The Wilnecote School is committed to providing a broad, balanced and personalised education for all of its students.  The emphasis during Key Stage 3 is on providing a variety of experiences across the full range of subjects.

We personalise the students’ experiences through high quality teaching and personalised feedback on how to improve.

 

Ensuring an excellent 11–16 community education

 At the Wilnecote School we value and promote three main areas of achievement which are facilitated through both curricular and co-curricular teaching and activities.

Academic Outcomes – With our parents, The Wilnecote School shares the very highest academic expectations of our students. We are committed to ensuring our students achieve outstanding individual outcomes which afford them the maximum opportunities in future phases of their lives and careers. To achieve the very best outcomes for students, we know we have to provide the very best curriculum both to ensure national requirements which are a passport to future progression are met, but also so that individual needs are realised. We are committed to a broad and balanced 21st Century curriculum, taught by specialist teachers with a passion for their subject, for teaching and for the future of the young people in their classroom. High quality first teaching makes the biggest difference to a student’s experience of school and their outcomes. Our curriculum offers our students a broad and balanced experience and effective progression routes into Post 16 education, employment or training.

Nurturing Individual Talent – Achievement of the very best outcomes for students is The Wilnecote School’s core business but we also recognise the chance we have as educators to broaden a student’s experience beyond the mainstream. Extra-curricular opportunities abound and we strive hard to provide complementary activities, trips and visits to enhance cultural literacy, a valuable commodity in the wider world.

Excellent relationships – The Wilnecote School is a cohesive learning community and the way we behave towards one another is very important in maintaining its character. We take behaviour seriously. Good behaviour which facilities effective learning is encouraged, rewarded and reinforced. There is a very transparent and universal behaviour policy which is consistently applied and allows students to work in a calm and purposeful environment. Through form tutor support, daily assemblies, our PSHE programme and the wider curriculum, as well as through role-modelling from staff, we promote our safe community and the key messages of tolerance, understanding and respect, to ensure students have the space to develop personally as well as academically.

Our Curriculum Intent

The six principles which underpin our curriculum are seen below. They are regularly discussed at Senior Team meetings, Academic Board and they are the main driver the work of our Heads of Department.

1) Curriculum structure

• At Key Stage 3 there should be 6 modules that will be delivered over the course of the year. At Key Stage 4 the programme of study should follow the agreed specification.

• Assessment may be ongoing, but data must be input into our management information system as requested in the assessment schedule

• Regular opportunities should be offered for students to close the gaps in their learning

• Homework should be regular, meaningful and provide the opportunity to consolidate learning.

2) Curriculum design – Building on prior learning

• All subjects must ensure that they have a good understanding and knowledge of what is delivered at KS2. This should be formed by regular contact with and visits to our key partner primary schools

• The KS3 curriculum must build on this knowledge and experience and continue to sequence and build to ensure competency, progress and over-learning where appropriate. The Key Stage 4 curriculum must build on the successes of Key Stage 3 towards the achievement of excellent exam outcomes and progression to Post-16 education, training or employment

• All schemes must stretch and challenge.

3) Curriculum Coverage – The essential knowledge/skills

• The curriculum should be equal to in quality, or better than the National Curriculum

• Topics considered by HODs and their teams to be a vital part of a student’s entitlement, or an essential requirement of a broad and balanced curriculum should be addressed in schemes.

4) Wider Knowledge and Skills:

• Schemes of work must emphasise the essential knowledge and skills for effective lifelong learning in each subject area. These may be academic or practical.

• We consider the literacy and oracy skills required for a subject area in keeping with whole school policies. Schemes should include details of essential subject specific vocabulary, but should also aim to build students’ wider vocabulary.

• Opportunities for extended pieces of writing and presentations should be evident throughout.

5) Curriculum Engagement:

• The topics covered and method of delivery should engender a love of learning, be engaging and exciting. Students should enjoy learning during their time at The Wilnecote School and aspire to continue learning beyond their time here

6) Extra-Curricular Activities:

• In order to foster a joy of learning it is essential that students experience learning beyond the classroom environment. We take the opportunity to build in extra-curricular visits and activities into schemes.

If you would like further information about the curriculum at The Wilnecote School, please contact Mrs Vicki Mann (Assistant Headteacher: Curriculum) via our contact page.

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum has been designed to foster a joy of learning beyond the classroom and is based on the following principles:

• It must build on the KS2 curriculum.
• It must be broad, balanced and based on the National Curriculum.
• It must cover the topics considered to be a vital part of a student’s entitlement.
• It must be structured to allow for regular formative and summative assessment, through classwork and homework tasks.
• It must be taught in a logical and sequenced progression that develops both practical and academic skills and ultimately lead to the mastery of each subject.

 

In Years 7, 8 & 9 students study the following subjects:

English, Mathematics, Science, Art, Design & Technology, Computer Science, Modern foreign languages (French & German), History, Geography, Religious Studies, Music, Drama & Physical Education.

 

Subjects are allocated the following curriculum time per week in each year:

 

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
English	4	4	4
Maths	4	4	4
Science	3	3	4
Computer Science	2	2	1.5
Art	1	1	1
D&T	1.5	1.5	1.5
MFL (French, German)	2.5	2.5	2
Humanities (History, Geography, RE)	3	3	3
PE	2	2	2
Music	1	1	1
Drama	1	1	1

Our broad and balanced KS4 curriculum offers students the opportunity to select from a wide range of subjects in line with their interests and career aspirations.

 

Years 10 – 11

 

Students in Key Stage 4 will study their GCSE courses for 2 years. Each optional subject will be taught for 2.5 hours per week. This will allow students to study each subject in-depth and develop the skills and knowledge required for mastery and to practise the necessary exam skills.

Following a program of Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), all students are encouraged to select a broad and balanced range of subjects both academic and practical in nature. This allows students to pursue courses in accordance with their interests and aptitudes.

 

In Years 10 & 11 all students study a core curriculum of English Language, English Literature, Maths, Science, Core PE & PSHE

.

CORE SUBJECTS are allocated the following curriculum time per week:

 

	Year 10	Year 11
English Language/Literature	4	4
Maths	4	4
Science	4.5	4.5
PE	2	2
PSHE	0.5	0.5

 

In addition to the core subjects’ students are required to choose at least one (they may select more than one) other academic subject from: History Geography, French, or German.

 Alongside this students may select with three further options from: Art & Design (multiple subjects), Computer Science, Drama, French, German, ICT, Music, Physical Education, RE (Philosophy & Ethics). These optional GCSE subjects are allocated 2.5 hours per week.

Students are also given the opportunity to choose whether they would like to study triple science as well

 Many students opt to study subjects that meet the EBacc requirements (either History or Geography and a foreign language) in addition to one further optional subject.