Communications College
A curriculum for all
Communications College is where our students learn English, Media Studies and Modern Foreign Languages, including French, Spanish, German and Urdu and enrichment opportunities to study Russian. We also offer teaching in ESOL (English for speakers of other languages). Our curriculum offers the opportunity for creativity and academic development in a supportive and engaging environment through the curriculum or through our care and guidance for over 300 home students who have their tutor base in Communications College.
We are fortunate enough to have a team of committed and enthusiastic teachers and support staff who have the individual student’s needs at the centre of all that we do. Communications College believes that imagination, individuality and creativity are to be fostered, along with a strong work ethos and responsibility for one’s own progression.
Achievements
Up to the summer of 2011, our results in English at GCSE had shown good progress upwards, but we are currently in dispute over the awarding of grades in last summer’s round of results and are appealing against the legality of the grade boundary shift that occurred. As a result we are giving increased numbers of students an opportunity to re-sit their English GCSE exams in November.
At A2 level 98% of students passed in English Literature and over 75% of passes in Media Studies were awarded grades A*-C. Over 80% of A level grades in MFL were among the top grades of A*-C.
At GCSE, around 75% of our students achieved grades A*- C in MFL, as did 80% of our students in Media Studies.
Enrichment and external links
Miss White works with students to participate in debating competitions across the region. She also regularly helps students who are taking part in the Peterborough Schools Drama Festival.
The Modern Languages department offer a weekly enrichment activity, the Year 7 French Club, run by our French assistant. There are also fortnightly Russian lessons with Mrs Ball and Mandarin Chinese lessons are offered by Mr Spiess in Science College to Key Stage 5 students. We have for many years run a successful Spanish exchange to Adra in Andalucía for students studying Spanish at GCSE and A level and, in a first for the Academy, we are offering students of German an exchange to Kirchberg near Dresden in March next year. In December this year, 48 Year 7 students will be travelling to Ostende to visit a Belgian Christmas market.
The Media Studies team works with the publishing giant Bauer to inspire and develop photography and publishing skills to enable our students to produce outstanding coursework.