Structure
Curriculum Structure 2019-20
The Academy is in the process of carrying out a major curriculum review following the 2018 results. This review will focus on both key stage 3 and 4 and address areas including literacy and the curriculum offer at key stage 4.
Curriculum Structure 2018-19
The curriculum is organised into a 2-week timetable. Students have 50 lessons per fortnight. The tables below show how these lessons are allocated between the different subjects and how each subject is taught, eg whether students are taught in their mixed ability groups or whether they are in sets by ability.
Key Stage 3 -Years 7&8
In Key Stage 3 all students follow the National Curriculum.
Students are organised into mixed ability bands: X and Y.
Year 7
Subject | Hours Per fortnight | How taught? |
Art | 2 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
Citizenship | 2 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
Food preparation and nutrition | 2 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
English | 8 | Ability group |
French | 4 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
Geography | 4 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
History | 4 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
IT | 2 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
Maths | 8 | Ability group |
Performing Arts | 2 | Mixed ability group and OUR pathway |
PE | 4 | Ability, single gender group |
RE | 2 | Ability group |
Science | 6 | Ability group |
Total | 50 |
|
Year 8
Subject | Hours Per fortnight | How taught? |
Art | 2 | Mixed ability group |
Citizenship | 2 | Mixed ability group |
Food preparation and nutrition | 2 | Mixed ability group |
English | 8 | Ability group |
French | 4 | Mixed ability group |
Geography | 4 | Mixed ability group |
History | 4 | Mixed ability group |
IT | 2 | Mixed ability group |
Maths | 8 | Ability group |
Performing Arts | 2 | Mixed ability group |
PE | 4 | Ability, single gender group |
RE | 2 | Ability group |
Science | 6 | Ability group |
Total | 50 |
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In term 3/4 of Year 8 will choose their pathway subjects to be taken in key stage 4.
Key Stage 4 – Years 9-11
The Key Stage 4 curriculum has been remodelled to provide students with an in-depth coverage of the key core subjects of English and maths. The curriculum time for both subjects continues to be significant. It has also been modified to reduce the number of options students take. Whilst this does to an extent reduce curriculum breadth for students it does enable them to be best prepared for terminal exams in their chosen GCSE subjects and gain higher grades in the subjects studied.
At Key Stage 4 students continue to follow the National Curriculum. This means all students must take the following courses. Where these courses lead to qualifications they are shown in the table below:
Subject | Qualification |
English | GCSE English language and GCSE English Literature |
Maths | GCSE Maths |
Science | GCSE Science |
PE | NA |
RE or Citizenship | Full GCSEs in RE or Citizenship. RE only in Year 9 |
At Key Stage 4 students also get the opportunity to take 3 pathway subjects. The first pathway (block A) requires students to study either French, Geography or History. In the remaining pathways (blocks B & C) students are guided in to taking one of the following subjects -
Art | DT Textiles | ICT NG Cida |
Business Studies BTEC | French | Media Studies |
Food preparation and nutrition | Geography | Music |
Computer Science | BTEC Health & Social Care | PE GCSE |
Drama | Hospitality | Photography |
| History |
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A small number of students follow an ASDAN foundation studies programme.
All of these qualifications are on the DFE approved list of subjects that count towards school performance measures.
Teaching Hours
The tables below show how these lessons are allocated per fortnight between the different subjects -
Restorative Practice - Update
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