Curriculum overview

Whilst it undoubtedly prepares pupils well for external examinations there is a strong emphasis through the various elements on: 

• Building secure knowledge that leads to an accumulation of knowledge, that leads to long term changes.
• a ‘love of learning.’ 
• the soft-skills required to be a productive member of the work force. 
• an understanding, through the careers programme, of the opportunities available to pupils once they leave school. 
• an understanding of ‘British Values’ and the implications for life in modern day Britain. 
• pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning. 

Our curriculum is constructed on the following principles to support the above; namely that: 

• acquiring subject specific knowledge is key for pupils to be able to solve complex problems
• pupils need to practice the knowledge and skills they have learnt in lessons so that they can use them when they need them
• a recognition that students need to be secure in the components before they can progress to the more complex composite tasks 
• many opportunities are built into lessons to secure recall and retrieve previous learning, so that it can be embedded. This enables pupils to apply knowledge with increasing confidence and fluency 
• the majority of pupils should be entered for the English Baccalaureate - as this provides an academically broad and balanced curriculum
• care is taken to ensure that pupils encounter the prior knowledge needed to access the curriculum before it is needed in class. This is achieved through careful curriculum planning (for example, ensure mathematical skills needed in science are taught in maths before they are applied in science)  
• development of language is the remit of all subjects and all subjects are expected to promote the use of ‘expert’ and ambitious vocabulary which students are actively supported to learn and remember 
• all students should experience a careers education based on the Gatsby benchmarks that underpin a world class careers education 
• the British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect of those with different faiths and beliefs are taught explicitly and reinforced in the way in which the school operates
• SMSC is embedded into pastoral and curriculum programmes. 

The breadth of the curriculum includes what is taught within each key stage  

The balance of the curriculum includes how the provision is tailored to meet the needs of individual learners. 

The delivery of the curriculum is the pedagogy and philosophy that underpins the way we work with students. 

The ‘hidden’ curriculum refers to the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school. It is the emphasis on ‘cultural capital’ which will provide opportunities and expose students to experiences beyond the taught curriculum. While the “formal” curriculum consists of the courses, lessons, and learning activities students participate in, as well as the knowledge and skills educators intentionally teach to students, the hidden curriculum consists of the unspoken or implicit academic, social, and cultural messages that are communicated to students while they are in school. These are the expectations and beliefs that drive us forward and permeate all that we do. Whilst this an area that evolves and grows, it is something that we also plan, develop and evaluate to ensure that we equip students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to move successfully forward, ensuring they have the widest choices possible when they leave us. We believe our curriculum is ‘broad and balanced' in every sense.  

In Key Stage 3, students study English, mathematics, sciences, history, geography, French, Art, Music, Technology, Religious Education, ICT and PE.

In Key Stage 4, students study English, mathematics, sciences, Religious Education and select four option choices. In addition, they all do core PE. All students have the opportunity to achieve 9 or 10 GCSEs depending on the science qualification they are entered for.
Our current Y10 students were able to pick their four options from the following list of subjects: 

GCSEs: History; Geography; French; Media; Photography; 3D Art; Art, Craft & Design; Computer Science, Music; RE; PE; Food & Nutrition; Design & Technology.

Vocational Courses: Hospitality and Catering; Sport Studies; Health & Social Care; Engineering; iMedia; Travel & Tourism.

The teaching of all subjects within the curriculum is fully compliant with our duties under the Equality Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 as exemplified in the  NELT Equality and Diversity statement and objectives, the Academy SEND Policy and reported through the SEND Information Report.

To find out more about our curriculum, please contact the school office.