Curriculum Overview

Curriculum Intent and Design

Our mission is to provide an education, which changes lives for the better. We work hard to deliver exciting and engaging learning opportunities enabling students to see possibilities for themselves and others. We are inclusive and provide a joyful and disciplined school culture. We believe the best way to do this is to offer a curriculum that:

  • Supports students’ academic success by promoting knowledge-based learning
  • Is academically challenging and rigorous
  • Is broad and balanced offering both breadth and depth
  • Promotes students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development
  • Offers high quality enrichment, broadening students’ horizons

Our courses in Years 7 to 11 comply with the requirements of the National Curriculum.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum

The Key Stage 3 Curriculum provision aims to provide a broad and balanced education. All subjects meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, as a minimum. There is an emphasis on promoting strength and success in traditional academic subjects, but this is balanced with a desire to foster variety and personalisation in our provision.

There is a focus on developing children’s moral, spiritual, social and cultural understanding. We ensure that children are well prepared for life in modern Britain. This is achieved through the taught curriculum and the programme of enrichment activities.

The curriculum is regularly reviewed and developed to not only meet the needs of our students, but to provide rich opportunities for them to develop a range of skills and enjoy memorable experiences.

The Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education programme is delivered separately to the Religious Education syllabus. The topics are personalised to each year group and the programme of study supports both Social, Moral, Spiritual, Cultural and British Values. Weekly tutor time sessions support the delivery of this content across the academic year.

Key Stage 4 Curriculum

The Key Stage 4 core curriculum incorporates the core subjects of English Language and Literature, Maths, Combined Science, core PE, PSHE, and RE.

Options Process

We operate a two-stage approach to our options process, providing two opportunities for students to make decisions regarding their future path.

In the spring term of Year 8, students are able to make choices about the ‘wider’ subjects they take forward outside of their EBACC subjects. All students will continue to learn History, Geography, French, German and Computer Science alongside the usual core of English, Maths, Science, PE, PSHE, and RE.

During Year 9, students participate in a second selection process where they can choose from the subjects they have been studying in Year 9, deciding which they wish to take forward into the last two years of study towards their final qualifications.

 Year 8 Choices(Year 9 Curriculum)Year 9 Choices(Year 10 and 11 Curriculum)
Core:

English
Mathematics
Science
Physical Education
RE
Computer Science
PSHE

English
Mathematics
Science
Physical Education
RE
Computer Science
PSHE
Humanities:Geography
History
Students select Geography OR History
Languages:French
German
Students select French OR German
Options:Student selected Option 1
Student selected Option 2
Student selected Option 3
Student selected Option 4
Students select 2 options to continue to a final GCSE qualification

Triple or separate sciences: Students are invited to participate in triple science at the end of Year 8. This invitation is based on aptitude and progress shown across Year 7 and 8 in Science lessons.

We feel that this 2 phase process best serves the interests of our students as it:

  • Builds on research that says it is beneficial for students to continue with a wider curriculum until the end of Year 9.
  • Provides a broader and more balanced curriculum for longer.
  • Students are older when they make their final choices.
  • Students are still able to take ownership over some aspects of their curriculum in Year 8.

Please see below for a list of wider subjects students are able to choose from in the 2022/2023 options process (this is reviewed annually and may be altered each year).

Our NameExam BoardFull Qualification Name
ArtEdExcelGCSE Art and Design (Fine Art)
Business StudiesOCRGCSE Business Studies
Child DevelopmentOCRLevel 2 Cambridge National in Child Development
ComputingOCRGCSE Computer Science
DanceOCRGCSE Dance
Performing Arts: DancePearsonBTEC Level 2 in Performing Arts
DramaOCRGCSE Drama
Design + TechnologyAQAGCSE Design and Technology
Hospitality + CateringEduqasLevel 2 Hospitality and Catering
MusicEduqasGCSE Music
PsychologyEdExcelGCSE Psychology
Physical Education (GCSE)OCRGCSE Physical Education
Sports ScienceOCRLevel 2 Cambridge National in Sports Science
Religious StudiesEduqasGCSE Religious Studies

Our Year 9 curriculum design is a careful transition process; ensuring students have covered the KS3 National Curriculum requirements in depth, whilst also beginning to move students forward to tackle KS4 concepts and skills in preparation for the start of Year 10 study. Subject Leaders look for opportunities to plan content that enables students to go wider than the GCSE specification throughout Years 9, 10 and 11.

If you would like more information about our curriculum, please contact Mr J Manship or Mrs R Smith.

Curriculum Documents

While our curriculum policies and documents are all available from our Policies page, we have also made them available here for easy access.

Code Description Version Published Review
CUR-01 Promoting British Values 1.2 June 2023 June 2025
CUR-02 Sex and Relationships 1.5 November 2023 November 2024
CUR-03 Provider Access 1.5 July 2023 July 2024
CUR-04 Careers Information, Advice and Guidance 3.0 October 2023 October 2024

Staff

Mr J Manship

Head of KS4

Mr M Ford

Timetabling