Curriculum Overview

Year 7 and Year 8

With the exception of maths, all students are taught in mixed ability teaching groups, many lessons with their tutor groups. PE, Languages and Technology are taught in mixed ability groups with a chance to work with students in other tutor groups. Maths is taught in attainment sets from the beginning of Y7, regularly reviewed to ensure students are placed in the most appropriate groups for their learning.

Year 9

Students in Y9 are largely taught in mixed ability teaching groups. Maths continues to be taught in attainment sets, whilst science has two higher ability sets, with the rest of the group taught in mixed ability groups. Year 9 is also Options year, where students decide their GCSE subjects. The school supports at every step of the options process, and is there to guide students and parents to ensure students make the best possible choices.

Year 10

Year 10 is the start of the GCSE and Cambridge National courses. Students take a combination of core subjects and optional subjects chosen in year 9. Most subjects are taught within mixed ability groups, other than for English, RE maths and science where students are taught in some attainment sets. English, RE and science have a higher ability set (two in science), with the majority of students taught in mixed ability groups.

Year 11

Students complete their KS4 programme of study, and sit public examinations at the end of the school year. Students have two rounds of pre-public exams at the beginning and in the middle of Y11 and may be invited to attend intervention and/or academic challenge sessions. Some courses have a non-examined assessment component, and will require coursework or practical assessment.

Curriculum Rationale