seen enormous gains. In 2004 only five students sat an A2 examination in technology, although all passed and four did obtain an A to C grade. In 2009 nineteen students took an A2 examination. They also all passed and sixteen obtained an A to C grade! Furthermore, we now have significant numbers going on to study Design, Engineering and Science based subjects at University.
Obtaining specialist school status has not only ensured that more of our students have good technology qualifications in an increasingly technologically competitive world. Its influence is broader than that. Our specialist school subjects; technology, mathematics and science led the way in our use of cross curricular projects. Now all subjects to these events and staff have been able to work with, and learn from colleagues, in different disciplines. The specialist school “way of working”; identifying a practical problem, considering a range of possible solutions, developing a task brief and agreeing assessment criteria, now informs the work of most subjects.
The learning gateways, identified by Professor David Hargreaves, has provided the inspiration for the many and varied opportunities available to our students and our personalised curriculum. Design & Technology, Science and Maths continue to provide a lead in developing courses, resources and experiences which have added to the vocational perspective and promoted creativity and problem solving. New approaches to teaching and learning have been paramount in the way we have developed our philosophy for teaching. A ‘cross curricular’ approach to teaching with an emphasis on team work, independent learning, creativity and self management has been the basis to the work we have done.
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