COURSES
Vocational study at BOSCO
Vocational Study at Bosco
At Bosco our aim is to get you ready for the world of work. If you sign up for our study programme you will choose a vocational core subject that will help you enter your chosen area of work.
We will always attempt to create a personalised course for all students who are committed to studying at Bosco. If you show us that you are willing to learn then we will do everything we can to design a course that meets your needs. There are various starting points on your learning journey depending on your previous qualifications and any specific emotional or learning needs:
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Supported Internship
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Diamond
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Level 3
Supported Internship
If you have more complex needs you will be supported into the world of work through an extended work placement in either one of our business activities or in a partner organisation.
Diamond – A Stepping Stone to a Brighter Future
This is a flexible programme that aims to enable students to achieve a full Level 2 qualification. Many of you will join us from Year 11 with a very mixed profile of qualifications ranging from ungraded to GCSE in English, maths and a range of other subjects.
When you first come to Bosco we will work out what is the best level to start you on. Depending on the results of this process we will either start you on a Level 2 programme or on our Access to Learning Programme.
Access to Learning
This course has been designed to get you back into the habit of learning. It is a level one 12 week intensive foundation programme that has been designed to re engage you and prepare you for a full level 2 course.
Students will choose one Intensive Foundation Courses:
• Child Care
• Employability
• Customer Service
In addition students will follow a programme that includes:
• Entry level/ level 1 English and maths
• European Computer Driving Licence
• Personal Development
Level 2
This is a full-time course that involves you studying English, maths, ICT, personal development, work experience and one of the following vocational subjects:
• Business
• Information Technology (Digital Pathways)
• Child Care
• Health and Social Care (from September 2022)
• Customer Service
• Sport
If you successfully complete this course (including a level 2 English and maths qualification) you can progress onto the Level 3 qualification.
Level 3
Currently you can choose one of the following pathways:
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Business and Marketing
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Child Care
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Digital Technologies
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Sport and Physical Activity
In order to start on a Level 3 course you need to have achieved at least a grade 4 in GCSE English and maths or have passed the Level 2 Functional Skills in both subjects.
All vocational pathways include work placements that will give you experience of the world of work. Most assignments are written with support from professionals from the workplace and they are available to help you with your studies.
Course List
Cambridge Technicals in Business
Cambridge Technicals are vocational qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3 for students aged sixteen plus. They are designed with the workplace and progression to higher education in mind and provide a high-quality alternative to A Levels at level 3. Qualifications at levels 2 and 3 have a mixture of internal and external assessments.
LEVEL 2 Certificate in Business
Our Level 2 Business course aims to develop your understanding and skills of the essentials of the business industry. You will gain an insight into the business sector and develop applied knowledge and practical skills in business administration, retail and customer service sectors.
Designed in collaboration with industry experts, the qualifications focus on the requirements that today’s employers demand.
You will learn about the principles of working in a business environment and gain a good understanding of the role of an administrator. You will also learn about the role of social media and communications in business.
When you complete this qualification, you will have the skills to either start a job in business administration, start an apprenticeship or progress onto the level 3 course.
LEVEL 3 Diploma in Business (Marketing)
This is a two year full time course that will lead to a diploma in Business. This course will help you to achieve your potential and progress to the next stage of your life, whether that is higher education, an apprenticeship or employment.
In developing the content of this qualification OCR consulted with universities, employers and industry specialists to make sure that you will gain the right combination of knowledge, understanding and skills required for the 21st century.
You will be assessed through a combination of external and centre assessed units including practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities.
This course focuses on the marketing pathway and will give you a broad understanding of the requirements of this field of work.
You will learn the about business and the skills necessary to work in a business environment. You will gain an understanding of what businesses need to change and how decisions are made. You will also develop project management skills.
The marketing pathway will introduce you to marketing and market research and you will be expected to develop a marketing strategy and campaign for real businesses.
When you complete this qualification, you will have the skills to either start a job in business administration, start a higher-level apprenticeship or progress into higher education.
Early Years Educator (Child Care)
Our Child Care students study for practical qualifications that will allow them to start work in a nursery or early years setting directly they have completed their qualification. At Bosco we run our own commercial nursery, so our students have unprecedented access to a real work environment throughout your course.
The City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner
This course meets the Department for Education’s Level 2 full and relevant criteria for a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner for those working in the early years workforce in England.
We will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of working with babies and young children from birth to 7 years and will support you to develop the practical and technical skills needed to work with children up to the age of 5 years.
Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator)
To achieve this qualification you will be required to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of early years education and care, including that you can support and promote children's early education and development.
Topics that will study include:
• child development
• professional development
• safeguarding children
• diversity, equality and inclusion
• positive behaviour and transitions
• working in partnership
• promoting children’s speech, language and communication
• theories underpinning practice
• supporting children’s activities.
Cambridge Technicals in Information Technology (Digital Pathway)
Cambridge Technicals are vocational qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3 for students aged sixteen plus. They are designed with the workplace and progression to higher education in mind and provide a high-quality alternative to A Levels at level 3. Qualifications at levels 2 and 3 have a mixture of internal and external assessments.
LEVEL 2 Cambridge Technical in IT
This course will develop your understanding and skills of the essentials of IT and cyber security. You will gain an insight into the IT sector as you investigate the pace of technological change, IT infrastructure on a global scale, and the importance of legal and security considerations. Designed in collaboration with industry experts, the qualifications focus on the requirements that today’s employers demand.
Thanks to a broad range of centre-assessed units with practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities, as well as examined units on the Essentials of IT and Essentials of Cyber Security, these are focused qualifications.
LEVEL 3 Cambridge Technical in IT
This qualification will help you develop your potential and progress to the next stage of your life, whether that’s higher education, an apprenticeship or employment.
The content is refreshing, exciting up to date, engaging, fit for purpose and suitable for the needs of the IT industry. There are an extensive range of centre-assessed units with practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities, as well as examined units on the Fundamentals of IT, Global Information, Cyber Security, and Cloud Technology.
Cambridge Technicals in Sport and Physical Activity
Cambridge Technicals are vocational qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3 for students aged sixteen plus. They are designed with the workplace and progression to higher education in mind and provide a high-quality alternative to A Levels at level 3. Qualifications at levels 2 and 3 have a mixture of internal and external assessments.
In our Sport course you will learn all things about the body and other external factors around sport. This will be achieved in a relaxed and supportive environment where there will always be support for you while you learn. Once you have learnt all the basic knowledge you will be encouraged to complete individual learning and develop your confidence.
You will also be encouraged to coach either with our Football Academy or other sporting setting.
Level 2 Cambridge Technical in Sport and Physical Activity
This qualification aims to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills of the essentials of sport. You will gain an insight into the sport and physical activity industry. Designed in collaboration with industry experts the qualifications focus on the requirements that today’s employers demand.
Thanks to a broad range of centre assessed units with practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities, as well as examined units on physical activity, health and wellbeing and physical preparation and readiness for sport and physical activity these are qualifications focused on getting jobs in the industry.
Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Sport and Physical Activity
This qualification will help you to achieve their potential and progress to the next stage of your life, whether that’s higher education, an apprenticeship or employment.
We have designed refreshing and exciting content that’s up to date, engaging and fit for purpose.
You will complete a wide range of centre assessed units with practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities. You will also complete examinations for some units.
Topics covered include:
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Body systems and the effects of physical activity
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Sports coaching and activity leadership
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Sports organisation and development
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Sports injuries and rehabilitation
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Practical skills in sport and physical activities
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Introduction to ESOL
Introduction to ESOL
In our ESOL course you will learn English in a relaxed and supportive environment. Our course is topic-based and each lesson you will learn new language and gain practice in all four skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking. The classes are very small and intimate which means you can progress at your own pace. We prepare you for the City and Guilds ESOL Skills for Life exam suite.
As we have relationships with local organisations, we also incorporate voluntary work into our ESOL programme and often take part in projects with local museums and art galleries. We also try to go on various cultural trips, using London as a resource.
By studying ESOL you can improve your English language skills, increase your confidence to be able to take part in everyday life situations in the UK and gain more opportunities for further study or work.
Career opportunities/areas of further study
Whilst some go straight into the workplace, most of our students go on to other learning environments to take courses in vocational subjects to prepare them for a career in the UK.
Level:
Entry 1
Hours of study per week:
12
Exam Board:
City and Guilds
Introduction to English Level 1 and Level 2 Functional Skills
If you have really struggled with GCSE English, this level of study provides a far more accessible route to gaining useful and widely recognised qualifications in the subject. As the overall title of these courses suggests, the material covered is relatable to real world scenarios and texts that occur in everyday situations. No more 19th century literary extracts to analyse!
By studying Functional Skills English you can progress to gaining a Level 2 qualification which is accepted, in many jobs/colleges, as an equivalent to a GCSE grade 4.
Career opportunities/areas of further study: Level 2 Functional Skills could enable you to apply for courses/job opportunities that traditionally required a minimum of GCSE grade 4.
Level:
1 and 2
Hours of study per week:
3 hours
Topics Covered:
Reading:
2 unseen modern day texts, with a range of short answer questions designed to test understanding of content, purpose and audience, layout and some identification of language features. Exam assessment.
Writing:
2 longer writing tasks, one formal and one informal. Exam assessment.
Speaking:
Listening and Communicating: 3 tasks – a presentation, an informal discussion and a formal debate. Internal assessment.
English GCSE
If you still need that elusive grade 4 (or above!), then this may be the course for you. Small class sizes, and a more relaxed approach to some of those tricky texts and questions, could be the answer for you if you’re prepared to work hard and cover a lot of material in the relatively short time we have.
By studying GCSE English you can give yourself that metaphorical passport to a whole wealth of further study and/or employment opportunities. It will also enhance your language skills and widen your vocabulary, so that you can impress friends, family and potential employers alike. In turn your confidence in unfamiliar and stressful situations, such as interviews, should improve.
Career opportunities/areas of further study: Most areas of further study will require a grade 4, or above, in English and Maths, so these subjects are essential if you are intending to pursue this option.
Hours of study per week:
3 hours total
Topics Covered:
Reading:
Reading: 19th, 20th and 21st century texts.
Exam Board: OCR
Assessment: Exam
Writing:
Writing: Fiction and Non-Fiction. Exam assessment.
Exam Board: OCR
Assessment: Exam
Speaking:
Speaking and listening. Internal assessment
Exam Board: OCR
Assessment: Internal Assessment
Functional Skills Mathematics (City and Guilds)
In this course you will learn how to use mathematics in functional real-life scenarios, for you to apply to your job or help in moving on to further education.
By studying FS Maths you can improve your number skills, interpreting of data and problem solving strategies. It gives you
Career opportunities/areas of further study: A L2 in FS Maths is equivalent to a C (or ‘4’) in GCSE maths so will enable you to progress onto A-level or will aid you in getting a job.
Level:
Entry 1 up to L2
Hours of study per week:
3 hours
Topics Covered:
Number, measures shape and space, information and data, problem solving.
Assessment:
At all levels there is a non-calculator paper and a calculator paper (to be taken one after the other in the same sitting). There is the opportunity to do it paper-based or on computer.
Exam Board:
City and Guilds
GCSE Mathematics (OCR)
In this resit course we will cover those subjects you may have found tricky the first time around- look together at exam questions and technique and look to achieve a grade 4/5.
By studying GCSE Maths you can improve your number skills, interpreting of data and problem solving strategies. By hopefully gaining a grade 4 or 5 at the end you will be able to move on to A-level or level 3 course
Career opportunities/areas of further study: A grade 4 or 5 in GCSE maths will enable you to progress onto A-level or will aid you in getting a job.
Level:
GCSE Foundation
Hours of study per week:
3 + some studying between lessons where possible
Topics Covered:
Number, Algebra, Graphs, Ratio, Shapes + Area, Probability + statistics
Assessment:
There are 3 papers (2 calculator and 1 non-calculator) which are to be sat on 20th May (Paper 1), 7th June (Paper 2), and 13th June (Paper 3)
Exam Board:
OCR
BCS Level 2 Certificate in IT User Skills
This course is based on the International Certificate in Digital literacy and teaches you to use the most common computer applications with confidence. It is qualification that is recognised across the world and will assure employers that you are computer literate. All students will be expected to complete the four units
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Word Processing
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Spreadsheets
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Presentations
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Improving productivity using ICT
Enrichment Programme
Our enrichment programme is designed to equip students with the softer skills needed for employment including communication, problem solving, creativity, teamwork and leadership.
Personal Development runs throughout the year and will develop themes around:
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British Values
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Global Issues
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Health and personal wellness
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Finance
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Employability
In the Spring term we will run “Mindfulness” sessions that allow the students to relax
and reflect on their lives through practical activities such as candle making, woodwork, gardening, painting and make up skills.
In the Summer term we will arrange an extended enterprise activity where all students will plan, and implement our Summer Fair. Proceeds from the fair will be used to improve student leisure facilities at the college.
Regularly throughout the year we hold an activity and celebration day that is jointly planned with the Bosco Student Council.
All students are offered one to one career advice and guidance sessions.