Curriculum Overview

CURRICULUM AIMS

We want to develop:

  • Successful students who enjoy learning, make good progress and achieve excellence.
  • Confident individuals who demonstrate the values of friendship, courage, resilience and high moral standards.
  • Responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to society.
  • Young people who are engaged in the world around them.

It is essential that the curriculum is organised in such a way that it provides students with the opportunity to learn expected behaviours and be successful in their learning, so that we can deliver our mission and aims.

Strategic Intent

To develop a curriculum which:

  • Enriches students’ knowledge.
  • Creates a culture of aspiration and high-achievement.
  • Allows everyone to experience success.
  • Provides cultural capital that celebrates and captures students’ imagination.

Curriculum Principles

  • Traditional academic curriculum.
  • Challenging, knowledge-based curriculums with a focus on developing cultural capital.
  • Interleaved curriculum that allows for clear progress over 5 years.
  • At Key Stage 3, students are shown breadth across and within subjects.
  • Additional time is given to English, Mathematics and Science to ensure that students have the essential skills needed for life and to access the full curriculum.
  • Targeted support and additional challenge to ensure all students make at least national rates of progress.
  • Ensure all students’ progress is in line with national expectations.
  • To support induction into secondary school for all Year 7 students.
  • To instil British Values and promote the PSHE curriculum to develop citizens for the future.

The Curriculum

We have a very broad KS3 Curriculum covering 13 subjects meeting all the national curriculum requirements. This is taught in 29 lessons of contact time each week.

Current Curriculum

Years 7-9

The curriculum includes:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • A modern foreign language – French, German or Spanish
  • Humanities – History, Geography and Religious Education
  • Performing Arts – Drama and Music
  • Creative Arts – Art and Design, Design Technology
  • Physical Education
  • PSHE and British Values

For students who are behind in their chronological reading age, additional support is provided through withdrawal to enable them to rapidly catch up.

An additional after-school enrichment programme includes a range of sporting activities, music, drama, debating among others. There is daily support for homework in the library.

Years 10-11

At Farnham Heath End, our students begin their option choices in Year 10, meaning they study Key Stage 3 subjects for 3 years and Key Stage 4 subjects for 2 years.  As well as ensuring that Key Stage 3 curriculums are well organised and encourage deep learning, it has enabled us to continue to offer 4 free option choices for all students.  The following GCSE subjects are available to our KS4 students:

  • Geography
  • History
  • Computing
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • 3D Design
  • Art Textiles
  • Fine Art
  • Photography
  • Hospitality and Catering
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Music
  • Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
  • PE - GCSE and CNAT
  • Enterprise
  • Statistics
  • Media Studies
  • Film Studies (AS Level)
  • Psychology

From September 2025, we will also be offering the following subjects:

  • Child Development
  • Creative iMedia
  • Business GCSE

As part of the options process, to support students and their parents in making the right choices, we offer the following guidance:

  • Post 16 Options and Careers morning.
  • Subject assemblies to explain the GCSE courses in detail.
  • An Options booklet.
  • An Options evening which is being held on Thursday, 28 November 2024.  This is an opportunity for parents and students to explore the different subject areas and examples of GCSE work.
  • Options taster day on Monday, 16 December 2024.  This is an opportunity for students to try out the different options before making their choices.
  • Parents' Evening which will be held in February 2025.  This is an opportunity for parents to discuss with subject teachers what the GCSE course entails.
  • An Options interview with a member of the Leadership Team.

 

 

Curriculum Policy