Ingenium - Empowering students

'Ingenium' is the Latin word used for 'character'. Character education sits at the heart of our curriculum and this option aims to provide students with a strong sense of personal empowerment by enabling them to take control of their own learning. We believe this will provide students with a highly valuable opportunity to prepare them for the style of learning and level of independence required at college or sixth form and even more so for university.

Students will be able to choose from a group of qualifications not currently on our curriculum offer and be responsible for their approach to their chosen subject. It is the opportunity to complete a GCSE qualification with a significant degree of independence in a particular area of interest to the student. Please read on for further information on who this might be suitable for, how it will work and how to apply, as this option choice has a distinct application process.

WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR THIS OPTION?

This option choice is aimed at our most independent, highly organised, resilient students who can think creatively. Although much of the qualification will require the ability to work independently, it is also important you can can work well with others too. You will be excelling in all areas of your current curriculum. You will have strong character for learning grades, these are the grade descriptors we use to report on students' resilience, independence, personal standards, kindness and pride. You will be a role model in all or most of your lessons, with a minimum of consistently engaged. These grades can be found in the student progress section on Go 4 schools. You will have attendance, of more than 95%. You should have high aspirations for yourself and be able to manage yourself in times of challenge. If you feel this is you, you should think about this as one of your choices and keep reading!

HOW WILL THIS OPTION CHOICE WORK?

This is an entirely new concept for the curriculum offer at Warden Park and not a common option available to students at Key Stage 4. We feel we have students here at this school who would really rise to this challenge! This choice will count as an option and students will be timetabled in this subject for 5 periods per fortnight.

Year 9 Term 1: The HPQ

The first term of the academic year will actually be dedicated to students working towards a qualification called 'The Higher Project', commonly referred to as the HPQ. At present we offer this to students in Years 9 & 10 as part of our Twilight Curriculum. This would be the starting point for students in this group. It is academically rigorous and is looked upon favourably by admissions tutors from 6th form providers and universities. The HPQ is a precursor to the EPQ (Extended Project), which many of the most able students will study along side their A levels at sixth form/college.

In order to complete this award students decide on a research question or hypothesis that they will investigate; there is a free choice as to what this might be. They design and follow through their enquiry, keeping a research diary (production log) that tracks their progress. Completing the project will challenge students and make them think; as a result it is personally rewarding as well as being an additional national qualification.

All students will complete:

• A detailed production log that charts their progress and decision making throughout the research process.

• A written report of approximately 2000 words.

• A presentation, delivered to fellow students, staff and invited family members.

Students can also choose to create an artefact - if they choose this option, the length of their written report will be reduced. Students are assessed on the detail in their production log, as well as the other aspects of the project. A significant proportion of the final marks are based on their reflection of how they have gone about the project and what they have learnt about the enquiry process. Successful students are awarded an A*-C grade in line with the exam board’s assessment procedure.

We believe the skills acquired throughout the completion of this project will provide an excellent introduction to helping students to develop their independent lines of enquiry and being accountable to themselves for their time management, both within lessons, and out of lesson learning.

Year 9 Term 2: Study of the chosen GCSE begins

Following students' completion of the HPQ, we envision this group of students being split into 'study buddy' style small groups. Each group will be working toward a specific qualification (some possibilities are listed further below). The students will work together to 'teach themselves' the course content. That said, students, will not be left entirely alone! The teaching staff and support for this group will involve the following:

• • One dedicated staff member who will supervise the group's timetabled lessons and be ultimately responsible for the students' well being and approach to this style of learning. This staff member will lead the students in areas such as; how to plan their curriculum, how to assess their learning, and empower students to develop the approaches to the way they teach themselves and the way they might teach others within their study buddy group.

  • Staff consultants - we will identify staff consultants, whilst they will not be timetabled in the lessons, they will be available as consultants in the field of qualifications chosen. For example if one group of students elect to study Astronomy, then we would assign a science member of teaching staff, who would be available at certain times to assist the students in an area of difficulty, or who will assist in key assessment to ensure the students still achieve their very best.

  • Ms Fitzgerald- who will monitor choice of curriculum and examination requirements across the specifications chosen.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Students who would like to apply to submit Ingenium as an option should complete an application form which can be downloaded here. Please take note of the instructions and minimum length of responses required. Completed application forms must be received no later than Friday 26th February 9am. They must be emailed to Ms Fitzgerald & Mrs Simmons directly, details on the application form.

Throughout March students will be interviewed by Ms Fitzgerald & Mrs Simmons. We will then advise students if their choice has been accepted. Where students have been unsuccessful, we will ask them to make a further choice on their options submission.

Places are limited for this group and spaces will be awarded to those students who meet the criteria, submit a strong application and manage the interview successfully. We may also offer students a provisional place, and give them some specific targets for the next term in Year 8 to work towards to prove they could be successful in this option.