Greenbank High School: 5 Year Secondary Curriculum Pathway

 

Students have a five year curriculum with specialisation at the end of Year 7 (language choice), Year 8 (Ebacc + 2 specialisms) and Year 9 (pathway) in order for students to access the broadest curriculum possible over 5 years and to ensure that:

• The majority of our students study 10 subjects for as long as possible and maintain the breadth of subject choice.
• Subjects have adequate time to explore their curriculum in detail, allowing greater depth of understanding and enjoyment and ensuring that students are well prepared for their external qualifications.
• Progression is maximised within all subjects during students’ 5 years increasing the life chances and future success of all pupils.
• More able students achieve the top grades of 8 & 9 and are well equipped to achieve well at further and higher education with the skills required to access these top grades.
• Students follow the most suitable curriculum for them with a transition and foundation period in Year 9 to ensure the correct pathways and subjects have been chosen with fluidity between option choices as appropriate to the individual.
• The curriculum is brought to life with time available to deliver key activities which make our school a special learning community such as the sporting, leadership and performing arts opportunities as well as the extra-curricular and international visits.
• High expectations are set and allow all students to achieve above their peers. Students’ targets are ambitious and driven by the high expectations staff have of all of our students; time is taken to arrive at these targets based on assessing the individual and their potential as well as validating this against national data.
• High impact enrichment takes place such as Duke of Edinburgh Award Expeditions, Enrichment Days and one week of Work Experience ensuring students are well equipped to move on to further study and future careers as well as being responsible citizens contributing positively to the wider community.
• Students can specialise in subjects which are relevant to them and their futures with a high percentage of students studying arts and technology
• Students with Special Educational Needs and students at risk of underperforming have effective support and intervention.
• We work towards the government targets for EBACC widening the opportunities for further learning for students whilst at the same time maintaining individuals’ interests with a wide range of curriculum options for students.
• All students are able to benefit from studying Religious Education at GCSE level further enhancing SMSC.
• The mental health of students is kept as a key priority with less anxiety due to courses being finished in a timely way with adequate time for embedding knowledge and preparing students to do their best in their assessments.
• The National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 is covered in 2 years and is carefully tracked to ensure that students have covered all areas of non-statutory KS4 subjects by the end of Year 8.
• Students are engaged in their learning due to them being part of the process in shaping their curriculum. Many students have a clear idea of the subjects they like the most and the least by the middle of Year 8.

CURRICULUM INTENT: VALUES AND VISION

Our aim is to improve the life chances of all pupils and to ensure that every child achieves their potential. The curriculum that pupils receive will be with them for the rest of their lives and will provide them with the foundations for later study and careers. In order to ensure that pupils have access to every opportunity possible, our curriculum aims to:

• provide key knowledge and understanding across a wide variety of subjects, skills and experiences
• ensure that every possible pathway is open to the pupils in their future lives and careers
• support pupils in making excellent progress
• support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• support pupils’ physical development and for their own health and enable them to be active
• promote a positive attitude towards learning
• ensure equal access to learning, with high expectations for every pupil and appropriate levels of challenge and support
• provide subject choices and curriculum pathways that support pupils’ learning and progression, and enable them to work towards achieving their goals
• develop pupils’ independent learning skills and resilience to equip them for further and higher education and employment

 

Year 7:

Pupils are taught as a form group in all lessons except maths and design and technology. Towards the end of year 7 pupils opt for their preferred language to continue from year 8 onwards.

Subject	Lessons per fortnight	Mixed/set
English	7	Mixed
Maths	7	Set
Science	6	Mixed
Physical Education	4	Mixed
Design and Technology	4	Mixed
History	3	Mixed
Geography	3	Mixed
French	3	Mixed
Spanish	3	Mixed
Art	2	Mixed

Music	2	Mixed
IT	2	Mixed
RE	2	Mixed
PSHE-	1	Mixed
Drama	1	Mixed

 

Year 8:

Pupils are taught in mixed ability work groups to develop their understanding of working with others in all subjects except in maths.

Pupils wishing to study both languages have the opportunity to complete a two-year GCSE as part of the extra-curricular provision.

Some pupils with additional needs receive additional time developing numeracy and literacy for three lessons per fortnight and follow a reduced languages curriculum.

Pupils opt at the end of Year 8 in order for pupils to access the broadest curriculum to the very highest standards and to ensure that:

• The majority of our pupils achieve 10 GCSEs and maintain the breadth of subject choice rather than opting to reduce to 8 or 9 GCSE subjects.
• Subjects have adequate curriculum time for assessment and exam preparation in line with the linear specifications.
• Progression is maximised within all subjects during pupils’ 5 years at Greenbank.
• More able pupils achieve the top grades of 8 & 9.
• Time is available to explore subjects at GCSE level. This allows greater depth of understanding and enjoyment, so pupils do not feel that they are just preparing for an examination in a short space of time.
• A transition period in Year 9 is available to ensure the correct pathways have been chosen.
• Time is still available to deliver key activities which make Greenbank a special learning community such as the sporting, leadership and performing arts opportunities as well as the extra-curricular visits.
• High expectations continue to be set and allow all pupils to achieve above their peers.

Subject	Lessons per fortnight	Mixed/set
English	7	Mixed
Maths	7	Set
Science	6	Mixed

Physical Education	4	Mixed
Design and Technology	3	Mixed
History	3	Mixed
Geography	3	Mixed
French or Spanish	6*	Mixed
Art	2	Mixed
Music	3	Mixed
IT	2	Mixed
RE	2	Mixed
PSHE	1	Mixed
Drama	1	Mixed

 

Year 9

All pupils follow the core curriculum as outlined below plus two option choices. This allows pupils to specialise in their chosen fields whilst at the same time deepening their understanding in the core subjects.  A small number of pupils (approximately 5%) do not study a language and have additional support with numeracy, literacy and accessing the wider curriculum. At the end of Y9 a curriculum review takes place to ensure that all pupils are on a suitable curriculum moving into Year 10.

Subject	Lessons per fortnight	Mixed/set
English	8	Set
Maths	8	Set
Science	6	Set
RE	5	Mixed
French or Spanish	5	Mixed
History or geography	4	Mixed
Physical Education	3	Mixed
IT	2	Mixed
PSE	1	Mixed

Option 1	4	Mixed
Option 2	4	Mixed

 

Options choices:

Design and Technology	Design and Technology GCSE Graphic Design GCSE Food and Nutrition GCSE
The Arts	Art GCSE Photography GCSE Music GCSE Music Technology Drama GCSE Dance GCSE
Humanities	History GCSE Geography GCSE
Other	Separate Sciences GCSE Child Development History/Geography GCSE Computer Science GCSE Creative i-media Media Studies Latin PE GCSE

 

Year 10

At the end of Year 10 pupils sit their GCSE examinations in RE and English literature.

Some pupils may follow an intervention programme following the curriculum review at the end of Y9 in place of either an option subject, a humanity or a MFL; intervention focuses on maths and English skills.

At the end of Y10 a curriculum review takes place to ensure that all pupils are on a suitable curriculum moving into Year 11.

 

Subject	Lessons per fortnight	Mixed/set
English	8	Set
Maths	8	Set
Science	10	Set
RE	4	Mixed
French or Spanish	5	Mixed
History or geography	4	Mixed
Option 1	4	Mixed
Option 2	4	Mixed
Physical Education	3	Mixed

 

Year 11

Some pupils may follow an intervention programme following the curriculum review at the end of Y10 in place of either an option subject, a humanity or a MFL; intervention focuses on maths and English skills.

Subject	Lessons per fortnight	Mixed/set
English	8	Set
Maths	8	Set
Science	10	Set
French or Spanish	5	Mixed
History or geography	5	Mixed
Option 1	5	Mixed
Option 2	5	Mixed
Physical Education	3	Mixed
PSE	1	Mixed

CULTURAL CAPITAL

The school is committed at every stage to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged because they do not have the cultural experience to access the full curriculum and focuses on the following key areas:

• Experiences and provision to support pupils in accessing the workplace which is in line and goes beyond the Gatsby Benchmark, see Careers policy.
• Cultural participation as part of the taught curriculum as well as being supported by learning outside the classroom with curriculum based trips and visits
• Extra-curricular activities to enhance the curriculum for all pupils
• Literacy – the school provides pupils with support to be at age-expected reading stage by the end of year 8. The provision is outlined in the SEND and Literacy policy

Vulnerable pupils’ access to this provision is monitored carefully in order to support those whose cultural gap may be wider.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The personal development curriculum embraces the strands of Citizenship, Personal, Health and Social Education (PHSE), Careers Education and Guidance (CEAG) and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) educational policies.

The pupils’ entitlement is delivered through a combination of enrichment days, personal development time (PDT) each day, PHSE lessons, RE lessons and assemblies as well as through the delivered curriculum in subject areas.  The provision is designed and monitored by the PHSE subject leader supported by the Assistant Headteacher for Personal Development.

INCLUSION

Teachers set high expectations for all pupils. They will use appropriate assessment to set ambitious targets and plan challenging work for all groups, including:

• More able pupils
• Pupils with low prior attainment
• Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Pupils with SEN
• Pupils with English as an additional language (EAL)

Teachers plan lessons so that pupils with SEN and/or disabilities study every subject on offer in the school, wherever possible, and ensure that there are no barriers to any pupil achieving.

Teachers take account of the needs of pupils whose first language is not English. Lessons are planned so that teaching opportunities help pupils to develop their English, and to support pupils to take part in all subjects.

Curriculum pathways are available to pupils to ensure that pupils achieve their potential.