Students follow a 3 year KS3 programme of study that ensures the KS3 National Curriculum is covered in its entirety. This is to ensure that students gain the knowledge and skills required for them to progress and ensures that students have the opportunity to study a wide curriculum.

In Year 9 students select subjects they wish to study at KS4 (see below), alongside compulsory subjects such as English; Maths; Science; PE; PHSE; ICT; Humanities. A significant number of students will also study a modern foreign language through the 5 years at the academy.

Each 5 year Curriculum Subject area programme of study should:

• Provide a clear and coherent learning journey which demonstrates knowledge acquisition and skill progression.
• Have planned opportunities which skilfully allow for memory recall and application of this knowledge to develop fluency
• Develop understanding of larger concepts so that students have a wider understanding of the links between topics
• Practice effective study skills so that students can independently revise and plan their time effectively
• Support the development, fluency, breadth and enjoyment inreading through frequent reading opportunities and a focus on tier 2 and 3 words
• Contain appropriate, regular and robust assessment methods for measuring student progress and to allow intervention where progress is not as expected.
• Provide opportunities and experiences where students can reflect on their progress and learning
• Develop student’s interests, opportunities and experiences to improve themselves and develop their character and cultural capital
• Provide opportunities for students to participate in team activities and develop leadership skills
• Develop a readiness future study and the world of work through opportunities to become adaptable; creative problem solvers
• Provide engaging lessons which promotes positive attitudes and engenders respect and responsibility for themselves; others and the world they live in

Each Subject Programme of Study should ensure that there is an equality of provision and that all teachers:

• Have the subject knowledge required to deliver the curriculum
• Work collaboratively to share experience, expertise and resources across the academy and trust
• Have a shared understanding of the type of learning that will support students’ development
• Engage in professional development that supports the successful delivery of the curriculum
• Can identify ongoing professional development needs
• Are supported by a programme of study that reduces teacher workload, through resourced schemes of work with high quality resources (not lesson plans)

• Students are taught in blocks of 50 minute lessons each day, over a two week timetable
• At KS3 students cover all the National Curriculum subjects and at KS4 students are offered a broad choice of GCSE/BTEC and vocational qualifications.
• 3 Year KS3 and 2 Year KS4
• KS3 students are taught in mainly mixed ability groups in all subjects, although students with exceptional performance and those with specific needs are grouped appropriately
• As students progress through KS4 they begin to be taught in ability set classes within English, Maths & Science

The academy strives to encourage our students to be independent and driven to engage with and seek out experiences and activities that will develop their interests and character. All students in Year 7 and 8 take part in our resilience curriculum which has been developed to allow students to extend their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of areas from mental health; basic life skills; social action to community engagement. These experiences develop character and improve their skills in range of artistic, creative and sporting challenges as well as supporting students’ development mentally, socially and emotionally.

Students spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, within this, the promotion of fundamental British values, are at the core of the Academy’s daily routines. The development of these skills is embedded throughout life at the academy and is evidenced in our curriculum, assemblies, tutor time and whole academy activities. Students in Y7-10 have timetabled ASPIRE lessons where they learn skills to make them better citizens, learners, to help them stay safe, and become more employable. Students also get to experience various ‘Character’ focus weeks/events in which there is a large cross curricular element to learning through special experiences, such as Reading week, as well as opportunities to raise money for charities and develop social skills. All students have a series of ‘Personal Development sessions – this is where the normal timetable is suspended and students spend time working on a personal development theme, which encompasses PSHE and strands of SMSC. Speakers from outside agencies, such as local colleges, police, school nurse, and careers, offer valuable contributions to these days.

Curriculum Support

• Senior members of staff and key workers mentor students who are at risk of underachieving or have other issues
• Holiday revision sessions are widely available for student in Y11 to help prepare Year 11 for their upcoming exams
• Subject specific opportunities such as university lecture sessions aim to extend learning and support higher ability students in attaining top grades
• A KS4 ‘Revision Hub’ operates at lunch and after school until 5pm to support students in Y10-Y11
• A homework club operates from Y7-Y9 to support students who have issues with homework completion as well as students who may be underachieving

Pastoral Support

• Year 11 form classes are arranged to provide opportunities for targeted interventions in the core subjects, enabling subject specialists to work specifically with students identified for additional support
• Form time for Y7-10 follow a common timetable where students improve skills such as reading and keeping up to date with current affairs, as well as having
• Prefects, Anti Bully Ambassadors, Peer Mediators are all examples of groups that offer peer on peer support

Enrichment

• Sports provision – a wide variety of sports are available at lunch and after school throughout the year. The academy has a great reputation for its sporting success
• Performing Arts opportunities are well established at the academy and students are encouraged to take part in the annual shows and other performances
• Students wishing to learn to play a musical instrument are tutored by an external musician on a weekly basis which offers additional capacity to the existing music extra curricular provision and Academy choir

Leadership

• The ASPIRE Student Leadership body contains students from each year group along with a Year 11 senior team, offering a wide range of leadership opportunities and responsibilities across the Academy
• Students are tracked to encourage their participation and leadership and there are planned opportunities for students to demonstrate these throughout the year within the academy council structure, that has numerous sub groups
• Students have the opportunity to apply to become a prefect using evidence from their leadership evidence (mentioned above) from Y10 onwards
• Each form has student council members and these come together to discuss issues as a year group and feed into the ASPIRE leadership programme