School Curriculum and Timetable

Pupils follow a modified curriculum and details of how the time is found for them to combine their training with their academic studies in the course of the school week can be viewed below:

Introduction

Successful candidates for S1 are expected to complete P7 in their current school and join Bellahouston Academy in August along with the rest of the S1 cohort. Any ‘late entrants’ ie those joining Bellahouston in S2-6 will be expected to begin when the timetable changes in late May/early June.

In general terms, for years 1-3 we follow Curriculum for Excellence offering breadth, balance and choice.
This is refined with options during S2 for those youngsters moving into S3. The courses chosen here will be followed for S3 and S4 with the main aim being NAT 5 at the end of S4 in the chosen subjects.

Options will again be made for Senior School – S4 into S5 and S5 into S6 – with pupil choices reflecting progression/College/University/Work aspirations.
Pupils joining years 3-6 will be included in any Options process/information once the outcome of the application process is complete.

GSOS pupils have a unique experience which is reflected in our whole school timetable. We hope to offer GSOS pupils the following:

• Daily sports contact as far as possible
• Year groups timetabled together for training purposes – S1 and S2, S3 and S4 and S5 and 6
• Sports contact time increases as pupils move through these year group pairings
• S1 and S2 will see all practical subjects across the two years but not in both years
• S3 and S4 pupils will have English and Maths plus 4 subjects, ie 6 National Courses in total. Main school pupils will have 8 National courses in total
• S5 and S6 pupils will have two options – 3 subjects with GSOS or 4 subjects with GSOS. The three subject option maximises the sports contacts and the four subject reduces the sports contacts in the course of a week
• PE is an option for S3/4 and S5/6

For all year groups the aim is to timetable in such a way that all year groups have a daily contact with GSOS. In order to get the sports contacts for the various year groups the arrangements are as follows:

S1 and S2

Both year groups have 8 GSOS periods in the course of the week. These will be timetabled together for training purposes on double periods (usually 3 double periods) and can be at different times for strength and conditioning sessions (the remaining 2 periods).

To allow for daily sports contact, these 8 periods are taken from the following academic areas:

3 x core PE
2 x Home Economics
3 x single period of practical subjects – eg Music, ICT, Enterprise, Technical, Art, Drama

We endeavour to ensure GSOS pupils see all practical subjects in either S1 or S2

S3 and S4

Both year groups have 10 GSOS periods in the course of the week. As for S1/2, these will be timetabled together most often with double periods for training but single periods may be timetabled for a single year group for strength and conditioning sessions.

To allow for daily sports contact, these 10 periods are taken from the following academic areas:

3 x core PE
2 subjects each x 3 – a total of 6 periods
1 x Personal Achievement

S5 and S6

There are two routes on offer here for our Senior Pupils. Pupils can follow a 3 subject route giving them 14 GSOS contacts or a 4 subject route giving them 8 GSOS contacts in a week.

The pupils can choose to ‘mix and match’ in terms of 3 subjects in S5 and 4 in S6 or vice versa.

14 contacts (3 subject route) come from:
• 2 subjects each x 6 – total 12
• 1 x RE
• 1 x PE/PSHE (a half year rotation for main school)

8 contacts (4 subject route) come from:
• 1 subject x 6
• 1 x RE
• 1 x PE/PSHE (as above)

If you have questions ahead of completing an application for your son/daughter please feel free to get in touch with us at any time

In this guide