Curriculum Intent Overview

Our curriculum provision is currently under review following the appointment of our new Headteacher’ and to reflect the changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Details of our recent curriculum offer are outlined below. We are currently benchmarking against the National Curriculum to ensure that our offer is ambitious for all of our students and reflects the disruption to their education over the last 18 months. This section will be updated by early October 2021.

The curriculum provided for our students is broad, balanced and deep, encompassing knowledge, skills, understanding, values and qualities. The taught curriculum framework is in line with national requirements but also reflects the context of the school and our LEARN ethos.

The school curriculum is understood to be the sum of all the experiences that a student has at school and, in this school, there are many opportunities for young people to experience new challenges, develop skills and attributes and acquire the resilience to be a successful, lifelong learner both in and out of class. Excellent outcomes, in the context of each individual, is one goal we all strive toward but our curriculum also provides a wealth of opportunity for students to become the best they can be; articulate, aware, caring, confident citizens who are ambitious for themselves and keen to contribute to their community and wider society.

At WHS, students have an entitlement to experience learning that develops their aesthetic and creative skills, human and social values, linguistic and literary abilities, mathematical and scientific understanding, technological awareness and physical confidence. Our curriculum intends to broaden minds, enrich our community and advance all learners; it should inculcate an appreciation of the national culture, traditions and values of the UK; it should provide opportunities for participation in a broad range of educational experiences to support personal development and empowerment.

The curriculum offer is reviewed each year, taking into account drivers from outside school such as changes to national policy, whilst also ensuring that the design of the curriculum is enabling continuous school improvement and meeting the needs of our community. Many of those experiences take place within our classrooms but opportunities to learn beyond the classroom, town and country are encouraged.

We are committed to providing a variety of careers based learning from Year 7 onward which includes form activities, subject links with employers, visits to workplaces, conventions and local colleges and which, throughout the curriculum, is about developing the skills required for ‘work readiness’, alongside the qualifications needed for progression.

Enjoyment of the curriculum promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour where children feel safe to try new things. Visitors into school enhance the curriculum and visits out of school promote real-life experiences, especially when choosing future careers and interests.

A three year KS3 curriculum allows students time to develop their interests, skills and experiences before selecting some subjects at GCSE, BTEC or Tech Award level. All subjects take a five year approach to learning which may incorporate first teaching of KS4 content, skills and understanding within KS3 schemes of learning. This is especially true of the three core subjects of English, Maths and Science.

Subject leaders play a vital role in the success of the curriculum by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review. High quality, first wave teaching ensures that the needs of every individual can be met, supported by targeted, purposeful intervention when necessary. Schemes of learning and assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they are relevant, engaging and purposeful.

KS3 Curriculum Structure: hours allocated per subject

Points of note:

• In 2018, Year 7 have an additional hour to support progress of reading and comprehension (identified as an area for development) called the XL programme
• The majority of Year 8 students continue to study French, and Spanish is introduced, although a small cohort will continue to receive an additional hour of literacy support and will therefore only have one hour of one MFL.
• In Year 9, students study either French or Spanish
• In 2018, Year 8 will have one hour of RE alongside one hour of Wellbeing (including PSHE and citizenship). In Year 9, one hour of Religion, Society and Wellbeing (RSW) continues.

KS4 Curriculum * indicates an optional subject

Points of note:

• Two small Foundation Pathway groups have been retained in Y10; a small number of students will be on one day work placements which, together with improved curriculum offering through vocational courses, provides an appropriate pathway for a specific cohort of students who need additional support.
• We continue to offer Music, despite present low numbers at GCSE, as the Governors are keen to support the creative and performing arts for our students.

KS4 Option Blocks: number of groups

*Denotes new courses introduced from September 2018