Learning Journeys
Key Stage Learning Journeys
At Valentines, we have Learning Journeys that run alongside each key stage, helping to develop students’ skills, ability to retain knowledge and their character. These vital qualities in our students are developed in various ways, for example: assemblies, study workshops, lessons, mentoring sessions and parental information evenings.
Key Stage 3 Learning Journey
The vision for Key Stage 3 is to support the students in order to gain the skills, knowledge and character, ready for Key Stage 4 and beyond.
As outlined below, students are given a focus each Term to develop their revision strategies across all subjects, to assist students in knowing more and remembering more, as their school career progresses. As well as this, the Learning Journey also signposts key dates and activities that are mapped to develop student’s readiness for Key Stage 4 and beyond.
The vision for Key Stage 3 is to support the students in order to gain the skills, knowledge and character, ready for Key Stage 4 and beyond.
KS LJ's
Key Stage 4 Learning Journey
The vision for Key Stage 4 is to support students in order for them to gain the skills, knowledge and character ready to enter further education and training. Students work towards achieving the best possible GCSE results at the end of Year 11 but are also exposed to a wide range of wider learning opportunities such as Careers Fairs and work with Unifrog - our global destinations platform.
As well as this, as outlined below the Learning Journey also signposts key dates and activities that are mapped to develop students’ readiness for education, employment or training beyond Key Stage 4.
ks4 learning journeys 2024 25.pdf
How to support your son/ daughter
In order for your child to be the best student they can be, there are a number of support strategies that you can implement at home to help develop their skills, knowledge and character.
Below are some of the strategies that you could work on to support their learning.
- Reviewing their latest reports on Firefly
- Having them show you how they are using GCSE Pod
- Reinforcing key revision strategies used with students and using the Parents Revision Guide:
- Parent Guide
- Revision strategies
- Revision model
- Attending parent information evenings, parents evenings and progress evenings
If you would like further information on the Key Stage 3 or Key Stage 4 Curriculum, please contact Patrick Cully (Associate Assistant Head) on mail@valentines-sch.org.uk
Key Stage 5 Learning Journey
The vision for Key Stage 5 is to support the students in order to gain the skills, knowledge and character ready for life beyond the Sixth Form. For many of our students (around 90%) this is University.
key stage 5 learning journey 2021.pdf
As shown below, students are given a focus each Half-Term on one of the VESPA strands.
VESPA is a programme we use to develop what we call ‘the Sixth Form Mindset’:
- V – Vision (Students know what they want to achieve)
- E – Effort (Students work hard and respond constructively to setbacks)
- S – Systems (Students organise their time and resources)
- P – Practice (They practice and develop their skills by using high quality revision techniques)
- A – Attitude (Students put in many hours of proactive study)
The programme is designed to measure students against each strand and support them with areas of development. Research suggests that students who have high Vision, Effort, Systems, Practice and Attitudes achieve at A-Level. As well as this, the Learning Journey also signposts key dates and activities that are mapped to develop student’s readiness for education, employment or training beyond Key Stage 5.
How to support your son/daughter
In order for your child to be the best student they can be, there are a number of support strategies that you can implement at home to help develop their skills, knowledge and character. Below are some of the strategies that you could work on to support their learning.
There is also a link below to our Firefly page where all of these resources can be found:
- Reviewing their latest reports
- Using examiners reports and mark schemes
- Accessing past papers and model answers
- Attending parent information evenings, parents evenings and progress evenings
Firefly Page
firefly.valentines-sch.org.uk/sixth-form
If you would like further information on the Key Stage 5 Curriculum, please contact John Haxell (Head of Sixth Form) on 6thform@valentines-sch.org.uk