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Curriculum Subjects and Learning Journeys

Subjects Studied in Years 7 - 9

At Key Stage Three, students study the traditional academic subjects: Maths, English, Science, Languages and Humanities (Geography, History and RS) and alongside these we offer a healthy mixture of Arts and Technology subjects. PE (including Dance), Drama, and Music are taught as distinct subjects and students follow a carousel of Technology lessons enabling them to study Food and Nutrition, Textiles and Product Design throughout the year. The Year 7 curriculum also offers the teaching of Mindfulness by qualified practitioners, equipping students with techniques to maintain good mental health. Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) is taught to all KS3 students and covers important topics that support our students in becoming good, responsible citizens.

Subjects Studied in Years 10 and 11

Key Stage 4 students all continue their study of the traditional academic subjects at GCSE: Maths, English and Science and one other traditional subject (e.g. History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages or Computer Science). As a Church of England Academy, all students also study RS GCSE and continue to participate in core PE and PSHE to ensure that good physical and mental health is prioritised.

Whilst we believe that studying a language at GCSE is an excellent choice, we do not insist that students do so, because it is not the right choice for all. However, we do aim to meet the government target of 75% of students achieving the EBacc qualification, but as a result of students choosing to do so because they enjoy their language learning and see its value in life.

Students also have two other free choices to make from a wide range of Arts, Design and Technology and contemporary subjects.

For some students, this programme of study is not appropriate for their educational needs so we create a personalised GCSE package that is more suitable for ensuring their success at Key Stage Four.

For those students who feel limited by the choices they have to make at GCSE, we ensure that they can continue to develop their passions and interests by way of our excellent after-school enrichment programme (see co-curriculum).

Learning Journeys

The curriculum learning journeys for the year are detailed in the documents below.

The documents outline our expectations, the methods of assessment and reporting as well as the key enquiry questions that will be investigated in each subject. A simplified version of each learning journey is on the wall in all subject classrooms for students and staff to refer to and support learning.

Year 7 Learning Journey Year 8 Learning Journey

Year 9 Learning Journey

Year 10 Learning Journey

Year 11 Learning Journey

WSE Curriculum Hours Overview 2023-24

WSE employs five one-hour lessons per day plus a half hour tutorial slot with their tutor. The timetable runs over 2 weeks giving each student 50 hours of curriculum time per fortnight.

KS3 (Y7-9) - Hours per subject per fortnight

	English	Maths	Science	MFL[1]	PE	RS	History	Geography
Y7	7	6	6	5	6	3	3	3
Y8	6	6	6	5	6	3	3	3
Y9	6	6	6	4	5	3	3	3

	Computer Science[2]	Art & Design	DT[3]	Music	Dance[4]	Drama	PSHE[6]
Y7		3	2	2		2	2
Y8	1	3	2	2		2	2
Y9	1	3	3	2	1	2	2

KS4 (Y10-11) - Hours per subject per fortnight

	English ]	Maths	Science[7]	RS	PSHE	PE	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Y10	7	8	9	5	1	2	6	6	6
Y11	9	9	11	0	1	2	6	6	6

In KS4 a mixture of GCSEs and vocational qualifications are offered. This list is subject to changes each year but in 2022-23, Y9 students were be asked to select 3 courses from the following list:

Art and Design, Business Studies, Catering, Computer Science, Design Technology, Dance, Drama, Performance Studies (Vocational), Farm Studies, French, Geography, History, Music, Music Production (Vocational), PE GCSE, PE (Vocational), Public Services, Spanish, Travel and Tourism (Vocational).

Notes:

[1] French, Spanish - or German in the current Y7 and Y8 - are assigned on entry. We do ask for a preference on entry, but cannot guarantee that students will be given the language of their choice.

[2] Computer Science lessons include a focus on ICT.

[3] DT subjects (Catering, Textiles, Resistant Materials) to work in rotation throughout the year.

[4] Dance is subsumed within PE this year and we intend to reinstate it as a separate subject next academic year.

[6] PSHE includes Mindfulness teaching in Y7.

[7] The highest attaining students at the end of year 9 follow a Triple Science route (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), all other students follow the GCSE Double Science route.

Class Group Composition - Years 7-11

As a mixed comprehensive school, we are passionate about creating a school experience which brings out the best in our students; mirrors the community around us and develops well-rounded learners who are able to collaborate, communicate and problem-solve together.

Apart from practical PE lessons, all of our lessons are taught in mixed-sex classes, reflecting modern society and enabling students to appreciate ideas from a variety of perspectives. Furthermore, the majority of lessons are taught in mixed-ability classes, enabling a culture where students feel equally valued and where all voices matter.

Setting is used where we feel that the nature of the subject requires a more nuanced curriculum in each classroom to enable students to be really fluent in key/hinge concepts before they move on to more complex operations – most notably in maths. In some year groups, subject areas are added to setting blocks in order to make the mechanics of the timetable function efficiently – for example PSHE in year 8.

2023-24 grouping arrangements

Year	Mixed ability	Setting block
Year 7	Art, Drama, English, MFL, Geography, History, Music, PSHE, RS, DT.	Block 1: Maths & Science. Block 2: PE.
Year 8	Art, Computer Science, Drama, English, Geography, History, Music, DT.	Block 1: Science, MFL, RS & PSHE. Block 2: Maths. Block 2: PE.
Year 9	Art, Computer Science, Dance, Drama, English, Geography, History, Music, PSHE.	Block 1: Maths, Science, MFL and RS. Block 2: PE.
Year 10	English, RS, PSHE and all options subjects.	Block 1: Maths. Block 2: Science. Block 3: PE.
Year 11	English, RS, PSHE and all options subjects.	Block 1: Maths. Block 2: Science. Block 3: PE.

In KS3, setting in Block 1 is determined mainly through KS2 standardised assessment results alongside CATs (Cognitive Ability Tests), which all of our new students complete on entry. KS3 Block 2 is determined through practical observations during the autumn term of year 7.