Head of King's Magna Middle School for Years 6-9, Joe Birchall, explains the school's new developments for the 2024-25 academic year
King's Magna Middle School (KM), part of Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate in York, is best known for its state-of-the-art facilities, exceptional extra-curricular offering, and its highly respected position as the main feeder school into the high-ranking QE College and QE Faculty schools.
From Year 6, it offers a programme of individual support and study skills sessions to best prepare students for success at GCSE and A Level, the results of which are evident in how the two senior schools perform, with the combined percentages for 2024 at 78% A*/A at A Level, 73% Distinction in BTECs and 62% grades 7-9 in GCSEs.
The school seamlessly bridges the gap between primary and secondary education whilst allowing plenty of time for enrichment activities, of which there are over 75 available to students, including a huge variety of sport, creative arts, performing arts and academic clubs ranging from STEM to Mandarin. This year, Spanish, German, French, Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Debating, Table Tennis, Spinning, and Fencing have been added to the vast curriculum enrichment programme, allowing students to take two of these options within their weekly timetable.
King's Magna is always looking to the future. Each year new opportunities are added to the curriculum options, of which students in Years 6-9 choose two choices to focus on each term. In Year 9, students choose an additional four 'specialisms' such as Business Studies, Computing, Design Technology, Home Economics and Photography. This year, three 'higher-level challenge' options have been added - two mathematics choices and one science. The science option allows students to take part in competitions to build and program robots and to design experiments that will be sent to space. This subject option allows students to work towards a Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) which stretches and challenges students through the requirement of independent research on a topic that becomes a written report, an artefact or a production. The HPQ is GCSE level and candidates are awarded the equivalent of a short-course GCSE upon completion, which can also be used to apply for the nationally-recognised CREST Silver award.
The maths-focused option is divided into two routes; 'Stretch' which pushes those that are academically gifted and 'Support' which brings students up to a higher maths level. The 'Stretch' programme covers topics from the Level 3 Certificate in Mathematical Studies including analysis of data, personal finance, modelling and estimation, critical path analysis, project work, and cost-benefit analysis. Whereas the 'Support' pathway allows students to learn, and be examined in, the Level 1 Functional Skills Mathematics qualification and covers the use of number, the number system, the use of measures, shape and space, problem solving, and handling information and data, all of which will aid the transition to GCSE study.
New for 2024, the middle school decided to invest heavily in the core subjects of mathematics and English by timetabling a lesson of each into every single school day in addition to offering single science lessons in biology, chemistry, and physics. This further benefits students in their transition to GCSE and A Level study by providing a solid Key Stage 3 foundation for compulsory GCSE subjects. The curriculum has been specifically built so that choices are wrapped around a focus on the core subjects, allowing each student to follow their passions whilst developing core skills and knowledge.
Lastly, in addition to offering eight bus routes throughout Yorkshire including to and from Wetherby, King's Magna has launched free wraparound care from 7.30am - 6pm for all students. This popular offering allows pupils additional social time, access to facilities, and further academic support whilst offering parents more flexibility with drop-off and pick-up times for school, matches and clubs. It also compliments the school's occasional (14 days a year), part-time, and full-time boarding offering for Years 6-9.
King Magna's students move into QE's senior schools which are ranked 1st and 2nd in Yorkshire for Academic Results in the Telegraph Independent Exam Results 2024. QE Faculty, which just won the ISA Senior School of the Year Award, offers performance sport and art pathways and the more academically focused, QE College, ranked 1st in The North for Academic Results in the Sunday Times Parent Power for a fourth year in a row. To learn more visit qe.org, email admissions@qe.org or visit the school on their upcoming January 25 open morning.