Curriculum

(Senior, Preparatory and Early Years Foundation Stage)

As a Catholic school in the ecumenical tradition, Gospel values are at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that the curriculum should provide a broad and balanced experience for all pupils.

Aims

We aim to provide:

a curriculum which will have, at its heart, the spiritual, moral and social values of the Gospels.
a broad curriculum, reflecting scholarship, intellectual values and personal growth will bring pupils into contact with the elements of learning: knowledge, skills (speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy), concepts and attitudes – and the areas of learning experience: aesthetic/creative, human and social, linguistic and literary, mathematical, moral, physical, scientific, spiritual and technological.
a balanced curriculum will ensure that each area of learning and experience will be given appropriate attention in relation to the others and to the curriculum as a whole.
a coherent curriculum will be planned as a whole and will embrace the elements and areas of learning in a way that contributes to overall progress and achievement.
a relevant curriculum will reflect the previous learning of the pupils and their aspirations and promote personal growth.
a differentiated curriculum will allow for differences in pupils' abilities and skills.

Objectives

To maintain a curriculum which values:

Religious Education
Personal Social and Health Education
the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education strand in individual subjects

To maintain a broad and balanced curriculum which: -

in the Prep Department exposes pupils to a wide range of academic, creative, physical, spiritual, social and technological experiences; these experiences will be delivered in such a way as to provide a balanced curriculum.
at Key Stage Three covers the full range of elements and areas of learning.
at Key Stage Four provides a range of options which allows pupils to experience the majority of elements and areas of learning.
at Key Stages Three and Four provides a core that balances the elements and areas of learning.
at Key Stage Five provides each student with the right balance of challenges and skills to pursue further learning at a further education college/university of their choice.

To maintain a relevant curriculum which: -

At Key Stages 1 and 2 covers the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum and the Here I Am programmes of study in RE
includes, for the Early Years, a programme of activities appropriate to their needs.
at Key Stage Three takes account of the curriculum in our main feeder preparatory schools, while preparing pupils for GCSEs.
at Key Stage Four provides pupils with a core of GCSE courses that provide a foundation for further study and a range of options that allow for individual interests and aptitudes.
At Key Stage Five provides students with an extensive choice of AS and A2.
includes Careers Education and Guidance and which will help prepare pupils for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

To meet the needs of the individual by: -

in the Prep Department, using differentiation within the classroom with some specialist support.
at Key Stages Three and Four, where appropriate, allowing for the setting of subjects according to ability so that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress.
At Key Stage Five providing very small class sizes, one-on-one tutorial advice on careers and further education selection.
providing support, within the resources that it possesses, for students who have LDD e.g. EAL or dyslexia or who find certain aspects of their learning programmes difficult.
enabling pupils with disabilities to have full access to the curriculum.
teaching in ways that make allowances for individual abilities and skills.

Curriculum

In both the Prep Department and Senior School all pupils follow a programme in Religious Education, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Physical Education (PE). Swimming is a curricular subject throughout the school up to Year 9.

Prep Department:

Early Years:

Key Stage 1 and 2: All national curriculum subjects are taught. French and Food Technology are introduced at Key Stage 2 and Spanish has been introduced this year to Year 6.

Senior School

Key Stage 3: All national curriculum subjects are taught. Pupils study Spanish, French and German. From Year 7, pupils are set by ability in Maths and Science. Year 8 pupils are set by ability in Modern Foreign Languages

Key Stage 4: All pupils study the core subjects to GCSE – English Language, English Literature, Religious Education, Mathematics, Science (Double or Separate Award). They also do either French or German.

In addition, they choose a further 3 subjects from: Art, Drama, Geography, German, History, ICT, Music, PE, Photography, Technology (Food) and Spanish.

Key Stage 5: All students in Year 12 follow a General Studies programme, which includes one period of General RE. Those who have not studied ICT to GCSE level are expected to complete the ECDL. The students also have a PE lesson each week. All students are expected to study 4 AS level subjects, though some may elect to do 5. In special circumstances a student may study only 3 AS level subjects.

Sept 2011 JSK
Review Date: Sept 2012

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