Summaries by Key Stage

Curriculum Entitlement - Developing all Students

Intent 

Supporting young people to achieve excellent outcomes at GCSE and post 16 levels is the most powerful thing we can do for our students and for the community we serve. Our aim is to provide an excellent education for all our students so that we equip each of them with outcomes which give them the choice of going to university. This is rooted in a desire to ensure that all our students achieve their best grades so that they are in the strongest position at 16 or 19 to choose whether they want to go to university or to do a competitive level 3 apprenticeship. In short, we are ambitious for all of our students!  

 

Our curriculum is designed to provide all our students with the core knowledge that is the foundation of this success. We aim to maximise the cognitive development of all our pupils, to develop the whole person and the talents of the individual so that Patchway students become active and economically self-sufficient citizens. We reward effort, determination and aspiration that are reflected through our three core values of Respect, Endeavour, Success, and we are proud that our learners become strong and confident individuals who are able to make a positive contribution to their local and wider community.

 

Implementation 

Our approach to teaching and learning supports our curriculum by ensuring that lessons build on prior learning and provide sufficient opportunity for guided and independent practice. We have used Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2012) and our own experience of what works in the classroom, to develop our own teaching and learning framework and the PCS-8.  

 

Everything which children learn in school – the taught subject timetable, the approach to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, the extra-curricular provision, and the ethos of the ‘hidden curriculum’ of the school are to be seen as part of the school curriculum.   We are a fully inclusive school and our SEND team and Welfare team collaborate to provide an environment that our pupils can feel safe and supported in which in turn will enable them to focus on achieving their academic potential.   As part of this, our highly skilled teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners; pupils with additional learning needs have their own individualised learning passport, which ensures that we provide the most effective, and consistent approach to meeting the individual learning needs of our pupils.

 

PSHE and citizenship are delivered in every year group for an hour per fortnight and are further developed in an extended safeguarding tutorial once a fortnight and in assemblies. CEIAG is a growing area of strength across the school, providing the knowledge, understanding, confidence and skills students need to make informed choices and plans for their future learning and career. An overview of our careers programme, by year group and school term, is here. The school takes its commitment to developing students’ life knowledge and awareness very seriously and prioritises this in curriculum planning, ensuring it is also embedded across curriculum subjects.  

Key Stage 3

At KS3, all students study all national curriculum subjects to ensure breath and access is maintained.  There is a focus on English and maths, with a third of curriculum time given to these two subjects, to ensure that students have the greatest possible advantage in excelling in these areas, and to ensure all who are behind in these core subjects can catch up.   This is necessitated by low prior attainment in our year 7 cohorts as identified through CAT4 assessments, where the mean standardised score falls below national average.  

 

Science and the EBacc subjects of modern foreign languages, history and geography have a significant share of curriculum time to embed the academic rigour needed for future success.  The arts and practical subjects remain at the heart of the curriculum at KS3 through to the end of year 9, with over 20% of time, guaranteeing that all students experience a wide range of cultural and creative experiences for as long as possible.  

 

Year 7 and 8 both begin with a cross curricular project where students can explicitly link learning across the curriculum, developing key skills and deep subject understanding in an enquiry based, creative classroom environment which is rich in knowledge.  

 

Year 9 is a transition year to GCSE, with the core subjects of English, maths and science beginning to deliver GCSE topics and shift students to an increasingly advanced understanding.  Students also begin a GCSE in either citizenship or religious education with an external examination at the end of year 10.  This emphasises our commitment to developing students’ wider understanding of issues, culture and the world and also allows each individual to experience the rigours of GCSE exams and assessment, including the need for independent revision, without the full demands of exams in all subjects, making them prepared for their final year.  Students also continue to follow the full range of national curriculum subjects in year 9 to ensure that they can make informed decisions when choosing their options for KS4.  

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, every student studies English language and English literature (exam in both at the end of year 11) and we believe all students can achieve both of these subjects. Students either follow three separate sciences or combined science, allowing each to follow the most appropriate pathway.  Students choose from either geography or history so they sustain and develop their understanding of human impact on their world.   In addition, students can choose a modern foreign language and computing, as well as a range of other GCSE and vocational qualifications to suit students’ interests, learning styles and range of future progression routes.  Where numbers of students selecting a subject are small for a national curriculum subject and this cannot be run on site, students can access these on another OAT school site in a shared curriculum offer.  Protecting access and entitlement to smaller subjects and the arts is important to us and the Trust.  

 

Post 16

At Post 16, we ensure that students of almost all ability and future aspiration have a route that provides them with a good career pathway.  We are able to offer a very rich curriculum due to a longstanding partnership across the four OAT secondary schools.  The offer includes A levels, vocational courses and GCSE resits and we are committed to ensuring that all students have access to high quality careers advice and guidance in deciding whether they make university, further education, advanced apprenticeships, or employment applications. 

 

KS3 Curriculum 

Art	Citizenship/PSHE	Computing	Design Technology
Drama & dance	English	Science	Music
French	Humanities	Physical Education	Maths
Tutorial

KS4 Curriculum

Compulsory Courses: 

• Mathematics (GCSE) 
• English Language (GCSE) 
• English Literature (GCSE) 
• Science (GCSE) 
• Geography (GCSE) OR History (GCSE)
• Religious Studies (GCSE) or Citizenship (GCSE)
• Personal, Social and Health Education
• Physical Education 

Optional Courses: 

• Geography (GCSE) 
• History (GCSE) 
• French (GCSE) 
• German (GCSE)
• Art and Design (GCSE) 
• Drama (GCSE) 
• Dance (BTEC) 
• Music (BTEC) 
• Hospitality and Catering  (BTEC) 
• Photography (GCSE) 
• Product Design (GCSE) 
• Textiles Technology (GCSE) 
• Sport (BTEC) 
• Business (BTEC) 
• Health and Social Care (BTEC) 
• iMedia Studies (CAM Tech) 
• Computing (GCSE) 

Post 16 Curriculum 

Level 3 courses: 

• English Language (A level) 
• English Literature (A level) 
• Media Studies (A Level, BTEC) 
• Maths (A level) 
• Further Maths (A level) 
• Biology ((A level) 
• Chemistry (A level) 
• Physics (A level) 
• Applied Science (AS and A2) 
• Geography (A level) 
• History (A level) 
• Philosophy and Ethics (A level) 
• Sociology (A level) 
• Psychology (A level) 
• Art (A level) 
• Drama (A level) 
• French (A level) 
• ICT (BTEC) 
• Computing (A level) 
• Business Studies (A level) 
• Business (BTEC) 
• Travel & Tourism (BTEC) 
• Graphics Technology (A level) 
• Resistant Materials (A level) 
• Engineering (BTEC) 
• Textiles (A level) 
• Food Technology (A Level) 
• Sport (A level, BTEC) 
• Music Technology (BTEC) 
• Music Performance (BTEC) 
• Music (A level) 
• Law (A level) 
• Accounting (A level) 
• Photography (A level) 
• Politics (A level) 
• Financial Studies (A level) 
• Film Studies (A level) 
• Culture and Communication (A level) 
• Extended Project 

Level 2 courses: 

• Maths (GCSE) 
• English Language (GCSE)