The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form has extended its curriculum to support entrepreneurial students, adding a Business Studies GCSE to its varied subject offering.
Over 75% of GCSE students for 2018/19 have already snapped up places on the course, which will teach them the key principles involved in building and running a successful business when it starts in September.
The Wensleydale School’s curriculum extension comes amid reports of a creative cut-back in schools across the country, with subjects such as art, drama and music being squeezed from curriculums in favour of a greater emphasis on traditional academic subjects.
Julia Polley, Headteacher at The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, said: “It’s great to see students’ enthusiasm for our new Business Studies GCSE course, which will equip them with valuable business skills that can be applied to a large number of future careers.
“While many other schools are cutting their curriculum offer, we are committed to enhancing and strengthening ours.”
“We’re here to help our students realise their dreams, and our wide-ranging curriculum gives them the ability to pursue their talents and grasp every opportunity that a rounded education provides.
“This has been reflected in our recent successes, with the 2016/17 academic year seeing us achieve some of our best GCSE and A-level results yet, and more and more students applying to be a part of our school community.”
The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form is rated Good by Ofsted. In 2017, the school celebrated some of its best ever GCSE results as 70% of students achieved a Level four or above in maths and English – which is significantly higher than the national average. Despite lower numbers of children coming through from Year 6 this September, the number of people applying to the school has also increased.
The new GCSE offer is part of longer term vision for the school to help the region’s growing SME community.
Charles Barnett, Head of the Sixth Form, added: “We have recently launched a new Sixth Form offer that will support and nurture entrepreneurial ability through a unique partnership with the Lower Wensleydale Business Network.
“This is an exciting new development that will enable young people to drive the local economy.”
Places are still available in the main school and Sixth Form for September 2018.
For more information on The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, and the broad range of subjects it offers its students, visit: www.wensleydale.n-yorks.sch.uk
