BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO. Training tomorrow s business leaders and technological innovators

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1 BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO Training tomorrow s business leaders and technological innovators

2 Bicester Technology Studio 1 WELCOME Bicester Technology Studio is a new school offering a whole new approach to learning. Now under construction, Bicester Technology Studio (BTS) will open in September 2016 for young people in Years 10 and 12. It will develop students practical, academic and problem-solving skills through real-world projects and exceptional links with leading local employers. Students will gain excellent transferable skills to take into employment and higher education, as well as getting a head start into the area s growth industries. Our vision is to train tomorrow s business leaders and technological innovators. Our specialisms in sustainable technologies and logistics will offer students a clear line of sight into employment in two of the UK s most exciting and fastest-growing sectors. These young people will have the skills, confidence and know-how required to shape the future of Bicester and beyond. I look forward to sharing more of our vision for BTS at one of taster events. In the meantime, this prospectus offers more information on our unique approach and includes details of how to apply. Richard Brown Principal Designate, Bicester Technology Studio BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO 10 KEY FACTS 1. Launching September 2016 from new, purpose-built facilities in Bicester 2. Offering 110 places for boys and girls in Year 10 and Year 12 from September 2016, eventually growing to 310 students aged 14 to Offering core GCSEs and A-levels alongside specialisms in sustainable technologies and logistics 4. A curriculum focused on practical learning and problem solving, developed in partnership with leading local employers 5. Focus on work experience and coaching 6. No fees and no entrance tests for Year A regional catchment area spanning approximately 15 miles 8. Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) curriculum - core GCSEs and options including additional GCSEs and BTEC qualifications 9. Key Stage 5 (Years 12 and 13) options - A-levels, BTEC qualifications, specialist learning and a strong emphasis on leadership and employability skills 10. Clear progression for all students into higher education, employment and apprenticeships Find out more: 93BN THE LOGISTICS SECTOR IS WORTH OVER 93BN TO THE UK ECONOMY

3 Contents 3 CONTENTS What is a Studio School? 4 What do you get at BTS? 6 Our specialisms 8 Find out more about project-based learning 9 Imagine your day 10 Your career pathway 12 The Key Stage 4 programme 14 The Key Stage 5 programme 16 Sponsors, partners and stakeholders 18 Join at 14 - how to apply 20 Are you ready to move to BTS? 22 Join at 16 - how to apply 23 Find us 26 Lead sponsor Lead sponsor Industry partners Supporters

4 BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO PROSPECTUS What is a Studio School? 4 5 WHAT IS A STUDIO SCHOOL? Studio Schools are a new concept in education - offering a pioneering approach to learning. By combining practical projects with coaching and work experience from industry partners, learning is rooted in the real world. Studio Schools are designed for year olds. They are small schools for approximately 300 students.they feel more like a workplace than a school, with an 8.30am - 5pm working day. Practical learning Enquiry-based learning is at the heart of the Studio School curriculum model. Students will learn the national curriculum principally through enterprise projects involving industry partners. Studio Schools offer academic and vocational qualifications, as well as work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area. Students gain a broad range of employability and life skills, and will have the option to progress onto university, into an apprenticeship or employment. Real work Students in Year 10 and 11 will participate in a day of work experience each week and students in Year 12 and 13 will spend two days a week in work. At the heart of the Studio School model are seven key features which have been developed through extensive research and consultation with employers, education experts and young people: Academic excellence Studio Schools teach the national curriculum including core GCSEs in English, mathematics and science, alongside their individual specialisms. Employability and enterprise skills Using the CREATE skills framework (Communication, Relating to people, Enterprise, Applied skills, Thinking skills and Emotional intelligence), employability and life skills underpin all activities at a Studio School. Personalised curriculum All students are assigned a personal coach who meets with them to develop their own personalised learning plan. This will allow students to tailor the curriculum to their individual needs and aspirations and track their progress towards their CREATE skills and qualifications. Small schools With approximately 300 students, Studio Schools offer a supportive, personalised learning environment in which strong pastoral care runs throughout the school s activities. This helps to ensure that no young person gets lost within the institution and that students are able to build strong relationships with their peers and coaches. Students of all abilities Studio Schools are fully inclusive and comply with the national school admissions code.

5 6 WHAT DO YOU GET AT BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO? An exciting curriculum All students at BTS will study GCSEs and A-levels alongside vocational qualifications that reflect our specialisms. This will ensure that students make the most of their talents and can successfully move into higher education, apprenticeships or directly into employment. Our vision is to develop the business leaders and technological innovators of the future but we also believe it s important to keep students career options open. Formal learning will be enhanced by enrichment activities designed to develop wellrounded individuals. These will include: voluntary activities that extend the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and modern foreign language aspects of the curriculum community engagement activities that support the corporate social responsibility / PSHE (personal, social and health education) aspects of the curriculum leisure and creative activities that build habits for a healthy work-life balance and develop creativity and self-confidence A clear line of sight into employment Students at BTS will gain both a deep and relevant knowledge of up-to-date technology, sustainability and business practice, and the personal skills needed to succeed in work. Projects designed with and supported by industry partners will form the backbone of the curriculum. The working week will include an experience of real work gained through regular, meaningful placements with local businesses. All of this combines to offer students a clear line of sight into employment. By designing our curriculum in partnership with leading local employers, we can ensure that skills developed match those required in the workplace. As a result, BTS students will be known to employers and will become highly sought-after employees. A dynamic learning environment Bicester Technology Studio will provide a relevant and stretching curriculum with a large element of hands-on, technical learning. Students will benefit from learning in a wellequipped, supportive environment which feels more like a workplace than a school. Tutors and coaches will empower students to develop independent learning skills. The school will appeal to those who prefer practical, applied learning styles and problem solving aligned to real-world situations. Transferable skills that can take you anywhere When our students leave BTS and enter employment or higher education, they need to feel confident to work both independently and collaboratively in a professional environment. Group project and independent assignment work will develop essential soft skills such as communication, team work, creativity and problem solving. Students will learn to handle freedom and responsibilities for managing their own time and workloads as they would when they take up a paid job. The working day will be longer than a traditional school with learning running from 8.30am to 5pm (including time for homework).

6 8 Find out more about project-based learning 9 OUR SPECIALISMS Sustainable technologies Bicester is at the forefront of the latest advances in sustainable technologies. Having been identified as one of the UK s new Garden Towns it is undergoing a transformation, with 13,000 homes being built at new communities including Graven Hill, Kingsmere and North West Bicester. At North West Bicester, partners are creating the UK s first eco-town a zero carbon community of homes, businesses, public facilities and open spaces. Bicester Technology Studio s specialism in sustainable technologies is designed to support the skills needs of Bicester as it builds a national and international reputation for sustainability. We are working with A2 Dominion and Wilmott Dixon, the developer and contractor at North West Bicester, to design the curriculum and shape projects. Students will be able to specialise at Year 10 and Year 12 via BTECs in Construction and the Built Environment, as well as gain other specialist qualifications. This will enable them to prepare for careers in areas including: product design, architecture, engineering, heat and power management, site management and community planning. Logistics Have you ever considered how an item you purchase at the touch of a button arrives at your door the following day; or how retailers stay on top of the latest trends to get new lines into store at just the right time? From managing the systems that get a single item to the right customer, to planning the movement of thousands of product lines, logistics is the business that keeps the country - and the world - moving. The industry is essential to the prosperity of North Oxfordshire as well as to the UK, which is fourth in the World Bank s list of top logistics performers. In fact the sector is worth more than 93bn to the UK economy. This is a technologically advanced, globally connected and people-focused industry, which needs skilled staff who can keep pace with customer demands. At Bicester Technology Studio we are working with leading local employers to design a curriculum that meets their employment needs. Careers in this sector are diverse from designing and managing systems that connect products with their customers to analysing data and product buying. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Project-based learning will be a key part of life at Bicester Technology Studio. It s an approach already proving successful at another member of the Activate Learning schools division UTC Reading. Here s a snapshot of two recent projects, delivered with the help of UTC Reading s industry partners. Reading train station regeneration Peter Brett Associates (PBA) set students a project to re-design the space between the new Reading railway station and interchange. The project had to consider the impact on the community, surrounding buildings, sustainability and economic viability. Teams had to complete research, develop initial design concepts and create their final design using CAD (computer aided design) technology and a scale model using 3D printers. Throughout the project, students attended workshops run by PBA, who also provided a mentor to each team. The mentors met four times with their teams, providing expert guidance and giving support and feedback. The project finished in an exhibition-style presentation. Judges spent time at each team s project space, shortlisting five teams to present their ideas at a formal presentation at PBA s offices. The winning team impressed the judges with their creative flythrough built with gaming software Minecraft, Heathrow-style check in and sleeping pods. Classroom of the future IT specialists Cisco challenged students to design a classroom of the future that showcased the latest in technology and benefited not only UTC students, but other local schools too. As part of the challenge, students split into teams to work on different competences project management, physical security, virtual security, business case development and marketing. They were mentored by employees from Cisco who gave invaluable insight and advice. Students attended workshops and seminars led by Cisco that were relevant to their project role. This helped them to broaden their understanding in areas such as project management, routing and switching of networks and project budgeting. In the final weeks of the project, teams submitted their online project and marketing plans. IT teams spent an afternoon testing their online security and virtual security and business case teams had to present to a panel of experts on their elements of the project. Cisco awarded prizes to the best team for each competency and awarded an overall prize. WORKING ON THE PETER BRETT ASSOCIATES PROJECT HAS BEEN EXCITING AND A REWARDING LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. AS THE TEAM S PROJECT MANAGER I VE LEARNT A LOT ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE A TEAM AND ENSURE THEY ARE COMPLETING THEIR TASKS ON TIME. Thomas Stanley UTC Reading student

7 BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO PROSPECTUS IMAGINE YOUR DAY Imagine your day 11

8 12 Your career pathway 13 YOUR CAREER PATHWAY This diagram shows the typical characteristics of a BTS learner and how the school will lead to career pathways in local growth industries. Developing the skills required to shape the future of Bicester and beyond SPECIALISM Logistics JOB ROLES Chief buyer/buyer Supply chain manager Logistics project manager Procurement manager/officer Customer relations manager Production manager/officer Systems manager Planning analyst Data analyst TRANSFERABLE SKILLS SELF-AWARE TEAM PLAYER INDEPENDENT CREATIVE THINKER GOOD COMMUNICATOR STRONG WORK ETHOS TECHNICALLY SKILLED DIGITALLY LITERATE SELF-MOTIVATED EXPERIENCED RESILIENT SPECIALISM Sustainable technologies JOB ROLES Architect Site manager Product designer Project manager Computing specialist Solar/district heating/heat pump or wood-burning specialist Telecoms engineer Community planner Engineer Curious Practical Creative Tech-savvy Questioning Problem solver Business-minded Career-focused Interest in the built environment Interest in how things work Interest in green issues Knowledge-intensive Technologically advanced Globally connected People-centric

9 14 the key stage 4 programme 15 THE KEY STAGE 4 PROGRAMME Students will study core subjects and be encouraged to gain a minimum of five GCSEs grade A* - C. Optional subjects will include additional GCSE subjects and BTEC qualifications. MEANINGFUL WORK PLACEMENTS Voluntary work Sports and PE Personal, social and health education ENRICHMENT All students will choose one of our specialisms: sustainable technologies logistics At Key Stage 4 students would: learn mostly through tutor-led seminars develop effective individual learning techniques experience working life through meaningful work placements be encouraged to set ambitious career goals practise what they have learnt on real-life projects Languages History Geography Product design Computer science ADDITIONAL EXAM SUBJECTS THE KEY STAGE 4 PROGRAMME English Mathematics Science CORE EXAM SUBJECTS Work/life balance Interpersonal skills Digital literacy EMBEDDED LEARNING Logistics Sustainable technologies SPECIALISMS PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AND ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDING BTECS

10 16 the key stage 5 programme 17 THE KEY STAGE 5 PROGRAMME Students will be able to join BTS at 16 or progress from Key Stage 4. Core subjects include A-levels and BTEC diplomas in engineering and construction or business and computing. Embedded learning and enrichment activities at this stage will be specifically targeted towards developing the skills and attitudes that make a student employable. Mathematics Physics MEANINGFUL WORK PLACEMENTS Voluntary work Sports and PE Personal, social and health education ENRICHMENT At Key Stage 5 students would: study through increased project-based work and individual learning participate in highly relevant work placements take part in expanded enrichment activities, including community work develop self-supervising skills Complementary AS/A-level and BTEC qualifications A-LEVELS THE KEY STAGE 5 PROGRAMME Engineering and construction Business and computing SPECIALISMS Leadership skills Interpersonal skills Digital literacy Employability skills EMBEDDED LEARNING

11 18 sponsors, partners and stakeholders 19 SPONSORS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS Lead sponsor Activate Learning Activate Learning brings together secondary, further and higher education, training and management consultancy, commercial businesses and social enterprise throughout Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Its mission is to transform lives through learning. The growing Activate Learning schools division comprises: - UTC Reading - specialising in computer science and engineering, UTC Reading is the only UTC in the country to be rated outstanding across all areas by Ofsted - UTC Oxfordshire - specialising in science and engineering, UTC Oxfordshire opened from new, purpose-built facilities at Didcot s Great Western Park in September The Bicester School - formerly known as Bicester Community College, the new academy is rated good by Ofsted and achieved its best ever GCSE results in summer 2015, with 74% of pupils achieving five or more A* - C grades We are liaising with these industry partners to confirm their involvement in the operation of BTS in a number of ways: consultancy and advice on curriculum design and content employer accreditations employer-led projects and challenges coaching and mentoring work experience opportunities product donations Supporters THE NEW TECHNICAL SCHOOL PROMISES TO BE A HUGELY VALUABLE ADDITION TO THE RANGE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AVAILABLE IN THE BICESTER AREA. IT WILL ALSO HELP SUPPORT THE THRIVING OXFORDSHIRE ECONOMY BY EQUIPPING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND BUSINESS SKILLS NEEDED BY LOCALLY BASED INDUSTRIES. Councillor Melinda Tilley, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families - Oxfordshire County Council Lead sponsor Industry partners Our key industry partners are: A2Dominion Bioregional Brita Chiltern Railways RED Engineering Willmott Dixon Zeta Specialist Lighting

12 20 Eligible Locations 21 JOIN AT 14 - HOW TO APPLY ELIGIBLE LOCATIONS There will be 40 Year 10 places available in September If you are currently in Year 9 and live within the 15 mile catchment area of Bicester Technology Studio you can apply for a place. There are no tests to join BTS at 14. A set proportion of places will be allocated to young people living in each of the three designated postcode areas. This means that applicants living anywhere in the catchment area will be given equal consideration regardless of the proximity of their home address to BTS. Where the number of applicants for admission is greater than the published admissions number, applications would be considered against the criteria set out below. After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs, where Bicester Technology Studio is named on the statement, the criteria would be applied in this order: Looked after children Children who attend The Bicester School (formerly Bicester Community College) Siblings of students in attendance at BTS in Years 10 to 13 30% of places to applications within catchment area one, which includes all postcodes in OX25, OX26 and OX27 30% of places to applications within catchment area two, which includes all postcodes in OX3, OX5, OX20, OX27, OX33, HP18, MK18 and NN13 30% of places to applications within catchment area three, which includes all postcodes in OX1, OX2, OX4, OX7,OX9, OX15, OX16, OX17, OX28, OX29, OX44 and HP22 The remaining 10% of places will be allocated to pupils living outside of the postcodes listed above, with those living closest to the front gates of BTS (straight line distance) being admitted. If any of the areas are undersubscribed, the places from such areas will be randomly allocated to applicants in oversubscribed area(s). How to apply To apply for a place in Year 10 at BTS, please complete the online application form on our website We will inform your Local Authority that you have applied to change schools. GL Area one: OX25, OX26 and OX27 Area 1: OX25, Area OX26 two: and OX27 OX3, OX5, OX20, OX27, OX33, Area 2: OX3, HP18, OX5, MK18 OX20, and NN13 OX27, OX33, HP18, MK18 and NN13 Area 3: OX1, OX2, OX4, OX7, OX9, OX15, OX16, OX17, OX28, OX29, OX44 and HP22 CV OX7 OX16 BANBURY CHIPPING NORTON OX20 WOODSTOCK OX28 OX15 WITNEY OX29 OX2 OX17 OX5 KIDLINGTON OXFORD OX1 Area three: OX1, OX2, OX4, OX7, OX9, OX15, OX16, OX17, OX28, OX29, OX44 and HP22 OX25 OX3 OX4 NN13 OX27 OX26 BICESTER OX33 OX44 NN BUCKINGHAM MK18 HP18 OAKLEY THAME OX9 HP22 MK HP SN RG

13 22 Join at 16 - how to apply 23 ARE YOU READY TO MOVE TO BTS? JOIN AT 16 - HOW TO APPLY We believe that there are many very good reasons to choose Bicester Technology Studio at 14. However, we also understand that the decision to change school at 14 is a big one. In Year 9 as you prepare for your transition to BTS we will work with you, your family and your existing school to make sure that you are making the right decision. In making the move from your school to BTS it is important that: you are not deciding on your own, but that you have the support of your existing school and your parents or carers you come to taster events that we put on to get a feel for the school and what it will be like studying here you come and talk to us you take advantage of the support, guidance and welfare on offer Once you have made a decision to come we will continue to work with your existing school so that you can take advantage of visits to BTS towards the end of Year 9. What matters to us is that you have made the right decision. There will be 70 Year 12 places available in September If you are currently in Year 11, you can join the Bicester Technology Studio after your GCSEs. There is no catchment area for the sixth form. How to apply You can apply for your place in Year 12 at BTS on our website: On receipt of your application form, we will invite you for a meeting to discuss your application. Your offer of a place is likely to be conditional on achieving certain GCSE grades. In order to gain entry to the sixth form, you must have passed GCSE English and mathematics at grade A* - C. You will also need to achieve five GCSEs at A*-C. If this is not the case, you will be able to join a one-year programme at Level 2 that will prepare you for the Level 3 course the following year.

14 24 Find us 25 FIND US Bicester Technology Studio will operate from a new, purpose-built facility in Queens Avenue, Bicester, next to The Bicester School (previously Bicester Community College). Construction work is now underway. Until the site is ready to welcome visitors, we will be holding taster and information events at venues around the area. Taster events We will be holding a series of taster events from September These will be an opportunity to meet the BTS team, find out more about the school and its curriculum and try activities set by our industry partners. Look out for dates and details on our website. Get in touch enquiries@bicestertechstudio.org.uk Call: Keep up to date CHERWELL DISTRICT COUNCIL FULLY SUPPORTS BICESTER TECHNOLOGY STUDIO. MANY HOMES AND JOBS ARE BEING CREATED IN THE TOWN AS A RESULT OF HUGE INVESTMENT ALREADY UNDERWAY AND BTS WILL ENSURE THAT THE FUTURE WORKFORCE HAS THE SPECIALIST SKILLS TO ADD TO OUR STRONG LOGISTICS AND CONSTRUCTION SECTORS. Councillor Norman Bolster Cherwell District Council

15 Lead sponsor