Directors of Learning design sequences of lessons that combine with our Personal Development Programme delivered by Form Tutors. These closely align with our mission to ‘Teach What Matters’, a deliberate approach to ensure we address challenges that our students are likely to face and to give them the best possible chance of meeting their limitless potential. 

We want all Holyhead students to be able to;

• Solve problems
• Apply knowledge to the real world
• Adapt to change and be resilient to failure
• Be aware of their own thought processes and memory (meta cognition)
• Be articulate and express themselves
• Think critically

We want all students at Holyhead to be strong in relation to the following attributes;

• Leadership
• Organisation
• Resilience
• Initiative
• Communication

We also want them to recognise the best of human thinking and appreciate the fundamental British Values.  

Social Sciences subjects equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to understand themselves and their interactions with the world around them. We have developed a genuinely engaging curriculum that allows students to connect with and explore the way people think and behave, their social and cultural environment and the people within it, including past, present and the future.

Social Sciences at Holyhead allow young people to understand and connect with their community in Handsworth by developing knowledge and understanding of issues that are relevant to them, allowing them to develop their moral, social and cultural understanding, promoting tolerance and respect for people from all walks of life whilst developing critical thinkers and effective problem solvers. The faculty is proud to be at the vanguard of helping students to understand how to learn effectively and be successful at Holyhead School and beyond.

In Psychology, students learn about the human mind and how and why we behave in the ways we do. In Sociology, students learn about human social relationships and how humans collectively behave in organised groups. In Health and Social Care, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to care for people in a broad range of health and social care settings. In Media and Film Studies, students learn about how institutions communicate with audiences and the ways modern communication can shape the way we see the world around us. PSHE stands for Personal Social Health and Economic education and helps students to gain the skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives.

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PSHCE

PSHCE prepares young people for the complexities of modern life, helping them to understand and critically assess situations that they may face in the future.  This is the start of learners PSHCE journey within Holyhead. Students will have received a mixed diet before this, with some being exposed to very little PSHCE whilst others having more knowledge.   Young people are interested in issues that affect them, Handsworth’s issues include drugs, gangs, deprivation, and many more. It is our responsibility to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to help them problem-solve and keep them safe, healthy and happy. We recognise that students will receive inaccurate information about many issues from peers, the Internet and possibly their families. We want students to access accurate and reliable information which can be discussed and explored within a safe environment. We want them to understand the social and emotional differences between passive and aggressive behaviour, and assertive behaviour, whilst helping to build their skills in self-expression to articulate their thoughts positively and clearly.  We also want students to have confidence, to build resilience, to be active within their community and have the tools to make a positive difference, always believing in themselves and having high aspirations.  Overall PSHCE helps students to identify, empathise, discuss and apply issues to real life that affect young people within Handsworth and the global society we live in today.  Over time, we want students to be able to analyse their cognitions (thinking), emotions (feelings) and behaviour (actions), enabling them to make good choices that will have a positive impact on their lives and the people around them.

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Health & Social Care

In Health and Social Care, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to care for people in a broad range of health and social care settings. The Health and Social Care curriculum aims to recognise the value of learning skills, knowledge and vocational attributes to complement GCSEs whilst putting theory into practice at level 3. The qualifications will broaden the students’ experience and understanding of the varied progression options available to them, preparing them to be active citizens in society in the future.

The key skills of an H&SC practitioner are:

• Communication 
• Team working 
• Planning
• Organisation 
• Using initiative 
• Leadership 
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Being a reflective learner 
• Tolerance
• Respect for others

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Sociology

Sociology focuses on the ways that individuals are affected by the people around them (families, friends, the media etc) and the social groups they belong to (e.g. our ‘ethnicity’ or our ‘social class’).  The AQA Sociology specification is the most suitable for our students as the topics are relevant to issues that affect the Handsworth area. Lessons aim to offer insight and explain social patterns in contemporary society which are relevant to our students in Holyhead. For e.g, explanations for the rise in youth knife crime, explanations for differences in ethnic and gender achievement in education, why are fewer people marrying and more divorcing today? These are all issues that our students find interesting and are eager to learn more about to better understand the world around them.

The key skills of a sociologist are:

• Up to date with current issues (politics, world news & events, mass media, the environment).
• Prepared to challenge the views of others and have their own views challenged also. 
• Critical thinker.
• Uses empirical evidence to support arguments in debates.
• Has a sense of self and is able to identify their strengths & weaknesses as a learner. 
• Prepared to have their mind changed as they evolve over time. 

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Media & Film Studies

We aim to ensure that all students are taught…

Media Studies

In Media Studies lessons we study a wide range of media products and industries to help students understand one of the most pressing issues of our time: how does the media we consume shape our opinions and actions. This helps students develop ‘media literacy’ to enable young people to have the skills, knowledge and understanding to make full use of the opportunities presented by both traditional and new communications services. Media literacy also helps people to manage content and communications, and protect themselves and their families from the potential risks associated with using these services. In an online environment where the possibility for direct content regulation diminishes, the need for a media-literate public increase. In addition, the Eduqas GCSE Media Studies course has been carefully selected to both engage students and challenge their preconceptions with a range of products they will be familiar with, such as music videos and Fortnite with but to also develop their cultural capital by exposing them to less familiar but significant media products such as The Guardian and The Archers. Furthermore, we equip students with engaging and accessible practical skills that will help them interact with the media landscape more effectively and increase their understanding of how media representations are constructed as well as develop their LORIC skills.

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Film Studies

In Film Studies lessons we study a wide range of film texts, including silent cinema, seminal historical films and documentaries. The Eduqas A Level Film Studies specification has been carefully selected as it allows us to develop students’ understanding of film as an art form through familiar genres our students will find engaging (albeit often in unusual modes) but also by challenging them by studying films that they would not normally consider watching. We see film studies as crucial to developing students’ cultural capital – this may be the only time in their lives they will be challenged to understand art from previous eras and in different languages. In many ways, understanding film as an art form is the English literature of the modern age. Not only does developing an understanding of non-mainstream film in an academic way allow students to take this knowledge forward into future social and academic interactions but we value the benefits of how learning to appreciate the depth and variety of a more accessible art form may often be a gateway to explore other art forms in a similar way. As many of our students say once they study film: “ah, I get it now…I can’t just watch and enjoy a film in the same way any more without explaining to people how it works!”

What are the key skills of a media and film studies student:

Media Studies

• To be able to demonstrate relevant, comprehensive and in-depth knowledge and
• Understanding of a range of media language, representations, audiences, industries and associated theoretical perspectives, and a range of contexts of media and their influence on media products and processes
• To be able to perceptively analyse media products, making substantiated judgements and evidence-based conclusions
• To be able to use a range of subject specific terminology accurately
• To be able to create effective media products which deliberately communicate meaning for intended audiences, by applying thorough knowledge and understanding of media language and representation

Film Studies

• To be able to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and sophisticated understanding of elements of film including:
  • Film form and aesthetics
  • Messages and representations
  • Film contexts
  • narrative
• To be understood and be able to apply a range of specialist areas to specific films and genres
  • spectatorship
  • Film-makers’ ideologies
  • Auteurship
  • Documentary styles
  • Expressionism and realism
  • Short films
  • The impact of digital technology on films
• To be able to apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to:
  • Produce highly relevant, confident and complex analysis of films using subject terminology fluently and precisely
  • Analyse and compare films in a lively, complex and thorough manner, identifying a range of highly appropriate points
  • Demonstrate sophisticated, accurate and confident use of critical approaches to analyse and compare films in responses that are highly relevant, perceptive and very well-reasoned
• To be able to apply the understanding of film form and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and sophisticated understanding of elements of film in the production and evaluation of a film or screenplay.

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Health & Social Care KS4

KS4 Curriculum Intent:

Health and Social Care BTEC Level 2 gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance, which cover the:

• Development of key skills that prove your aptitude in health and social care such as interpreting data to assess an individual’s health 
• Process that underpins effective ways of working in health and social care, such as designing a plan to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing 
• Attitudes that are considered most important in health and social care, including the care values that are vitally important in the sector, and the opportunity to practise applying them
• Knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, process and attitudes in the sector such as human growth and development, health and social care services, and factors affecting people’s health and wellbeing.

Overview of the KS4 Curriculum:

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through Health & Social Care:

• Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social development 
• Life events 
• The different types of H&SC available to different people
• The external component (Health and wellbeing) builds on knowledge, understanding and skills acquired and developed in Components 1 (Human Lifespan development) and 2 (H&SC Services and Values). Students will be given a case study and will assess an individual’s health and wellbeing, drawing on their understanding of life events from Component 1. They will design a health and wellbeing improvement plan that draws on their knowledge of services and care values from Component 2.

Started with Component 1 Human Lifespan development as this is the foundation of knowledge that is required. Everything else students learn will build up from this. 

AQA GCSE Sociology KS4

Overview of the KS4 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 10	Research Methods Families	• SMSC • Respect • Communication	• Describe and explain each research method • Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of both qualitative and quantitative methods • Describe and explain different family types • Create reasoned balanced arguments using sociological theories • Critical evaluation of each theory	• Real life studies used to support theories.
Year 11	Education Crime & Deviance Social Stratification	• SMSC • Responsibility • Respect • Empathy	• Describe & explain different perspectives of education and crime • Be able to compare theoretical views • Be able to use official statistics to support arguments in essays • Critical evaluation of each theory • To be able to make Synoptic links between past units	• Real life studies used to support theories.

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through Sociology are:

• Students need to have an understanding of how norms and values inform cultural identities, beliefs and behaviours. 
• Students need to have an understanding of the key sociological perspectives (Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism, Postmodernism)
• Students need to have an understanding of each social institution and the role they play in spreading the norms and values of society. 
• Students need to understand how to build a balanced argument – this then leads to the ability to evaluate and make judgements. 

KS4 Eduqas GCSE Media Studies 

Overview of the KS4 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 10	• Media Language (ML) • Media Representations (R) • Media Contexts (C) • Media Audiences (A) • Media Industries (I) • Theoretical Perspectives • Set products from: • Advertising (MLRC) • Magazines (MLRC) • Film promotion (MLRCIA) • Video games (AI) • Radio (AI) • Music promotion (MLRCIA)	• Leadership • Organisation • Resilience • Initiative • Communication • Working with others • Discussing issues sensitively • Respect for different groups	• Critical thinking • Enquiry • Analysis • Making judgements • Evaluating using evidence • Using terminology accurately • Develop theoretical understanding • Writing for specific audiences and purposes • Media productions skills (photography, video, design) • Research • Planning • Organisation • Creativity • Communicating to specific audiences	• Opportunities to learn and develop media production skills from media professionals • Opportunities to learn and develop media production skills using technology • Visits to local and national media organisations • Outside speakers from the media industry • Access to media products that broaden cultural capital
Year 11	• Media Language (ML) • Media Representations (R) • Media Contexts (C) • Media Audiences (A) • Media Industries (I) • Theoretical Perspectives • Set products from: • Video games (AI) • Radio (AI) • Newspapers (MLRCIA) • Music promotion (MLRCIA) • TV Crime Drama (MLRCIA)	• Leadership • Organisation • Resilience • Initiative • Communication • Working with others • Discussing issues sensitively • Respect for different groups	• Critical thinking • Enquiry • Analysis • Making judgements • Evaluating using evidence • Using terminology accurately • Develop theoretical understanding • Writing for specific audiences and purposes • Media productions skills (photography, video, design) • Research • Planning • Organisation • Creativity • Communicating to specific audiences	• Opportunities to learn and develop media production skills from media professionals • Opportunities to learn and develop media production skills using technology • Visits to local and national media organisations • Outside speakers from the media industry • Access to media products that broaden cultural capital

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through Sociology are:

This GCSE Media Studies specification is based on the theoretical framework for exploring and creating media. The framework is based on four inter-related areas:

• Media language: how the media through their forms, codes and conventions communicate meanings
• Representation: how the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups
• Media industries: how the media industries’ processes of production, distribution and circulation affect media forms and platforms
• Audiences: how media forms target, reach and address audiences, how audiences interpret and respond to them, and how members of audiences become producers themselves.

The framework provides a holistic and focused approach to interpreting and analysing the media, which learners will develop progressively as they study the course. Students then develop, through guided practice, the skills to think critically and analyse media products by applying these skills to a range of set products from a wide range of media forms.

Students complete introductory study on all four areas of the theoretical framework that are the cornerstones of media analysis and understanding. This begins with developing a firm grasp of media terminology for media language – this links to prior learning as students are likely to be familiar with some more basic elements of terminology (such as ‘close up’) from everyday life and primary and KS3 learning.

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Eduqas GCE Film Studies

Overview of the KS4 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 12	• Film Form and Aesthetics • Meaning and response • Film contexts • Narrative • Ideology • Auteur • Critical debates	• Leadership • Organisation • Resilience • Initiative • Communication • Working with others	• Critical thinking • Enquiry • Analysis • Making judgements and comparisons • Evaluating using evidence • Using terminology accurately • Develop theoretical understanding • Writing for specific audiences and purposes • Film productions skills (screenwriting, storyboarding, filming, editing) • Research • Planning • Organisation • Creativity	• Opportunities to learn and develop film production skills from media professionals • Opportunities to learn and develop film production skills using technology • Visits to local and national film organisations • Outside speakers from the film industry • Access to film products that broaden cultural capital
Year 13	• Film Form and Aesthetics • Meaning and response • Film contexts • Narrative • Ideology • Auteur • Critical debates • Filmmakers’ theories • Spectatorship	• Leadership • Organisation • Resilience • Initiative • Communication • Working with others	• Critical thinking • Enquiry • Analysis • Making judgements and comparisons • Evaluating using evidence • Using terminology accurately • Develop theoretical understanding • Writing for specific audiences and purposes • Film productions skills (screenwriting, storyboarding, filming, editing) • Research • Planning • Organisation • Creativity	• Opportunities to learn and develop film production skills from media professionals • Opportunities to learn and develop film production skills using technology • Visits to local and national film organisations • Outside speakers from the film industry • Access to film products that broaden cultural capital

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through Sociology are:

Students need to be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of elements of film in written responses to the range of set films. 

Students need to be able to apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to: analyse and compare films, including through the use of critical approaches; evaluate the significance of critical approaches; and analyse and evaluate own work in relation to other professionally produced work.  Finally, students need to be able to apply knowledge and understanding of elements of film to the production of a film or screenplay.

Students start year 12 with an 8 lesson transition unit that is delivered both in transition lessons and is fully resources on Google Classroom for students to complete in the first 3 weeks. The transition unit has specific lessons on all the elements of film form and analysis to build knowledge and confidence in these skills, particularly bridging the gap between students who have previously studied film or media and to extend the learning of those that have. This is aimed at allowing students to independently use these crucial skills from the start of the course.

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KS5 AQA A-level Psychology

AQA Psychology aims to provide students with the fundamentals of the subject i.e. approaches and methods related to the core areas of Psychology – cognitive, social, biological, developmental, individual differences and research methods. It helps students develop skills valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers, including critical analysis, independent thinking and research.   The subject helps students gain an insight into themselves and their future. For example, the topic Attachments helps students understand the importance of providing sensitive parenting. Memory helps students understand how to use and gain the most from their memory and Psychopathology provides students with strategies on how to overcome and maintain mental wellbeing issues.

Overview of the KS5 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 12	• Attachments • Social influence • Psychopathology • Approaches • Biopsychology Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues in relation to the above topics. They will apply psychological knowledge and understanding of the content in a range of contexts. They will also need to analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods in relation to these topics, and evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness.	Topics: • Research methods • Memory • SMSC • Resilience • Responsibility • Respect • Organisation • Communication • Empathy	Knowledge and understanding of research methods, practical research skills and mathematical skills will be assessed. These skills should be developed through study of the specification content and through ethical practical research activities, involving: • designing research • conducting research • analysing and interpreting data.	Videos help students see how psychological research takes place, and they hear directly from many famous researchers. For example, they view a therapist use systematic desensitisation with a client to eliminate a phobia. They also see Milgram and Zimbardo describe their research.
Year 13	Topics: • Issues and Debates • Aggression • Relationships • Schizophrenia Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues in relation to the above topics, and apply psychological knowledge and understanding of these topics in a range of contexts. They will also need to analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods in relation to the topics and evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness.	• SMSC • Resilience • Responsibility • Respect • Organisation • Communication • Empathy	Knowledge and understanding of research methods, practical research skills and mathematical skills will be assessed. These skills should be developed through study of the specification content and through ethical practical research activities, involving: • designing research • conducting research • analysing and interpreting data.	Videos bring to life what can seem like a purely academic subject. They help students see the real-life applications. For example, students will view family therapy taking place with a schizophrenic patient.

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through PSHCE:

• Students need to be able to demonstrate their understanding through application of real life examples and psychological studies. 
• They also need to be able to analyse and evaluate the different views and psychological perspectives they come across throughout the course. Psychology is not taught at GCSE, therefore research methods are taught first to give students a good insight into how psychological research is undertaken.

Psychology is not taught at GCSE, therefore research methods are taught first to give students a good insight into how psychological research is undertaken.

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KS5 CACHE Health & Social Care

KS5 Curriculum Intent:

Studying CACHE H&SC Level 3 The Extended Diploma at Holyhead has been designed to support progression to a range of job roles within the health and social care sector. The high level of knowledge and skills required to achieve this qualification enables students to progress to Higher Education within health and social care or a related field of study, as well as further learning at Level 4 and above. UCAS points have been allocated to the Extended Diploma. Students will learn a wide range of topics ranging from Equality and Diversity to Professional Development in H&SC. The topics allow students to gain many skills such as respect, tolerance and the ability to be a reflective learner. 

Overview of the KS5 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 12	• Equality, diversity and rights in health and social care • Human growth and development • Safeguarding in health and social care • Communication in health and social care • Infection prevention and control in health and social care • Psychological perspectives in health and social care • Sociological perspectives in health and social care • Working in H&SC • Reflective practice	• Communication • Organisation • Initiative • Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Leadership	• The following are the key verbs/ skills that are used throughout the different units: • Identify • Describe • Explain • Evaluate • Analyse • Compare and contrast	• Work experience (75 hours minimum) • Guest speaker – Infection Prevention & Control
Year 13	• Empowerment in health and social care • Protection of children, young people and adults in health and social care • Anatomy and physiology for health and social care • Research skills for health and social care • Personal and professional development. • Learning Disability • Nutrition for H&SC • The role of Play for children and young people in H&SC • End of Life care	• Communication • Organisation • Initiative • Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Leadership	• The following are the key verbs/ skills that are used throughout the different units: • Identify • Describe • Explain • Evaluate • Critically Evaluate • Analyse • Compare and contrast	• Work experience (75 hours minimum) • Guest speaker – Infection Prevention & Control • Work experience (100 hours minimum) • H&SC Masterclasses

Everything we do in H&SC refers back to the fundamental principles and concepts below: 

• Equality, Discrimination, Inclusion and Rights
• Safeguarding in H&SC 
• Legislation linked to H&SC 
• Policies & procedures linked to H&SC 
• Communication in H&SC 

In Year 12 we start with Equality, Discrimination, Inclusion and Rights and Safeguarding in H&SC as all future information that we teach/ learn is linked to these units. 

If students have studied H&SC in KS4 it builds upon component 2 (Understand the different types of health and social care services and barriers to accessing them). It also builds upon prior knowledge from component 1 (Human Lifespan development).

KS5 AQA GCE Sociology

Overview of the KS5 Curriculum:

	Knowledge	Attributes/Character	Skills	Experiences
Year 12	Families & Households Research Methods Education	• SMSC • Responsibility • Respect • Communication	• Explore and evaluate sociological beliefs • Application of real-life to theory (official statistics, studies, real-life examples) • Essay technique for the different exam questions • SMSC • Responsibility • Respect • Communication	• Essay writing course • Taster Sessions at various Universities (BCU & Newman).
Year 13	Theory & Methods Crime & Deviance Mass Media	• SMSC • Responsibility • Respect • Communication	• Explore and evaluate sociological beliefs • Application of real-life to theory (official statistics, studies, real-life examples) • Essay technique for the different exam questions	• A-Level Criminology conference with CrimiKnowledge.

The fundamental principles and concepts that students need to acquire in order to progress successfully through Sociology:

• Students need to grasp sociological ideas and concepts relating to each unit. 
• Students need to have strong knowledge on the different research studies which have taken place within the specific units
• Students also need to be able to identify strengths and limitations of these studies. 
• Students need to demonstrate that they can clarify arguments from sources and analyse information provided to them in order to answer questions effectively. 
• Students should be able to assess and evaluate arguments and ideas verbally as well as in essay questions. 

Year 12 starts off with Theories of Sociology. This is to give the students a basic understanding of what each theory thinks in general and to explain their reasoning for why they believe the things that they do. Once that is done, we will then begin to look at theories of the family in particular. At this point students already have a basic grasp of what each theory entails, so it becomes easier for them to engage with the family topic. Flipped Learning booklets are also set for HW in order for students to be prepared for the lesson ahead of time.

WJEC GCSE Media StudiesDate: Jun 30, 2021

GCSE SociologyDate: Jun 30, 2021

BTEC Health and Social CareDate: Jun 30, 2021