Our Curriculum

We believe in a personalised approach to learning for the students in all our academies and, although the details below give more information about the curriculum for specific age groups of children, personalised learning is at the heart of all our teaching.

This means that each child is monitored and assessed individually and the curriculum and enrichment opportunities can be tailored into individual packages to meet the needs of each child.

Primary level curriculum

Cornerstones Curriculum

We use the Cornerstones Curriculum in all of our primary schools. We think children learn better when they’re given the chance to use their imagination and apply what they learn and the Cornerstones Curriculum does just that, whilst also helping us to meet targets set out in the National Curriculum.

The Cornerstones Curriculum features more than 70 ‘Imaginative Learning Projects’ that help teachers teach and children learn. Written by teachers for teachers, it exceeds the requirements of the National Curriculum.

Our schools are teaching vibrant and engaging lessons through these projects, allowing pupils to be inspired, improve their understanding and help them to express themselves.

The Imaginative Learning Projects are flexible and thematic and are taught in a creative yet structured way to get the most out of each pupil’s learning.

Curriculum key features:

• Hundreds of imaginative, engaging activities directly aligned with programmes of study for each year group
• Meaningful, cross-curricular links between programmes of study and each subject area
• Essential skills tied to each activity and year group
• Teacher notes that provide extra information, tips and ideas
• Homework ideas that offer exciting, open-ended activities that engage children and families.

Assertive Mentoring

Where necessary, we also adopt the Assertive Mentoring system, which puts pupils at the heart of teaching and learning and makes them responsible for their own education.

It brings together all of the teaching and learning systems, including pupil target setting, tracking, mentoring, intervention and checking, so that each pupil gets the most out of their education.

Assertive Mentoring aims to:

• Raise standards for all
• Motivate and involve pupils in their learning
• Inform and involve parents in their child’s learning.

Assertive Mentoring targets what a child can do, and what they need to do to move to the next level. It allows teachers to set achievable targets in reading, writing and mathematics each half term, and to work with the children to complete these.

The system facilitates sharing these targets with parents so that they can help their child to achieve even more quickly. Pupils know exactly what level they are working at, and what they need to do to move on. Marking and feedback to pupils are focused, and termly mentoring meetings review what has been achieved and what needs to be done next.

Secondary level curriculum

Our secondary level curriculum is innovative and designed to give students clear pathways from the age of 14 and 16 to 18 and beyond. It follows the University Technical College (UTC) and Career Colleges model in terms of a clear pathway from age 14, and gives students the option of academic or vocational study or a mixture of the two, depending on their interests and aspirations. These options are in addition to the core subjects of English, maths, science and PE.

A range of specialisms are available to students, giving them the opportunity to work towards a specific career path or specialise in an area that particularly interests them. These specialisms are: health and social care; computer science and coding; visual and performing arts; engineering and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths); business, enterprise and entrepreneurship. These specialisms will be regularly reviewed to ensure they are relevant to the local and national economy.

The curriculum is supported with a high quality enrichment and extra-curricular programme which provides extended opportunities for students to participate in clubs and partnerships which broaden and enrich individual learning and provide physical, social, cultural, creative and charitable experiences. The range of recognised and accredited enrichment opportunities will help to develop the essential skills needed for future employment, education and training. We encourage all our students to undertake learning experiences in business and enterprise, allowing the development of entrepreneurial skills, and we provide experiences for students to develop skills in coding, electronic systems and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

At Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8, 9*) students study the core subjects (English, maths, science and PE) as well as a range of other subjects to build core competencies and prepare for key stage 4.

At Key Stage 4 (years 9, 10, 11*) students study the core subjects alongside the options subjects they choose – academic, vocational or a mixture of the two. This ensures they continue to improve their knowledge of maths, English and science, whilst having the opportunity to specialise in areas that interest them.

At Post-16 (sixth form) students who choose to continue their study at one of our academies continue on the pathway they began at Key Stage 4, with the opportunity to study for AS Levels, A2 Levels and BTEC qualifications.

*Our curriculum allows some students to begin Key Stage 4 in Year 9, and where this isn’t appropriate students will continue to focus on developing core competencies.

This curriculum has been designed to prepare students for work and to give them the best possible chance of progressing to their chosen pathway after the academy. We work with local and national employers, apprenticeship providers and further and higher education providers to ensure our curriculum provides students with the skills that employers need to fill the proven skills gaps in the areas surrounding our academies.

We are fully committed to ensuring our curriculum offer follows government guidelines that all students remain in education or training until at least 18.