|
Curriculum Policy including the Governors Curriculum Overview
Purpose: To identify the principles of curriculum design and provide an overview of the curriculum offer to students.
The curriculum is designed to be broad, balanced and differentiated and to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our students and to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
Aims
- To construct a curriculum that matches the needs, interests, and aspirations of our learners
- To design coherent and relevant learning experiences
- To use creative and innovative teaching and learning experiences
- To build in focused support and challenge
- To make skill development an integral part of enhancing learner's knowledge and understanding across the curriculum
- To provide a seamless pathway through education to age 19
- To meet requirements of the two Specialism’s of MFL and Humanities
- Meet statutory requirements
These aims are to be applied in conjunction with the QCA aims:-
- The curriculum should enable all young people to become 'successful learners' who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve; 'confident individuals' who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, 'responsible citizens' who make a positive contribution to society.
Expectations of staff:-
Staff will actively promote and seek to secure the curriculum aims above and in particular will:-
- Have high expectations of students
- Employ a variety of appropriate teaching and learning methods and strategies
- Ensure that, wherever possible, students are found means of access to the curriculum and given opportunities to succeed
- Deliver programmes of study which build upon students’ previous experiences, providing progression and continuity, and which conform to the statutory requirements
- Provide work which meets their students’ needs and aspirations, which offers depth and challenge, and which motivates and inspires them
- Involve the learner in the process of learning, by discussing work, giving regular feedback through assessment and marking, negotiating targets and encouraging students to evaluate their own achievements
- Develop students’ skills to become independent learners and to focus on all of the Personal Learning and Thinking Skills through Kingsmead’s ‘Language for Learning’.
- Encourage, reward and value achievement and attitude to learning, both formally and informally, following guidelines set out in the relevant policies
- Work in partnership with other staff, parents/carers and the wider community to achieve shared goals
- Keep parents/carers regularly and fully informed about the progress and achievements of their child
The timetable:-
The school operates a two week teaching timetable with 5 x 1 hour periods per day for 9 days and a flexible/collapsed curriculum on the 10th day – ‘Challenge Day’.
Tutors register students during a 5 minute morning registration period and a 20 minute period after lunch. A whole school assembly, a Year assembly and 3 academic mentoring/pastoral support sessions are delivered during the afternoon registration period.
Curriculum offer 2009
KS3 - Years 7 & 8 (Core subjects continue sections of the programmes of Study in Year 9)
All students have access to the following subjects:-
English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities (History, Geography & Religious Education) Physical Education & Games, Modern Foreign Languages (French & German) Art, Design Technology and Media (Textiles, Art, Resistant Materials, Food Technology, Music & Drama) ICT, Citizenship, Personal, Social and Health Education & Careers.
Note - Aspects of some of these subjects are delivered through ‘Challenge Days’.
Key focus areas for ‘Challenge Days in KS3 are:-
Citizenship, Careers Education, Sex & Drug Education, Personal Wellbeing, Economic Wellbeing and Financial Capability with Careers Education & Learn to Learn.
KS4 - Years 9, 10 & 11
All students have access to the following subjects:-
English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Core Science, Applied Science, Additional Science, Triple Science, ICT through either OCR Nationals or Functional Skills, MFL including French, German and Spanish GCSE or NVQ Level 1 or 2, Physical Education & Games, Religious Education Short course, Sex Education, Citizenship, Careers Education and Work-related learning.
Key focus areas for ‘Challenge Days in KS4 are:-
Literacy, Numeracy, Learn2Learn, PSHE, Citizenship, Sex Education, Careers
Education, Work-related learning, Enterprise Education and the use
of ICT and New Technologies.
KS4 Entitlement and Option Subjects:-
Options: Humanities entitlement and Specialism provision - History, Geography & RE; Arts entitlement- Art, Textiles, Drama & Music; Design & Technology entitlement - Product Design, Resistant Materials & Food Technology; Specialism provision in MFL - French, German & Spanish; additional options - ICT Nationals,
Health & Social Care, Sport, Physical Education & Business Studies.
Diplomas:- Business & Finance, Creative & Media, Engineering, Hair & Beauty with additional ‘Lines of Learning’ available year on year. Diplomas are offered in partnership with schools and colleges in the Taunton Deane Consortium. A Gateway bid has been submitted in partnership with Ladymead to deliver the Travel & Tourism Diploma at Higher and Foundation Levels.
Functional Skills in English, Mathematics & ICT are delivered to Diploma students.
Alternative Curriculum/Foundation Learning Tier
ASDAN CoPE - Health & Fitness, Communication, Expressive Arts, Work-Related, Music, Transition, Independent Living.
ABC Land-Based
AQA Entry Level English & Maths.
BTEC Practical Work Skills – Hair, Motor Vehicle, Painting & Decorating –Joinery & Land Based Industries.
OCR Horticulture, Hair, Motor Vehicle, Media, Care, Numeracy, Drama, Personal Skills & Numeracy.
KS3 & KS4: AEN – Enrichment and Skill Development opportunities:-
Emotional Intelligence Groups, Social Skills Groups, Garden Club, Healthy
Eating, Horse Riding, Life Skills, Lifeboat-Multi sensory, Literacy catch-up, Numeracy catch-up & Motor Skills.
Whole school curriculum enrichment:-
Kingsmead’s ‘Language for Learning’- ‘PIP's (Perseverance, Imaginative Thinking and Partnership). Focussing on the Personal Learning & Thinking Skills of Independent enquirers, Creative thinkers, Reflective learners, Team-workers, Self-Managers, & Effective participators.
Fortnightly Challenge Days - Deep Learning, Global Citizenship, International Dimensions and the Outcomes Framework of ECM are central to Challenge
Days.
Learning should be cross-curricular in nature and focus on the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and attributes to enable all students to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
Contexts for delivery are Cultural Diversity, Healthy Lifestyles, Community participation, Enterprise, Global Dimension, Sustainable Development, Technology & Media, Creative & Critical Thinking.
Personal and Social Education:-
As detailed above, Personal and Social Education (including health, sex and drugs education, Citizenship and Enterprise Education) is an integral part of the philosophy and ethos of the school. Across the whole curriculum with a particular emphasis during ‘Challenge Days’, we aim to develop students’ knowledge, values, personal and social skills to help them benefit from their school experience and prepare them to take their place as responsible citizens in society.
Additional Education Needs:-
Teachers follow guidelines set out in the AEN Policy.
Gifted & Talented:-
Teachers follow guidelines set out in the Gifted & Talented Policy.
Equality of opportunity:-
Teachers follow guidelines set out in the Single Equality Scheme Policy.
Examinations:-
It is expected that all students who embark on a course leading to a public examination are entered for that examination, unless they fail to fulfil the examination board’s requirements in relation to coursework/controlled assessment, attendance or other criteria. For other examination guidance teachers refer to the Examinations Policy.
Early Entry:- ICT OCR Nationals for all students in Year 9/Year 10 and Mathematics for students in the highest and lowest ability groups. Short course GCSE in Religious Education in Year 10.
Teaching groups:-
KS3 – Ability setting in Maths, all other subjects are taught in mixed ability groups.
Art, Technology and Media are taught within a carousel structure enabling specialist teaching for all subjects, Humanities have the same arrangement in Year 8.
KS4 – Ability setting in Mathematics & Science, all other subjects are in mixed ability groups or dependent on choices made by students within the options structure.
Some single gender groups are being trialled in Mathematics.
Class sizes:-
The school aims to have teaching groups of 30 students or less with practical subjects limited where possible to 24 students or less. Where this position is threatened KS4 group sizes will take priority.
Impartial - Information, Advice & Guidance:-
All students follow a comprehensive and sequential Careers Programme fully supported by Connexions and the Education Business Partnership.
Visits and Trips:-
Visits and trips to a wide range of countries, educational establishments, businesses and other places of educational interest will be supported and promoted within all curriculum areas.
Schemes of work and lesson planning:-
Each department is required to have schemes of work for all its courses/programmes related, where appropriate to the national curriculum and or examination board requirements. Schemes of work set out how the content of the course is structured, so that student’s skills, knowledge and understanding are developed progressively, and how the teaching is organised. These schemes of work are supported by assessment strategies and methods for ensuring standardisation of expectation and assessment. Teachers plan individual lessons, or sequences of lessons, in different ways.
The learning environment:-
The school is aware that a lively, purposeful and structured learning environment is essential in promoting high standards and good working practices. Displays of students’ work, stimulus materials and appropriate resources are very important in setting standards and raising expectations. All departments are expected to emphasise good display in their areas and contribute to displays in public areas of the school.
Information and communication technology:-
We believe that the development of capability in the use of ICT is an essential requirement of students’ education and they have an entitlement to IT resources and teaching of the highest possible quality.
Work related curriculum:-
An effective work related programme lies at the centre of the necessary experience of all students. The programme seeks to raise aspirations and help all students achieve their potential. Through this structured and progressive programme of learning, students will develop an understanding of the demands and challenges of the workplace, the rewards and satisfaction work can bring, the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers and sources of impartial information, advice and guidance. A strong emphasis is applied to meeting the outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’.
Maintaining an ‘outstanding’ curriculum.
The curriculum was judged ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED in 2006 & 2009 and to maintain this position it is essential that the curriculum is constantly evolving. All departments are constantly reviewing what is taught and how it is taught at both key stages and students, staff, governors and parents will all contribute to the process of change.
Monitoring, review and evaluation
The Curriculum Leadership Group meets regularly to consider matters relating to the curriculum and assessment:-
- Planning
- Monitoring and reviewing
- Responding to school and external developments
- Sharing experience and practice
The group is chaired by the Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for teaching and learning.
The Governors Curriculum, Learning and School Performance Committee.
Its terms of reference are to:-
- Ensure statutory requirements are met
- Monitor and review the progress of school priorities in the SDP and OFSTED action plan by receiving reports from curriculum areas as and when appropriate
- Agree and set the annual statutory and non-statutory student performance targets and monitor and review progress
- Receive and respond to suggested policy changes regarding the curriculum
- Receive reports from the Curriculum Leadership Group
The committee reports to, and makes recommendations to the full governing body.
Governor’s links to departments:-
Link governors are identified for AEN and Gifted and Talented.
Curriculum complaints procedure:-
The 1988 Education reform Act requires the governing body to have in place procedures for the consideration of complaints that the school is failing to meet its statutory obligations in relation to the national curriculum and various other matters.
Full details of the curriculum complaints procedure are obtainable from the school office.
|
