Curriculum Overview

Our Curriculum Intent:

Working Hard to Succeed #learningcomesfirst

At Westhoughton High School, our LEARN values are at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that every child should access an excellent education within an inclusive environment that encourages them to have unlimited ambition and prepares them for life in a rapidly changing world.

Our intent is to develop young people who:

Look after one another as learners, are inclusive of the beliefs and values of others, are role models and support the learning of others;
Enjoy their learning, have fun, are engaged and empowered to explore and be curious with a desire to pursue ideas and solutions;
Aim high, with a sense of purpose and aspiration, experiencing and developing leadership skills, going above and beyond, demonstrating a strong work ethic, excellent initiative and a commitment to getting the most out of all opportunities.
Respect learning
Never stop learning and believe that life is a learning process with there always being something new to learn. They are independent and resilient and can thrive in any environment.

The curriculum at Westhoughton High School supports the school’s values by:

• Delivering an exciting and ambitious, positive progress-focused culture. building skills for learning, life and work;
• Being coherently sequenced and planned, inclusive of personal, cultural, and spiritual experiences within our unique daily LEARN personal development programme that ensures students are healthy, safe and fit in mind and body;
• Focusing on character education, developing the moral compass of our students and trusting, meaningful relationships that support the raising of their aspirations;
• Equipping all students with the knowledge and cultural capital that they need to succeed in life creating a sense of awe and wonder;
• Enabling students to develop their oracy skills and vocabulary and become successful, confident communicators;
• Ensuring all students are able to read fluently and experience high quality texts that promote and develop a love of reading;
• Guiding students to draw upon their knowledge and skills to make informed life choices and reach their personal best through an ambitious careers offer and opportunities for work experience;
• Promoting home learning, enabling all pupils to extend their leaning, ignite independence and enquiry skills through a range of experiences;
• The application of expertly selected pedagogical routines and approaches linked to our Westhoughton Ways, ensuring that the curriculum is adapted for all, resulting in high levels of engagement.

Our Curriculum Offer:

Curriculum Implementation: The Macro Curriculum

KS3 Curriculum Structure (Years 7-9)

Years 7-9 are placed into 10 form groups in each year group. To create a timetable each year group is separated into two, parallel ability bands. Each band (QR and ST) is taught in five sets of varying prior attainment. Smaller groups are assigned in Technology and Performing Arts and Music to accommodate health and safety recommendations in these subject areas and use of equipment for the best learning experience. Intervention for additional literacy and numeracy occurs within the curriculum timetable with our qualified teachers as Learning Mentors working to close gaps present through assessment, alongside our Learning Support Team who support with literacy and numeracy catch up for students with -100 KS2 prior assessment. This also helps form our Literacy and Numeracy ‘Catch Up’ in Year 7 with support strategies with subject specialists to ensure all students have barriers to academic success mitigated against such as accessing the curriculum with age-related literacy and numeracy.

Subject Code Key: En (English), Ma (Maths), Sc (Science), Tech (Technology = Food, Textiles and Design Technology), Art, Fr (French), Gg (Geography), Hi (History), PE (Physical Education), RE (Religious Education), PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship Education), Co (Computing), PA (Performing Arts) and Mu (Music), Sp (Spanish).

Year 7	En	Ma	Sc	Tech	Art	Fr	Gg	Hi	PE	RE	PSHCE	Co	PA/Mu*
48 Periods	8	8	6	3	1	4	4	4	3	2	1	2	2

*PA and Music work on a half-termly rotation meaning that each term all students have a half-term of Music and the other in PA before swapping again.

Year 8 & 9	En	Ma	Sc	Tech	Art	Fr/Sp**	Gg	Hi	PE	RE	PSHCE	Co	PA/Mu*
48 Periods	8	8	6	3	1	4	4	4	3	2	1	2	2

**Fr/Sp
NB:  In Year 8 students are introduced to Spanish as well as French. Students study two lessons of Spanish and two lessons of French each fortnight. At the end of Year 8, students decide which language they wish to pursue into Year 9 whereby, based on their choice alongside advisories from their teachers, students study French or Spanish for four lessons a fortnight in their chosen language in Year 9.

KS4 Curriculum Structure (Year 10-11)

Discussions with students begin in Year 9 regarding their interests, option preferences and intentions for post-16 progression. Within their KS4 studies, students are placed into our W or H option pathways which are two, parallel ability bands, in order to form the curriculum model. All students study English Language and Literature (two separate GCSEs), Maths, Science (two GCSEs) and will have one period per week for non-examined RE/PSHCE and Games. The majority of students will study three option subjects (based on their preferences) with the minimum expectation of one EBacc subject to be taken (Geography, History, French, Spanish, Triple Science or Computer Science).  The pathways followed are designed to provide all students with the appropriate opportunity, time and support to be able to thrive and achieve their potential, such that they are prepared for and can access their choice of post-16 provision.

Year 10 and Year 11 Pathways

Subject Code Key: En (English), Ma (Maths), Sc (Science), Ox (Option X), Oy (Option Y), Oz (Option Z), Ga (Games), RSW (RE/PSHCE)

Key Stage 4

KS4	En	Ma	Sc	Ox*	Oy*	Oz*	Ga	RSW
48 Periods	8	8	10	6	6	6	2	2