LAMMAS SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CURRICULUM POLICY July 2016
Our School has a creative curriculum which uses a variety of teaching tools, linking education to the outside world to bring learning to life and ensure provision for all abilities. We will deliver the national curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. But in addition to this, we want a curriculum that responds to the needs of our students and is seen as relevant to their needs post-16. We offer a range of Sixth Form courses that includes AS Levels, A Level, vocational qualifications and enrichment that will enable students to progress to Higher Education or employment. Lammas School and Sixth Form is committed to: teaching children of all abilities to learn tailoring the curriculum to the individual, wherever possible the use of new technologies to enhance teaching and learning opportunities for learning with students of different ages in a variety of ways, eg Super Learning Days and Vertical tutoring enabling our students to develop independence in their learning collaborative work with other schools, colleges and institutions. The curriculum should: be broad, balanced and differentiated help the students to learn promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of all students prepare students for the responsibilities and opportunities they will face in adult life be delivered in ways which help the students to learn provide a pathway through to education at post-16 and at age 19 provide the opportunities for students to work at a pace best suited to their own needs reflect our responsibility towards community cohesion and develop active citizens with social responsibility within our school, our local community, nationally and globally A Broad, Balanced and Flexible Curriculum A broad curriculum involves a wide range of experiences that develop all areas of skill, knowledge and understanding. The following skills should be developed: reading, writing, speaking, listening, numeracy, observation, recording, drawing, retrieving and evaluating information, use of ICT, planning and evaluating work in order to improve and develop, independent learning, creativity and critical thinking. The material and content should develop pupils knowledge and understanding. A balanced curriculum provides teaching and learning across the full range of the curriculum. The core and foundation subjects are taught on a regular basis. Key Stage 4 students, who have an element of choice, are guided to maintain a balanced programme that still reflects their individual interests, abilities and aspirations. More able students are guided towards the English Baccalaureate. The 14-19 curriculum should be flexible, making available sufficient choice to students, including alternatives to traditional GCSE subjects. Curriculum Developments Since September 2008, our curriculum model has been a condensed KS3 curriculum and an extended KS4 curriculum; where Years 7 and 8 follow the KS3 curriculum and Year 9 begin the KS4 curriculum, which is better suited to their individual needs. The intention has always been that some students may take GCSE exams after two years (at the end of Year 10) and select AS Level courses or other complementary GCSE courses; some students may take their GCSE courses over a period of three years in order to achieve the best possible grade and that other students may follow a combination of these two routes. In practice, given the reformed GCSE specifications and rules about first-entry, students will normally follow their GCSE courses over a three-year period. We plan and evaluate appropriate pathways through KS3 and KS4 that provide continuity and progression for students of all levels of attainment. Page 2 of 6
More recent curriculum developments and planning for further developments have centred around: the recommendations in the Wolf Report, leading to a reduction in the number of BTEC programmes of study encouraging as many students as appropriate to make choices leading to the English Baccalaureate reviewing our offer to students with SEN and EAL, so that it now includes Key Skills (for those with the greatest SEN), Functional Skills in English (for those with EAL needs) and/or Cambridge National in ICT GCSE equivalent (for a target group who can then receive additional support in that qualification) the requirements of new school performance measures, such as Attainment 8 and Progress 8 new exam board specifications for KS4, leading to new Schemes of Learning in KS3 and KS4 changes to assessment and reporting for KS3 students because of the removal of NC levels the establishment of a Sixth Form. Monitoring and Evaluating the Curriculum 1. What are we trying to achieve? Curriculum aims Focus for Learning 2. How do we organise learning? Components Approaches to learning Whole curriculum dimensions Statutory expectations 3. How well are we achieving our aims? Evaluation impact Accountability measures THE CURRICULUM STRUCTURE In Key Stage 3 (Years 7-8) students will study: English Art Mathematics Cooking & Nutrition Science Design & Technology Computing Drama Foreign Language (French or Music Spanish) Ethics (Personal, Social, Health and Religious Education Geography (including Citizenship) History Physical Education (including swimming) Applied English Applied Maths In Key Stage 4 all students will study: English and English Literature Mathematics Science Physical Education (core) In addition, Key Stage 4 students choose four subjects from: Applied Business Graphic Products Art Health & Social Care Citizenship History Computer Science ICT Drama Key Skills (for SEN students) Food Preparation & Nutrition Music (BTEC) French Physical Education (option) Functional Skills in English Religious Studies (for EAL students) Resistant Materials Geography Spanish (Depending on student take-up, not all subjects may actually run every year.) Page 3 of 6
KS4 Enrichment Subjects Students are also offered a range of Enrichment subjects leading to GCSE or other accreditation through Out of School Hours Lessons. The provision varies from year to year, depending on student take-up and staff availability, but includes: Arabic Further Mathematics Statistics Duke of Edinburgh Award Leadership Awards in Sports and other subjects National Governing Body Awards Sixth Form / Key Stage 5 The first Sixth Form cohort began in September 2015. Subjects that ran in the first year are: Art Philosophy Biology Physical Education Chemistry Physics Computer Science Psychology Economics Sociology English Literature Level 3 BTEC Business French Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) History Skills for Life Mathematics Enrichment programme Further Mathematics (AS Level) Super Learning Days in KS3 and KS4 During the course of the year, there are a number of days when the normal timetable is suspended and students study a variety of subjects and cross-curricular themes in different ways (various time slots, outside speakers and providers, trips, different groupings). These Super Learning Day areas of study may include: Careers Citizenship Personal, Social and Health Education Religious Education Sports Days Study Skills Work-related Learning and Enterprise Key Stage 4 coursework International themes (eg with our partner school in Tanzania) University / College visits. Tutorial Lessons All students have a tutorial lesson on four days per week. Activities include: Reading and Literacy activities Numeracy activities Learning to Learn Peer Mentoring Assemblies Supervised / Guided study and revision Team activities (eg quizzes, competitions) Information, Advice and Guidance for option choices and careers Preparation for Work Experience Preparation for College (applications and personal statements) Research using ICT Student Voice Leadership Work, including academic mentoring and the Pupil Leadership Team. Early Entry for GCSE (see separate policy) It is the school s policy to enter some students earlier than would be normal for external accreditation in certain subjects. This can be done at either key stage, but only when it would benefit the students and must also take into account any impact on School Performance Measures. We will personalise the time and level of entry to suit individual students, wherever practicable. Students who are literate in a community language are encouraged to take the GCSE examination. This most commonly includes Polish, Portuguese and Turkish. During the period of transition from legacy to reformed Page 4 of 6
GCSEs, this needs to happen in Year 11. After 2018, students could be entered in Year 10. In-Class Support, Partnership teaching and Withdrawal Students with special educational needs are supported by the SEN department. Students are supported, where possible, in their normal lessons. Some students are withdrawn from lessons for tuition in literacy and numeracy on an individual or small group basis. There is additional staffing in KS3 English, Maths and Humanities to cater for the needs of students with very low prior attainment in literacy and numeracy. Students who speak a first language other than English receive support from the EAL Department and other external providers (such as Roma Traveller), depending on their level of English acquisition and their ability to access the curriculum. Support currently includes an Induction programme, Intensive English lessons, inclass support, partnership teaching (EAL teachers planning and delivering differentiated lessons alongside subject teachers). Groupings In Year 7 students are taught in setted groups in English, Applied English, Maths and Applied Maths (31% of the week s lessons) and in mixed ability groups for the remainder of the week. In subsequent years there is an increasing amount of setting according to ability; primarily in modern foreign languages and science. This is done in order to match the learning experiences to the ability of the student so that they reach the highest possible standards of achievement. Setting is based on KS2 prior attainment, CATs, exams and continuous assessment and is reviewed throughout the year. Extra-Curricular Activities Our dedicated, loyal and energetic staff are committed to helping students find their own way to flourish. A diverse range of activities that promote Learning Outside the Classroom or Out of School Hours Lessons are available to students. In addition to the Enrichment subjects already mentioned, these include competitive and non-competitive activities at school and off-site, such as climbing, horse-riding and cup-stacking, as well as the more traditional sports. Supporting Student s Learning through ICT The School subscribes to several internet-based ICT programmes and issues students with ID log-in and passwords so that they can access support in school and from home. These include SAM Learning, GCSEpod, BBC Bitesize, MyMaths, Kerboodle and Linguascope. KANDLE video analysis software is used in PE to improve performance. Students can also access resources and guidance on the school s MLE (Fronter). There are opportunities for students to use new technology as it becomes available in order to keep us at the cutting edge of the learning experience. Celebrating Success We recognise that to show we value students we must find appropriate ways to celebrate success. Subject areas, Tutors, Student Progress Leaders, KS4 Attainment Manager and Deputy Heads identify students who make exceptional contributions or exceptional progress and recognise this through a mixture of whole school strategies. This includes: Merits Telephone calls and letters to parents / carers Pen of the Week Vouchers Team points Milestone prizes Rewards trips Roll of Honour awards Celebration assemblies Headteacher s receptions Annual Achievement Evening Year 8 Graduation The School Newsletter External publicity (eg newspaper) Data, Assessment and Reporting All teachers are provided with, or can access, prior attainment data for their classes. This includes KS2 attainment, CATs in Years 8 and 9 and termly progress levels / grades from Year 7 onwards. Assessment is a means of measuring this progress consistently. Page 5 of 6
In KS3, students are regularly assessed against learning objectives for each module. In KS4, students are regularly assessed using GCSE fine Grades. In KS5, students are regularly assessed using fine grades and using ALPs for tracking progress and attainment. Assessment, both formative and summative, is seen to lie at as the heart of good teaching and learning. Assessment for Learning (AfL) and Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) are important strands of school improvement and form the basis of student / teacher / parent dialogue about learning and progress. There is an expectation that all staff use a wide variety of approaches to assessment and fully utilise a range of assessment methods to engage students fully and to communicate our expectations to them. Assessment helps students identify their personal aspirations and enables them to work closely with staff in order to set attainable targets. We report to parents after each module and through one full written report each year. There is an Academic Review Day in the autumn each year and at least one Parent meeting for each year group. As the need arises, individual meetings are set up with parents at any point throughout the year. Schemes of Work, Lesson Plans and Homework Schemes of Work form part of medium term planning and are the responsibility of Curriculum and Subject Leaders. There must be reference to: Knowledge and content to be covered over specific periods of time Skills that need to be taught and learned Activities in which students will be engaged Learning objectives for each unit of work, with reference to attainment and differentiation (providing guidance for staff, as appropriate) Suggested range of resources / media to be used (with reference to setting, as appropriate) Aspects of work that need to be assessed and the method of assessment Links with other units of work and cross-curricular themes and skills, including citizenship, ICT and work-related learning. There is an expectation that all staff will have a lesson plan for every lesson. Homework is set at least once for every three lessons in each subject and is recorded in student planners and on the school network. For core subjects, this means at least once per week; for KS3 subjects that see students for only one lesson per week, this would mean at least once every three weeks. Homework is recorded and is available to students and parents on the website ShowMyHomework. Links This policy should be read in conjunction with other school documents: Prospectus Learning and Teaching Framework Charging Policy Home-School Agreements Parenting Contracts Exam Entry Policy Sex and Relationships Education Policy Special Educational Needs Policy Marking and Assessment Policy Vertical Tutoring handbook Quality Assurance procedures Sixth Form Handbook Sixth Form Enrichment booklet as well as the school s website and documents from the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) website. Page 6 of 6