The Westgate School Weekly Newsletter

Much improved GCSE results 2024

Last week we received formal communication from the Department for Education about our 2024 GCSE results. At this stage of the year, they send schools nationwide their results for checking before they validate in January.

On the two principal headline measures, not only have we improved on last year’s grades, but we are now above the national average for progress and attainment.

The progress made by our Year 11 students last summer has moved from negative to positive progress compared to 2023, and the percentage of students who achieved between a Grade 9 and a Grade 5 has improved by 12% in one year. Also, our attainment grade has improved compared to 2023.

Significantly, we are above national average for the two national performance measures that the Government hold schools to account for, Progress 8 and %9-5 English & Maths.

Congratulations to all the students, families and teachers for this achievement!

Dance at Westgate

Dance is brand new to Westgate for this academic year! Our main goals are to provide students with the opportunity to experience a variety of styles and genres, across the curriculum that enhance participation, physicality, wellbeing and embodies students’ cultural capital.

We aim to build students confidence, resilience and self-esteem through a variety of experiences both inside the classroom and out, to ensure that every student feels empowered to participate and has had exposure to the arts in the real world. Here is what our students have been learning in Dance recently:

Year 7

Year 7 Students have been combining their knowledge surrounding PE and English to begin their introduction term to dance. Their first Scheme of work has been looking a physical literacy, and how movement can be choreographed in response to vocabulary. During this scheme of work students have collaborated with their peers, therefore beginning to develop key transferable skills, that are valuable across the curriculum, including teamwork, communication and problem solving. We encourage all Year 7’s to join our lunchtime clubs on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday!

Year 8

Year 8 students have been exploring the transferable skills between Dance and Sport through their first scheme of work Sport in Dance. Students have been looking at professional athletes (Specifically from Football- Rio Ferdinand and NFL) to understand the benefits that dance has on the body, including improving strength, balance and coordination. Students have been collaborating with their peers to choregraph motifs that portray these physical skills. We encourage all Year 8’s to join our lunchtime clubs on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday!

Year 9

Year 9 Btec students have been exploring the professional work Madhatter’s Tea Party by Zoonation. This work has been a running thread between both their practical and theory lessons. Students in theory lessons have been analysing the work and tackling the important themes of mental health which the work puts at the forefront. In practical lessons they have been learning the technique behind street dance and developing choreography to convey a choreographic intent.

Year 10

Year 10 Btec students have been looking at the professional work Infra by Wayne McGregor. This is a contemporary work and therefore in practical lessons students have been exploring the stylistic features and technique of the genre. In theory lessons our Year 10’s have been using their analytical skills and exploring the roles and responsibilities that are essential in creating and producing a professional work, in preparation for their component 1 assessment in January.

Music at Westgate

It's been a positive start to the year in Music, with each year group participating in listening & appraising tasks along with performance tasks to showcase our students' musical skills. There have been several instances of participation in extra-curricular activities including Ukulele Club, Music Production Club, Band & Choir, which are proving strong and will no doubt have a great impact on our upcoming Christmas Concert in December. Here’s what each year group has been focusing on:

Year 7

To start the year off, Year 7 have been using the keyboards in lesson time to explore the elements of music. This has given them a strong foundation of musical knowledge to use throughout their time here and will be applied consistently in every topic covered in Key Stage 3 and beyond. After half term, the students will be studying the Ukulele, which will be learnt through applying the elements of music learnt at the start of the year along with new instrument skills to add diversity to the curriculum.

Year 8

Similar to Year 7, Year 8 have also been using keyboards but instead they have studied The Blues, Rock n Roll & Pop music. This topic has been designed to show the students how music in the 20th century has evolved into what it is today. Through applying the elements of music, the students have analysed each genre in listening tasks, which have been accompanied by performing tasks of various songs in each genre. After half term, they will be studying the Ukulele through applying the elements of music to learn a new set of instrument skills to keep the curriculum interesting and varied.

Year 9 & 10

This is the first instance of Year 9 starting a 3-year GCSE Music course. So far, the students have studied the foundations of music through the application of the elements of music but going into greater depth to expand their use of musical terminology & vocabulary. They have been getting more familiar with their instruments and what effective practice is for meaningful progress through target setting. Year 10 have also been studying these foundations as they start their 2-year program. These REAL experiences give the students an opportunity to experience what it's like to be a performer in the music industry.

Year 11

Year 11 have been working extensively on their free composition in the final year of their 2-year GCSE Music course. This composition is worth 15% of their overall grade, in a style of their choice and encompasses all of the elements of music learnt over the course of the last 4 years. Composition 2 is taking place on Wednesday 23rd October, which is an all-day event for the students to showcase their knowledge and skills in a brief set by the exam board, also worth 15% of their overall grade. These REAL experiences give the students an opportunity to experience what it's like to be a composer in the music industry.

Drama at Westgate

It’s been an exciting start to the year in Drama, with each year group diving into both practical and theoretical aspects of theatre. Here’s what each year group has been focusing on:

Year 7 & 8

Years 7 and 8 have been working hard on their ‘Introduction to Drama’ unit, where they learn all of the basic skills and really get a feel for what ‘Drama’ really is! As they get more comfortable with creating and performing practical work, we aim to develop these same skills over the rest of the term until Christmas. The constant performing will prepare them for not only the dramatic world, but any public speaking or presentations they may have to do in or out of school, as well as beyond!

Year 9 & 10

Years 9 and 10 are both in their first GCSE year as we have just made the switch from a 2-year to 3-year GCSE. Similar to Years 7 and 8, we have focused on giving them all the tools necessary to succeed with an ‘Introduction to GCSE Drama’ Unit. Here, they continue to work on the core drama skills developed in Key Stage 3, but with an attention to detail that is aimed at developing mastery. We have also covered the basic practitioners and theatre styles, enriching students’ exposure to and understanding of the creation of professional theatre, rather than having drama taught simply as a secondary school subject.

Year 11

Year 11 are working away on their Devising piece, which accounts for 40% of their final GCSE for drama. We have narrowed down the inspirations and intentions for their piece as they home in on their narratives and work on incorporating the key skills and knowledge learned through their first 4 years of secondary drama.