KS4

Personalised pathways at Key Stage 4

Students follow an academic, vocational or sports pathway shaped around their starting point and ambitions, with mentoring, personal development and careers guidance throughout.

Talk to admissions Careers & destinations

KS4 is where the six curriculum pillars come together for longer personalised pathways: academic learning, vocational options, personal development, employability, relational support and enrichment.

Qualifications and preparation for adulthood

What KS4 pathways include

Every route keeps English, mathematics, mentoring and personal development. Qualifications are matched to the learner.

Core learning

English and literacy, mathematics, Functional Skills where appropriate, ICT and digital skills, applied science.

Personal development

PSHE and RSHE, Citizenship themes, emotional health and wellbeing, Behaviour for Learning.

Awards and vocational routes

King's Trust Achieve, Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Sports Leaders Levels 1 and 2, Youth Sport Trust PE Life Skills Award, FA EE Playmaker and centre vocational strands where offered.

Assessment

Core English and Maths assessment comes from live teaching and/or Purple Ruler, depending on the route accessed, inside the whole-school assessment journey through to exit.

Personalised pathways

Academic pathway

GCSEs, Functional Skills and AQA Unit Awards to keep further study options open. Achieve or DofE Bronze can sit alongside where enrolled.

Vocational pathway

Hands-on learning including Hair and Beauty, Music Technology, cooking, plus a shared awards spine: King's Trust Achieve, Sports Leaders / PE Life Skills, and DofE Bronze where enrolled.

Sports pathway

Sports Performance and Leadership with Ismail: Sports Leaders, PE Life Skills Award, FA EE Playmaker, plus BTEC Sport, King's Trust Achieve and DofE Bronze where studied.

Support around every pathway

All pathways sit within a calm, structured environment. Every learner has a Key Adult. Personal development, careers guidance and safeguarding run alongside qualifications.

Post-16 progression is planned early, including college, apprenticeships, employment, continued sport pathways, and our sixth form football and education partnership with Elite Coaching Academy where that route is right.

Personal development awards

Awards on every KS4 route

Vocational and sports pathways share a clear awards offer. Enrolment is matched to the personal plan.

King's Trust Achieve

Flexible personal development with optional regulated qualifications.

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze

Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition with staff support.

Sports Leaders Levels 1 and 2

Leadership through sport inside Sports Performance and Leadership.

PE Life Skills Award

Youth Sport Trust award (via Leadership Skills Foundation) recognising life skills developed through PE.

Key partners

Awards and leadership partners at KS4

Elite Coaching Academy

Post-16 sixth form football and education