Curriculum Intent

Opportunities for All

We aim to foster the intellectual, social, creative, physical, moral and spiritual development of all our pupils. Everyone in our school is valued and with the shared involvement of every individual, we aspire to be a confident outward-looking Christian community in which every member

  • adopts sound moral and ethical values
  • aspires to be the best they can be
  • achieves their potential in all areas of school life –spiritual, academic, creative, physical and emotional
  • is supported, challenged and equipped to live and work in a complex and changing world
  • grows in self-esteem and resilience and has a sense of social and environmental responsibility
  • values and takes responsibility for themselves and others
  • builds healthy and lasting relationships

To help our young people develop, we believe it is important for them to explore their talents and enable them to experience success and fulfil their potential.  To this end we offer a broad and balanced curriculum with a wide range of enrichment opportunities.
We recognise that young people have differing needs and we aim to meet these through a variety of curriculum support and intervention strategies across all year including Gifted and Talented activities, learning mentors and study support as well as literacy or numeracy intervention programmes.
Our PSHE programme provides opportunities for personal development and the adoption of sound ethical and moral values through its focus on citizenship, staying healthy, keeping safe and careers education.  In addition, there are flexible learning days throughout the year when the normal lesson timetable is suspended across the school or for a particular year group.  These days allow students to learn in different ways such as off-site or with external providers and include themes such as Careers, Work-related learning, Body Image, Staying Safe and Study Skills.  These days also enable the delivery of cross curricular themes Eg. Humanities, Numeracy, European days.

 

"The curriculum is well designed to meet the needs of the full range of pupils, including the right balance of academic and vocational subjects. Pupils study a broad range of subjects, a number of which are supported by extra-curricular study clubs. Pupils’ learning is further enriched by a wide range of additional activities including reading and chess clubs in the library, visits – to theatre productions for example, music and sporting fixtures." Ofsted 2016

 

Key Stage 3

We believe that Years 7 – 9 are very important building blocks to ensure success in later life. Students will build upon KS2 foundations and acquire skills and knowledge at this stage which will support their success at Key Stage 4 and beyond, preparing them academically and socially to achieve their potential in GCSE exams and post-16 study. Students develop the main key skills of literacy, communication and numeracy as an integral part of the curriculum, together with learning and thinking skills which allow them to flourish as independent learners.  All students follow a core curriculum in Y7 & 8 which is delivered through a variety of mixed ability and ability grouped teaching with additional literacy and numeracy support for those who need it.  In Year 9 students will begin GCSE programmes of study in core subjects at varying points throughout the year but will commence their GCSE options at the beginning of Key Stage 4.
In Y7 & 8 students will study:


English

Maths

Science

RE

French & German*

Geography

History

Art

Drama

Music

ICT

Food

Design Technology

PE

PSHE

*Students with weaker literacy skills will only study one Modern Foreign Language and will have timetabled Literacy periods.
In Y9 students will follow broadly the same curriculum but will opt for 3 out of the 5 creative and technology subjects and specialise in one modern foreign language to enable a greater focus on GCSE skills.

Key Stage 4

We offer a wide choice of subjects at KS4 so that students can choose a range of opportunities according to their ability, interests and learning style.   There is a general KS4 pathway and an Ebacc pathway, which is a requirement for able linguists but also available to all students.  Each route is intended to meet the needs and aspirations of all students and provide progression to post-16 education or training and beyond.
We ensure that students follow a balanced curriculum which will equip them to compete in a rapidly changing world.  All students follow accredited courses in English, Maths, Science, RE, History or Geography.  Students may opt to study triple science, depending on their aptitude for the subject.  Students on the general pathway are allocated additional time for English and Maths to further support GCSE skills in these subjects.  
KS4 option blocks are designed around student choice with popular subjects in more than one option block. Some options with smaller student numbers may be protected to safeguard curriculum balance and entitlement Eg Music. Subjects studied at KS4 all lead to accredited qualifications and support progression post-16.  Independent careers advice at key points helps to ensure that students are guided to towards the options and pathway which best suits their future plans and aspirations.
Students in KS4 are set according to academic ability across 2 bands with flexibility to move within the bands in core subjects. Options subjects are largely mixed ability.
At Key stage 4 students will study the following subjects, depending on their chosen pathway

English Baccalaureate

Core Subjects

General route

Core Subjects

English & English Literature
Maths
Combined or Triple Science
Religious Education
1 Foreign Language from options pool
1 Humanity Subject from options pool
PE
PSHE

English & English Literature
Maths
Combined or Triple Science
Religious Education
1 Humanity Subject from options pool
PE
PSHE

Optional Subjects

Ebacc route - 4 subjects including MFL and Humanity; General route – 3 subjects including Humanity

GCSE

German
French
Geography
History
Art & Design
Music
Computing
Business Studies
Design & Technology: Product Design

Vocational

BTEC Hospitality & Catering
Cam Nationals Child Development
BTEC Health & Social Care
Cam Nationals ICT
BTEC Drama
BTEC PE
L2 Engineering*

*delivered in collaboration with Warrington Vale Royal College

For more information, please contact the school via enquiries@cardinal-newman.co.uk