Business studies will give you the skills to apply knowledge and understanding that is directly transferable, to other subjects, but also beyond, developing a wide range of practical and theoretical proficiencies that will prepare you for the future and employment opportunities both local, national and globally. Business Studies is one of the most internationally studied subjects in the world, due to how broad Business is. The subject gives an insight into career development specialties such as accountancy, finance, organisation, human resources management and marketing. It helps prepare students for lifelong learning in the fields of business and management, and to equip yourself with the know-how to start up your own business or follow a career in finance, accounting, marketing or management post university. You’ll learn how management, leadership and decision-making can improve performance in marketing, operational, financial and human resources. Skills to analyse competitive environments and markets;assess how ethical, environmental and technological factors influence decision making; use a range of quantitative and non-quantitative data to evaluate strategic and functional options; understand how decisions made affect stakeholders and how they will respond. Explore how businesses act as responsible citizens and give back to the needs of their local community. Understand how to motivate staff using a range of monetary and non-monetary methods. Recognise what makes an inspirational leader. Acquire and develop your critical analysis, decision-making and problem-solving skills through challenging content.

Studying Computer Science as an option at KS4 allows students to extend their knowledge from ICT in KS3. They will develop through practical and theoretical work the ability to experiment with a variety of programming languages. Today’s digital world requires students to be able to use and keep updated with digital technology therefore it is essential that they are aware of key components that are used to make up digital systems and their overall use in communication both mobile and static. Pupils will use new technological transformations within society to look at the impacts to the individuals, ethical changes and cultural influences. These skills by applying the fundamental concepts and principles of Computer Science using planning, research and evaluation techniques will encourage students to build resilience so they become creative, critical thinkers leading to further education and employment opportunities.

The aim of SSHS Design & Technology Department is to provide students with the opportunity to develop a broad range of theoretical and practical skills and knowledge, across different disciplines within our curriculum : Food, Graphics and Design & Technology.

We want to enable them to design and create high quality products; furnish the students with skills and knowledge that will equip them as adults and empower them to solve real world problems.

To support The Big Picture by offering students the opportunity to experience and develop creativity, critical thinking, independent learning, team working, being confident, resilient and reflective. Drama is an essential part of personal development. St Sampson’s High School Drama Department encourages students to explore ways to effectively and harmoniously work with others to create creative and exciting work, based on a balance of text-based and improvisation work. All of the work they create is evaluated so that they can develop their performance skills, confidence, body language, voice and speech, role-play, and emotional intelligence. All of these skills are transferable skills for life, essential to employability in today’s rapidly changing world.  

Our aim is to develop and enhance students’ ability to think critically and to communicate effectively. We inspire students through engaging texts including a wide range of classic and contemporary literature. We expand students’ understanding of culture and empower them to make meaningful contributions to society. We promote empathy through the power of language and an awareness of our island context, developing students as global citizens.

To inspire young people to develop a curiosity about who we are, where we have come from, where we live and what the future holds. Learners will connect the past and present and understand the physical and human processes that have shaped our world today. Developing a sense of responsibility for our students will create informed, active and responsible citizens who can investigate issues and understand causes and consequences at a range of global and local scales. Geography should seek to create for students’ skills in appreciating fairness, justice, democracy and a tolerance of difference, cultures, values and beliefs. The interdependence and globalisation of our world should allow learners to see how our actions can shape and inform a sustainable future for the next generation.

It is the intention of Geography to act as a vehicle to generate successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to our world at local and hopefully wider scale

The aim of the History Department in St. Sampson’s High is to contribute to the Curriculum aims of all students becoming successful learners, who enjoy their studies, make progress, achieve and become responsible citizens, and make a positive contribution to society. We aim to fire students’ curiosity and imagination, showing them the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past.

It is important that pupils realise there were people here before them, that these people, though similar to us in many ways, were also remarkably different. It is also important that they understand how our society evolved, why we are what we are now.

An understanding of History at local, national and world level, will also help them develop their own identities. By engaging with the past, they are better able to ask and answer questions of the present.

ICT/Computing will equip pupils with the skills and knowledge to use computational thinking and creativity to allow them to become active participants in the digital and the ever-changing world of technology. Students will have the ability to become respectful, responsible and confident users of technology and the awareness and actions needed to keep themselves and others safe online.

Mathematics introduces students to concepts, skills and thinking strategies that are essential in everyday life and support learning across the curriculum. Mathematics helps students make sense of numbers, patterns and shapes they see in the world around them and provides ways of handling data in an increasingly digital world. It makes a crucial contribution to their development as rounded individuals and assists them to solve a problem and make new connections and unexpected discoveries.

The MFL department is dedicated to inspiring enthusiasm and excellence in all of our students. Our dynamic and passionate teaching will lead students to develop autonomy with the languages and to push themselves to the best of their ability. Students will feel successful and confident and ultimately fall in love with the study of languages.

Students begin their language-learning journey in Year 7 at Secondary level, where they concentrate on French for the first two years. French is chosen as the introductory language for our students, as we have close links to France through Guernsey’s proximity, and since French plays a huge part in the island’s rich history and culture. This also builds on and reflects the curriculum entitlement document which has set out the curriculum at KS1 and KS2 in French. 

From Year 9, pupils have the opportunity to learn Spanish in addition to French, allowing them to experience another language and culture.

With varied success in the teaching of MFL at KS2 the MFL curriculum in Guernsey starts at the beginning in KS3 with in-depth teaching of the basic components to ensure that all students are able to access the curriculum but is equally challenging with the use of three time frames and complex structures from the very beginning. The topic coverage at KS3 is three topics per year to allow for more deliberate practice, chunking and input flooding of key structures to create automaticity in students’ language abilities. This enables students to be fully prepared to undertake a GCSE in the language and creates enthusiastic, passionate language learners who feel confident in their linguistic abilities.

Every module from Year 7 to Year 11 begins with students explicitly learning and recapping French and Spanish phonics in order to develop and improve their level of oracy in MFL. Students participate in repetitive, chunked and engaging speaking and listening activities to promote memory retrieval and retention. Students study an enriching range of topics including ‘International and global dimension’ and ‘Future aspirations, study and work’ combined with challenging grammatical concepts which require higher-level thinking and well considered responses to help students develop the key skills necessary to continue on to higher education.

Living on an island means it is crucial for our pupils to gain an appreciation for different languages and cultures as they will study relevant content in relation to the target language country as well as other countries worldwide where the target language is spoken (i.e. South America for Spanish, North Africa for French). We also provide opportunities for students to travel abroad and take part in local cultural events which are linked to French in Guernsey, such as the Modern Languages Eisteddfod. This enables students to create and develop their personal identity in relation to the wider world.

Students will also develop a much richer understanding of the English language through the study of grammar, which will increase their literacy abilities and enable them to succeed in all subjects across the school.

Music Unlocks Self-expression Intelligence and Creativity

We aim to be a lively department that is at the very heart of the school, where effective learning and the development of young people takes place.We believe that students deserve a broad and ambitious music curriculum, rich in skills and knowledge, which ignites curiosity and enjoyment. Our music curriculum will give students the opportunity to express their thoughts and emotions, use imagination, experimentation and develop their own creative style. All students will develop their skills in resilience and discipline, reflectiveness and an increased ability to be able to respond thoughtfully and constructively to others. Students will experience a variety of musical genres and it is this breadth of experience which will enable them to participate and respond to the creative and cultural life of their communities.

The Physical Education Department  aims to engage, enthuse and promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards physical activity. The department strives to grab the individual interest of every student, developing the knowledge and competencies required to participate meaningfully in physical activity.

• To explore the key beliefs of the religious and non-religious, of the Christian and Jew, the Muslim and Hindu, the Buddhist and the Sikh. and  how religious beliefs affect a person’s life, attitude and behaviour.
• To enable students to discuss and examine their own views (of  philosophical and ethical issues) and attitudes to the world around them.
• Religious Studies deals with the most important social and moral issues of our time, including racism, sexism and animal rights, genetic engineering, abortion and euthanasia, slavery, poverty and war, the government, the environment and the media, superstition, science and the internet. Religious concepts, such as God, Reality, Justice, Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Peace are considered in relation to personal development and contemporary culture.
• To develop the ‘whole person’. We are convinced that Religious Studies makes an essential contribution to this development, ensuring that St. Sampson’s students are respectful, polite, and able to recognise, assess and celebrate different beliefs and life choices.
• To develop Critical Thinking, Team work, Creativity, Reflection, Independence, Resilience.
• To enable students  to develop and practise literacy skills including reading, writing,and verbal  communication.

The main aim of the science curriculum is that pupils learn, and take an interest in, how the world works

Through the 4 scientific areas (biology, chemistry, physics and working scientifically) pupils should develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Applying this to developing the skills to be able to investigate, analyse, evaluate, problem solve and to be critical thinkers of the world around them.