Sandridgebury Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DB
Year 11 Information
Curriculum
As outlined in depth on the curriculum page and in our curriculum plan linked below, we have built a curriculum that allows our students in Key Stage Four to continue to build on their love for learning as well as on their foundational knowledge and skills so that they are able to reach their potential. During Year 9, students exercise their choice over elements of their Key Stage Four curriculum which is developed around a broad offer of GCSE courses.
The core GCSE Curriculum consists of English Language and English Literature, Mathematics, and Science. All students study Combined Science with some studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate Science subjects.
To maintain breadth and balance in the curriculum and to enable students to develop their individual strengths, everyone is expected to study a range of subjects. Most study History or Geography and a Modern Foreign Language (French and/or Spanish) to enable students the opportunity to achieve the English Baccalaureate. In addition, our flexible options programme encourages students to follow courses from a wide range of different curriculum areas including Art, Business, Child Development, Computing, Dance, Drama, Food Preparation & Nutrition (Food Tech), Computing, Media Studies, Music, PE, Philosophy and Ethics (REP), Design Technology (Product Design &Timbers), Photography and Sociology.
At Key Stage 4, students undertake a Personal Development course (PD). This continues from the course followed at Key Stage 3 and includes Relationship and Sex Education and Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance as well as Religion, Ethics and Philosophy (REP). REP is compulsory for all students and follows the Hertfordshire approved SACRE curriculum, developing key skills and knowledge. In addition, all students follow a Physical Education programme.
Assessment and Reporting of Progress
In Year 11, students will receive a report card each term (three per annum) Every report card will contain the Attitude To Learning (ATL). In the Autumn Term report, the Most Likely Outcome (MLO) Grade for each subject will be shared as well as subject specific praise and progress comments. Following the formal mock assessment window in the Autumn Term, there will be a second report with updated ATL and MLO grades. A final report is provided shortly before the public examination period to provide information about a student’s progress as they approach their exams.
Attitude to Learning Levels
We have high expectations of all students at STAGS and we expect most students will receive a ‘3’ for ‘Meeting STAGS Expectations’. Over the course of the year some students may demonstrate that they have exceeded these expectations and will be awarded a level 4. For exemplary attitude, students will receive a level 5 and this will be rewarded as per our behaviour policy.
KS4 Reporting - Key Dates for 2026-2027
Assessment and Feedback at STAGS
Assessment and Feedback at STAGS
Each curriculum area determines the nature of the subject assessments based on the Examination Specification requirements and progress through the Learning Journeys. Details of the full GCSE course for each subject are available on our school website. Each student can expect the following:
- Subject specific feedback
- Student response to marking using Purple Progress Pens
- Regular record of learning checks - to maintain high expectations and to provide feedback on the presentation fundamentals
- A variety of additional forms of feedback are deployed during all learning, whether at school or at home and includes, but is not limited to: peer, self, live, verbal, digital and whole class feedback
If you have any queries about your child’s progress within a subject, please do not hesitate to contact their subject teacher in the first instance.
