Curriculum Statement
We Believe in the promise of each individual and will ensure we inspire, support and challenge in proportionate measure, so that we all thrive and are able to achieve our own individual best potential. This is our commitment – ‘Ambition for All.’
Introduction
Our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, focused on maximising student potential and progress that allows all students to flourish and be the best they can become.
On starting at Burscough Priory Academy every student is allocated a Personal Tutor and is placed into a tutor group. These tutor groups contain students from every year group and each group is a member of one of four houses; Attenborough, Frank, Turing and Yousafzai and each house is led by a House Progress Leader. We have 3 dedicated Pastoral & Behaviour Manager (a non-teacher dedicated to wellbeing support). Year 7 have their own dedicated Pastoral & Behaviour Manager. Tutors and the House Progress Leaders, together with our Head of Learning Support and Assistant Head with responsibility for Progress and Intervention ensure cross subject overview, interrogation and intervention on progress and learning matters for individuals.
All students study English, Maths and Science leading to GCSE qualifications, Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) and continue to participate in a core PE programme.
Key Stage 3
Year 7 – 9
In addition to the core offer, students study Spanish, History, Geography, RE, Art, Computing, Design Technology, Drama and Music.
Key Stage 4
All students study English Language and Literature, Maths and Science leading to GCSE qualifications. In addition, the core programme of study includes PSHE and continue to participate in a core PE programme. A significant proportion of students take three separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) within their core subject time, supplemented by one option choice. Students choose at least one GCSE option from Computer Science, Geography, History and/or a Modern Foreign Language, from the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects. Considering the science option, students will select a further one or two GCSE options from either the EBacc subjects listed above and/or Art, Computing, Creative iMedia, Design Technology (across the material areas), Drama, Food Preparation and Nutrition, Music, Physical Education and Religious Studies.
Homework
Meaningful homework will be set in order to reinforce learning and promote independence. This might be set weekly, fortnightly, depending on how to best enhance learning at that point in the curriculum. We have a flexible approach to homework in as much as we don’t enforce a rigid timetable, so as to avoid the risk of homework just being set for the sake of it. Students will always engage more fully when they see there is a clear purpose. We believe in quality not quantity, so there won’t be a discernible increase at Key Stage Four – instead the work will be more focused towards curriculum understanding and GCSE exam preparation. This is to allow time for more intense revision or preparation periods at various ‘hotspots’ in the GCSE courses.
We will offer variety in the types of homework set, in order to capture different approaches to learning but it will come within the remit of either Reading, Recall or Revision. Reading homework is aimed at enhancing comprehension skills, developing a curiosity about the world around us and embedding research skills and critical thinking. Recall homework include small chunks of learning that are used to increase the retention of knowledge and skills that can then be further developed within the classroom. Revision homework is to prepare the students for assessments and develop strategies for independent learning.
We will undertake a Curriculum Review on an annual basis that will take into account Government legislation and the views of students, parents, Local Academy Councillors, staff and the Trust.
Curriculum Hours
|
Subject |
Year 7
|
Year 8
|
Year 9
|
Year 10
|
Year 11
|
|
English |
8 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
|
Maths |
6 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
Science |
6 |
6 |
8 |
11 + option for triple* |
10 + 2 for triple* |
|
PE |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 + 4 |
|
MFL (Spanish) |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Option Subjects
Option A, B and C 6 hours per fortnight per subject. Choices from:
History, Geog, RE, Art & Design, Music, Drama, Spanish, Food Prep & Nutrition, Computing, PE, Creative I Media, Triple Science
|
Option Subjects
Option A, B and C 6 hours per fortnight per subject. Choices from:
History, Geog, RE, Art & Design, Music, Drama, Spanish, Food Prep & Nutrition, Computing, PE, Creative I Media, Triple Science
|
|
4 |
4 |
3 |
|||
|
Geography |
4 |
4 |
3 |
||
|
RE |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Art |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Computing |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Drama |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Music |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Technology |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
PSHE |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
