Curriculum overview

The School Day

The school operates a 24 period teaching week. There are five periods per day on Monday-Thursday (3 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon), each of which lasts for one hour. There are four periods on Friday (3 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon). School ends at 2.30pm each Friday and the remaining hour is used for staff development. The timetable is structured across two weeks, with an A and a B week.

The School Curriculum

The aims of our curriculum are to:

meet all statutory requirements
provide a coherently planned sequence and structure in each subject which will:
– detail the core content and subject specific skills which students will learn and the order in which they will learn them
– ensure that students develop a deep understanding of key ideas and concepts
– be adapted, designed and developed for students with special educational needs and disabilities
ensure that the planned curriculum in each subject provides support for progression in other subjects where appropriate
have systems in place which assess the extent to which students have grasped and understood the core content and skills
use the information from this assessment to ensure that these gaps are addressed
deliver high standards and achievement in all years
provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities that contribute to the overall learning experience
support students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
support physical development and students’ responsibility for their own health, and enable students to be active

This policy reflects the requirements for Academies to provide a broad and balanced curriculum (2010 Academies Act). As an Academy it is not statutory for us to follow the National Curriculum. While we do follow broadly its structure and content, we also make some adjustments from time-to-time. This is to ensure that we meet the needs and interests of all our students and prepare them thoroughly for study at GCSE and beyond.

It also reflects requirements for inclusion and equality as set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2014 and Equality Act 2010, and refers to curriculum-related expectations of governing boards set out in the Department for Education’s Governance Handbook.

It complies with our funding agreement and articles of association.

Further information can be obtained from Dr E.J.Newbold, Deputy Headteacher, enewbold@gillotts.org.uk

Curriculum Opportunities

All our students are provided with the opportunity to follow a broad and balanced curriculum in every year. We view our curriculum as a five year programme across Years 7-11, ensuring that all students are thoroughly prepared for the GCSE examinations which are now all taken at the end of Year 11. While all students follow a similar curriculum in Years 7-9, they are able to choose from a wide range of option subjects during Year 9. These include both traditional GCSE subjects and vocational-based courses. Students also take part in five off-timetable days (two full days and three half days) each year to cover our PSHE curriculum (which includes both citizenship and personal, social & health education).

Curriculum Flexibility

We also strive to meet the individual needs of all our students. For example:

• additional teaching groups have been created to provide extra literacy and numeracy support in Years 7-9

• more able students have been provided with the opportunity to study an additional mathematics qualification at GCSE

• some students are able to opt for additional lessons in English and mathematics as one of their option subjects at GCSE

Citizenship, Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE)

These elements of the curriculum are combined into a subject termed ‘PSHE’ in all year groups. The citizenship and PSHE curriculum give students the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives, and to become informed, active and responsible citizens, capable of forming good relationships and respecting the differences between people. We also aim to prepare students for the world of work, providing them with the knowledge, understanding, creativity and confidence to be wealth creators in their future lives.
The delivery of PSHE is mapped across the curriculum, into tutor periods and also the five discrete PSHE days which take place each year (two full days and three half days). Students also receive support from the Adviza careers service.

Curriculum Guides

We have produced curriculum guides for Years 7, 8 & 9 which can be accessed by following the links in the green menu on the right-hand side of this page. These guides provide the following:

•   an overview of the curriculum structure in each year
•   details of the frequency of homework which should be set in each subject
•   information on how we will asses student and track student progress
•   an insight into the reporting process
•   details of the subject content in each subject and how parents can support their child’s learning