Dear Families of Cathays High School,
We are writing to provide you with information about additional opportunities for your child to achieve qualifications whilst in Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11).
The Capped 9 Points Score is a performance measure used by the Welsh Government (WG) to assess the achievement of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. It comprises nine qualifications that are equivalent to GCSE level. Three qualifications relate to Literacy, Numeracy and Science and the other six qualifications (based on highest levels of achievement) count towards the benchmark of nine GCSEs or equivalent. This is the WG’s minimum expected outcome for every pupil at the end of Year 11.
C9@Cathays offers a range of additional qualifications to support your child in not only meeting, but exceeding this expectation. We schedule e-learning and assessment time for these additional qualifications during tutorial or lesson times and we offer L2/2+ support sessions on Monday each week, from 3:10 until 4pm, during term time. The Capped 9 Team provides one-to-one and small-group support for students, in preparation for each assessment, to ensure that your child reaches their potential and achieves the highest levels of success. The qualification opportunities we offer could result in your child receiving a maximum of an additional A* and two B grades at GCSE.
All pupils within KS4 will have access to our additional qualification opportunities, in line with our school ethos of “Opportunities for All”.
C9 Bitesize.
Capped 9 Bitesize sessions will run weekly, during Skills tutorials. Pupils will have a weekly FCD media and EQD e-learning task to watch/complete during the tutorial session. Form Teachers will oversee these learning sessions. The Capped 9 Team will then work closely with your child to ensure that they have access to all necessary resources. Once they have accepted their invite to join the EQD and FCD Google Classrooms, your child will have access to information about learning materials, progress and assessment deadlines. Once e-learning has been completed, your child will undertake short assessments – guided by the C9 Area Team – to ensure they achieve the highest possible GCSE outcomes.
Additional Qualifications available within C9@Cathays:
LIBF Level 2 Certificate in Financial Capability and Careers Development (FCD)
- Access to qualifications post-16 in fields such as Accountancy, Business Studies and within the financial services industry.
- Knowledge of the sources and uses of money, methods of organising your money, use of appropriate bank and building society accounts and the concepts and consequences of overspending or payment default.
NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity (EQD)
Concepts, vocabulary and facts relating to equality and diversity in society, the workplace, and the community.
- An opportunity to raise your awareness of the issues surrounding equality and diversity
- Opportunity to apply this awareness through your actions in society, your community and your future workplace.
Community Languages (GCSE, As and A Levels)
C9@Cathays works closely with our school Languages Area of Learning Team. Pupils have access to the following language qualifications:
- Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu.
Opportunity to gain a fourth additional GCSE grade by sitting an exam in your first language!
Please contact the C9 Area Leaders if you have any questions.
We look forward to working with you and your children to secure Capped 9 Excellence.
Yours Faithfully,
E.J. Travers D. Owen-Harris
Miss E. Travers Mr. D. Owen-Harris
(C9 Area Leader Level 2) (C9 Area Leader Level 1) EJTravers@cathays.cardiff.sch.uk DOwen-Harris@cathays.cardiff.sch.uk