Departments
Departments
Teaching is compulsory in years 7 – 9 and an optional choice in Years 10 and 11 for GCSE and AS/A2 in Years 12 and 13. Whether viewed as a recreational or vocational persuit it is hoped that all students who leave Ealing College Upper School will have some understanding of the role played by the Arts in a variety of cultures throughout history and have developed some skills which may be used to enhance leisure time in later life. Provision: Years 7/8/9 General introduction to the Visual Arts Year 10/11 GCSE Full Course (2 years) Year 12 AS Art & Design Year 13 A2 Art & Design/Fine Art
This thriving department teaches the very best from the canon of literature, past and present, crossing different cultures throughout the school. Our recent moderator’s report from the examination board states: ‘These students are lucky to have been given the opportunity to read and study literature of such quality’. Our results speak for themselves: 50% of students achieved A and A* grades in English Language and Literature GCSE, and 100% of students achieved A* - C grades. This is an outstanding achievement in view of the fact we are a non-selective school. Our students’ academic work is continually supported by drama activities, opportunities to write creatively and numerous theatre trips, study days and public lectures to ensure they receive a lively and enjoyable learning experience which fosters a lifelong love of this subject.
The 6th form also has access to laptops that students can use during their non-teaching periods. The ICT room has a projector for staff to use with and an interactive whiteboard to help enhance the learning environment of our students. We use Sun OpenOffice® run on XP/Vista® with a separate Linux workstation. All have internet access and printing facilities while operating in a secure network environment.
Key Stage 3 ICT In the first term students are introduced to working on a large network, they will need to remember a password and where to find and save their work. Shortly after, they will create the web site that will be with them throughout school. Later projects include investigating bias on web sites and creating publications. The depth of the investigation of using ICT will increase in year 8 with projects using spreadsheets to create ‘what if’ models. There are also projects on testing hypotheses and creating a public information system using the School’s remote weather sensing equipment. There will also be a project on designing questionnaires, collecting data and building a database. In year 9 the emphasis changes from using one or two pieces of software to a problem solving approach using a wide range of applications in two complex projects. GCEs in vocational subjects are broad-based vocational qualifications designed to widen participation in vocationally-related learning post-16. They have been designed to contribute to the quality and coherence of national provision and have a clear place in the Government’s vision for secondary education. Progression through the Advanced Subsidiary GCE and Advanced GCE, through either a single or double award, may provide a suitable foundation for study of the subject, or related subjects, in further and higher education. The aims of the Applied GCE in ICT are to encourage students to:
Mathematics is a key subject throughout the school. It is compulsory up to GCSE and is usually the most popular subject at AS and A-level. The Years 7, 8 and 9 courses integrate closely with ICT but do not neglect the acquisition of important mathematical skills. In Years 10 and 11, students are prepared for GCSE. In 2007-2008, Year 11 students are taking the two-tier specification with coursework. This is being phased out and Year 10 students are taking the new two-tier specification without coursework. In the Sixth Form, where Mathematics is modular, all students take the Core Units C1 and C2 in Year 12, together with an applications Unit, either Mechanics M1 or Statistics S1, taking the other applications Unit in Year 13, along with Core Units C3 and C4. The system is flexible, however, and provision may be made for the most capable students to take Further Pure Mathematics. We use the Edexcel specifications for both GCSE and GCE.
In Year 9, Science is split into the three separate sciences, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students receive two lessons per week in each subject and each is taught by a specialist in that subject. In Years 10 and 11, students select from the three separate sciences, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students are required to select either two or all three subjects for GCSE. Currently, we take the AQA GCSE in all three subjects. All three sciences are offered to AS and A-level. Many students take all three subjects in Year 12 to AS and most of these take all three to A-level in Year 13. In the optional parts of Biology and Physics, students usually take the Human Health and Fitness option in Biology and the Nuclear and Particle Physics option in Physics. Currently, we take the Edexcel examinations in all three subjects, although this is to be reviewed prior to the new specifications being introduced in Autumn 2008. |
The visual Arts are seen as a most valuable aspect of the curriculum within the school. The practice and appreciation of Art is felt to contribute meaningfully to the provision of a balanced and broad education.
The study of English is at the heart of education – that is why we in the ECUS English Department aim to provide a broad, vibrant and dynamic curriculum for students from years 7 to 13. 
ECUS has recently updated its IT equipment for its students and includes laptops. Wireless technology has been placed around the whole school enabling the use of its computers.
Science is an important part of the curriculum at Ealing College Upper School. Students in Years 7 and 8 receive 5 lessons per week in Science, one eighth of their total teaching time. The course in these two years is a general introduction to all three sciences.