Mathematics is a popular subject at Lawrence Sheriff School. A strong team of subject specialists deliver the curriculum. Most lessons take place in one of six dedicated classrooms in the Learning Resources Centre.

In addition to academic studies, we run many extra-curricular events, including a team house competition for all students in years 7-10. Many of our students enter the UKMT individual challenges, with plenty of gold, silver and bronze awards achieved and qualifications to the further Kangaroo and Olympiad rounds. We also enter and prepare students for the UKMT team challenges and the AMSP Maths Feast competition too. The Maths Department runs a library, stocked with books to enrich, steer and compliment student studies, with half-termly prizes available for the best submitted book reviews.

What to expect:
Two homework tasks each week; the department uses Google Classroom to communicate and record the tasks. Students will be given different types of homework – eg. Textbook exercises, puzzles, online questions, revision. Each half term there will be two pieces of teacher assessed work, which will be followed by analysis to identify ways to improve. This is then facilitated using our bespoke confidence tracker and Dr Frost Maths or other online resources.

Resources:
We have access to a number of different online resources including Dr Frost Maths for online interactive revision, Maths pad for homework and online practice and several others.

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Programme of Study
The schemes are designed to cover the National Curriculum over 5 years of study. Opportunities for problem solving, mathematical reasoning and use of technology are incorporated into the scheme of learning, which can be found at LSS course on DFM.

Year 7 (8 lessons per fortnight)

Year 8 (8 lessons per fortnight)

Year 9 (7 lessons per fortnight)

Year 10 (7 lessons per fortnight)

Year 11 (8 lessons per fortnight)

A level Mathematics student video

Exam Details

Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (9-1) Higher

Edexcel GCSE Statistics (2017)

Edexcel A-level Mathematics

Edexcel A-level Further Mathematics

Post  16

Sixth Form Prospectus

In the computing department we aim to develop computational thinking in a wide range of contexts, and we are committed to encouraging problem solving both at the computer and away from it.

We are well resourced with modern computer rooms of networked computers and we are supported by a strong team of teachers, technicians and learning technicians. We encourage boys to develop confidence and become independent learners, able to work safely and use technology appropriately, choosing the best tools for the task and able to justify their decisions. 

To find out more about the curriculum followed please visit http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/secondary_national_curriculum_-_computing.pdf

Course Outline for KS3
Year 7 – 9
The emphasis is on building problem solving skills (computational thinking).
The main focus is to use a variety of programming tools and languages including using Microbits, Python and Visual Basic to build programs to solve problems.
Topics studied also include web design, fundamentals of computer hardware and Internet safety.

Key Stage 4
Year 10 – 11
Throughout Years 10 and 11 those who have chosen to study GCSE Computer Science have three lessons per week. All lessons are taught in computer labs, although students are also encouraged to think about developing solutions to problems away from a computer by engaging in problem solving.
Students follow the new GCSE offered by AQA. Topics include amongst others: fundamentals of algorithms, programming and data representation. Students sit two paper based exams at the end of Year 11.
To find out more about this course, please visit:
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/computer-science-and-it/gcse/computer-science-8525

Post 16
Sixth Form Prospectus -Please click here 

 Using Ai for learning 

History at Lawrence Sheriff School is a compulsory subject in year 7 and 8 and a popular option choice at both GCSE and A Level.

Within the History department at LSS we intend to create a passion for the subject from entry in Year 7 to undergraduate level and beyond. Through the study of a broad range and depth of British and World Historical events, we aim to help students discover things from the past that will inform them about the world they live in today. Students will learn in an engaging, exciting and academically challenging manner; allowing them to embrace inclusive, independent and active learning strategies. History teaches many skills that are relevant across the curriculum and we aspire to empower students, to question historical narratives and to begin to form opinions about controversial subjects both past and present.

The department also aims to encourage interest in History outside the classroom; there will be an opportunity to visit Warwick Castle in Year 7, the Black Country Museum in Year 8 and Ypres at GCSE.

In year 7 and 8, the department’s approach is to strike a balance between knowledge and skills, studying British and World History within a broad enquiry framework based both on thematic, chronological and in depth investigations.

In Year 7, students concentrate on the core themes of religion, society and power, specifically looking at how Britain became the country it is today and some of the impact its empire has had on the world. They cover a range of topics from Medieval History to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.  

In Year 8, students focus on areas such as rights, war and power, revisiting some of the themes from the previous year to create an interleaving approach. They cover a range of topics from the Industrial Revolution and World War One, to the social developments of the Twentieth Century which has led Britain to become the multicultural and diverse country it is today.

Year 9 Students continue with their KS3 studies - again focusing on overarching broad themes such as war and power. They cover topics in depth such as the Cold War and the American Civil Rights Movement, while also exploring how people in Britain got the vote. They will look at in depth case studies of local sites in Rugby and the Midlands which have played a key role in shaping our local and national history.

Year 10 and 11 students study the following topics from the AQA specification: Conflict and Tension - 1945 - 72, an in depth look at the causes and events of the Cold War; Health and the People - 1000 AD to the present day, a wider study of the similarities and differences between our response to illness over the last 1000 years; Norman Britain, an insight into the impact William the Conqueror had on our country; and Germany - 1890 to 1945, which explores how Hitler rose to power and the impact he had when he got there. Each year for the Normans they will study a Historic Environment site - this could be an area of Norman Britain, a battlefield, castle. monastery or any other site.

Year 12 and 13: Tudor England and Russia 1917-53 are the two main units taught at A level from the AQA specification. In addition, students will complete a NEA (coursework) on the Causes of World War One.

Post 16
Sixth Form prospectus

“Geography: the study of the earth as home to humankind.”

 The Geography department is made up of 4 specialist Geographers: Mrs Royle, Mr Clarke, Miss Mocanu and Mr Brown.  The Geography department is currently housed in three specialist classrooms, equipped with a wide range of resources. Access to the school’s computer suites is actively encouraged through the departmental schemes of work and an extensive range of both printed and digital contemporary resources are kept. The department’s focus is on innovative, contemporary teaching through experiential learning.

Students have two lessons a week of Geography in Year 7 and 8.

Year 7:  Map Skills, Weather and Climate, Population

Year 8: Climate Change, Natural Hazards and  Africa.

Assessment: Year 7 and 8 receive end of unit tests and a final end of year examination.

Students have three lessons a week of Geography for Year 9 onwards.

Year 9: Geography in the News. Students study an innovative curriculum based on News Article analysis, computer projects and documentaries and skills. All aimed at learning and developing the skills required in order to succeed in geography GCSE.

Year 10: Distinctive landscapes, Resource Reliance, Changing Climate, Dynamic Development, Sustaining Ecosystems

Year 11: Fieldwork, Global hazards, UK in the 21st Century, Decision making skills.

Assessment: 3 terminal exams (All in Y11) - 30% Geographical Exploration, 35% People and Society, 35% Our Natural World
Board: OCR Geography B                                   Specification code: J384
Website:http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-geography-b-geography-for-enquiring-minds-j384-from-2016/

POST 16

 The OCR syllabus is split into three exams and an independent Geographical investigation. One exam focussing on Physical Systems, another Human Interactions and the other Geographical debates. All papers will incorporate Geographical skills aspects. The independent investigation will be a supported study around a topic of the pupils choosing and account for 20% of the overall grade.

Physical systems – 22%         – Landscape Systems, Earth’s Life Support Systems
Human interactions – 22%      – Changing Spaces; Making places, Global connections
Geographical debates – 36%  – Hazardous Earth, Changing Climate, Future of Food

Board: OCR Geography                                                Specification code: H081/H481
Website:http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-geography-h081-h481-from-2016/

Sixth Form Prospectus

FIELDWORK: Fieldwork is carried out at all levels. Past fieldwork has included: Year 7 orienteering, Year 8 urban studies. GCSE students carry out local fieldwork to gather data for their geographical skills theory.

Our AS Geographers spend a day in London at the docklands and 2012 Olympic site, investigating urban regeneration and tourism.

A2 Geographers complete a week-long residential trip to North Wales, to support their independent investigation. Spending time investigating sand dunes on Anglesey, conducting fieldwork on the impacts of urban regeneration projects in Bangor and researching the role tourism plays in Betws-y-Coed.



RESULTS: Our student numbers and exam results excel against both school and national averages. A good number of students go on to study the subject and related courses at university, including Oxbridge entrants.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR: The department are heavily involved in extra-curricular activities across the school. We have a specialist Geography Library, which is accessible to sixth form Geographers. Sixth form Geographers also volunteer to become Geography Ambassadors, an innovative scheme that gets them to assist with younger classes.

Our department is committed to developing exciting and challenging learning opportunities which are designed to help all students to become skilled in the use of English and ensure continuity and progression from Year 7 to Year 13.

Vision

Above all, our department is characterised by a positive and flexible attitude. We work collaboratively to ensure that our teaching and learning strategies provide every student with pathways to success. We believe that every student can be taught the skills to take control of their writing and to also be creative.   Furthermore, we believe that these same students can be taught the skills required in order that they become competent readers, and that with sufficient practice, even the most complex texts can become accessible to them.  

Becoming expert users of the English language enables students to communicate their knowledge effectively and achieve success in their examinations. However, we also feel that understanding how the system of language is constructed and its function in the wider world allows students to become logical, independent and critical thinkers. 

Year 7: Students will read a range of engaging fiction and non-fiction texts, developing their ability to infer and deduce using appropriately selected evidence from the text. The skills of analysis are also developed, with students being encouraged to consider the impact of a writer’s choice of vocabulary, imagery and sentence structure. In writing, students will develop their control and accuracy, at sentence, paragraph and whole text level. Students will write in a range of styles, producing original and imaginative descriptive writing and short stories, and formal texts using Standard English.

Year 8: Students will encounter more challenging texts. Texts studied include WW1 poetry, “Moonfleet’, and Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. Students are encouraged to discuss the themes and issues which are explored in these texts. Students will appreciate how texts reflect the social, cultural and historical context in which they were written. More emphasis is placed on developing formal writing, which is tailored for its audience and purpose, and on the skills of literary analysis. Students develop the sophistication of their writing, making more judicial choices in vocabulary and sentence structure.   

Year 9: This year is a GCSE foundation year with the aim of preparing students for the challenge and rigour of GCSE study. Students will study classic literature texts such as Great Expectations, and Romeo and Juliet and explore in depth an anthology of poetry. Students will study the techniques of persuasion by exploring a range of well-known speeches and go on to write their own arguments employing the skills and conventions in their own original and creative way.

Year 10:  Students will begin their study preparing for the Eduqas GCSE English Language examinations. They will complete a Speaking and Listening assessment which will also be assessed alongside the GCSE qualification. Students will also study War of the Worlds, Macbeth and An Inspector Calls, as well an anthology of poetry in preparation for the Eduqas GCSE Literature exam.

Year 11: From September, students will focus on revision skills in preparation for their Eduqas GCSE Literature exam and prepare for the Eduqas GCSE Language exam. The skills of analysis of ‘unseen’ poetry will be developed, building students’ confidence in approaching a range of possible poetry texts in the exam. Opportunities to revisit and improve spoken language tasks will also be provided.

Current Year 11
Course: Edquas GCSE English Language
Code: C700
Website:  www.eduqas.co.uk

Course: Eduqas GCSE English Literature
Code: C720
Website:  www.eduqas.co.uk

Post 16

Sixth Form Prospectus.

In order that we develop the capabilities of as many students as possible, we integrate personalisation and enrichment opportunities into our teaching at Post 16 in order that students are offered a range of opportunities to develop their skills and interests.

Please click here for downloads for the English department and Parents letter for Changes to GCSE English Language

Subject specific entry requirements.
Grade 6 or above in GCSE English.
How the course is assessed.
100% examination.
Exam board.
EDUQAS A-Level

Where does it lead?

Choosing A-level Business will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in life.

Whatever career you choose to pursue you will either be working for your own, or for someone else’s business. Studying Business will give you an insight into the intricate inner workings of these organisations and also provide you with the expertise to set up a successful business of your own.

As part of the course students gain an understanding of the world of business and develop the skills necessary for reading a variety of subjects at university. A significant proportion of our students have gone on to study Business, Economics, Management, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources (HR), Mathematics and Social Sciences. This course also strongly prepares students for vocational routes and many have successfully gained places on prestigious apprenticeships at well-known engineering and financial institutions.

Course overview

Would you like....

To know how to make intelligent investments to make money whilst you sleep?

To find out how to ace that interview to get that job role you really want?

To be your own boss running your own successful business to increase your net worth?

To discover how to motivate people and get the best out of them?

As part of A-level Business students study the following topics:

Year 12 – ‘Business Opportunities’ and ‘Business Functions’

Year 13 – ‘Business Analysis and Strategy’ and ‘Business in a Changing World’

Through the use of interesting corporate case studies, immersive projects, and practical visits to real-life businesses such as Cadbury World, Disney Paris and Amazon, students gain a broad understanding of key business topics, whilst also developing a range of transferable skills such as data analysis and problem-solving. The chance to participate in a variety of business challenges and competitions help to further enhance students’ practical experience of business and fully prepare them for life after education. These include opportunities like the ‘Stock Market and Investment Club’, where students are given a (fictional) £100,000 to trade live on the UK and US Stock Markets!

You can expect to:

• Learn about a wide range of private and public organisations and the markets they serve.
• Investigate businesses from the perspective of a range of stakeholder groups.
• Be fully prepared for assessments in order to perform highly and achieve excellent results.

Student views …

“Mr Stokes and Miss Frater bring the best out of you and support you to achieve greatness.’

“I like the structure and organisation of the lessons, especially the advice I get given to ensure I achieve the top marks.”

“Business A-level is enjoyable because it has so many links to current affairs. It will help me to be successful in life.”

Post 16
Sixth Form Prospectus - Please click here