Curriculum

Curriculum Vision and Intent

 ‘Excellence for All’ is delivered through a carefully constructed and sequenced curriculum which is broad, balanced, challenging and fosters a love of learning. We match our curriculum to the abilities, interests, and aspirations of our students to give every child the opportunity to become the best version of themselves.

Literacy is at the heart of all learning. Lessons are carefully planned to promote its’ development through a focus on (challenging) reading and writing skills. All students have a daily reading session, designed to broaden vocabulary, cultural capital, and confidence.

Schools encourage learning to take place in and outside the classroom with a clear focus on developing the whole child through our unique Carlton Edge offer. This provides opportunities for students to develop their social capital and levels of aspiration through a range of cultural, educational, sporting and arts experiences and visits.

This page presents comprehensive information about our curriculum including:

  • details of the curriculum structure
  • our SMSC and modern British values offer in school
  • curriculum model
  • curriculum subject overviews
Curriculum Structure

Key Stage 3 (KS3) comprises of years 7, 8 and 9, with KS4 being Years 10 and 11.

Our curriculum provides students with exciting learning experiences that are designed to fit the needs of all. Every subject is rich in the development of knowledge and skills and leads towards  qualifications needed to succeed in life.

The timetable is 58 periods over 2 weeks with each lesson 50 minutes long. There is a form period of 15 minutes at the beginning of each morning. Break (15 mins) is between and lunch (25 mins). The school day starts at 8:20 am and finishes at 2:40 pm.

Students are taught in groups set by ability according to their Key Stage 2 average scores in the core subjects. There is flexibility in the system as students can be moved between progress groups if this is deemed appropriate following the outcomes from regular key assessment points. Such organisation means that personalised learning is more effective and intervention is more efficient. There is a broad balance of traditional and vocational courses, including carefully chosen courses giving students a wide range of opportunities to gain qualifications.

At the end of Year 9, students choose from Guided Destinations blocks, where a mix of GCSEs and Vocational qualifications are on offer. In every case, decisions are ‘guided’ by the subject teachers and data is examined to ensure students are maximising their chances of getting the best possible grades, leading them onto appropriate Post 16 courses.

The curriculum offer is reviewed every year to ensure that we continue to provide a personalised curriculum that offers both breadth and academic rigour, whilst maximizing opportunities for progression to Post-16 education.

SMSC and Modern British Values

Our students understand the five key values of democracy, rule of law, mutual respect, individual liberty and tolerance, the curriculum as well as enrichment activities support this. All five areas are covered at length within the PHSE/RE curriculum.

Subject teachers all have a role to play in modelling and promoting both SMSC and MBV every day, they do this in a variety of ways. The majority of work is completed within an extensive PHSE/Citizenship and Religious Studies curriculum but all areas of the school support the strands.

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