Vision Statement
We will students of all abilities to be the best that they can be in all areas of school life, with a curriculum that is underpinned by a focus on the school values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.
We will provide our students with high quality learning experiences that will support them in raising their aspirations and develop the study skills that will enable them to have a wider range of future choices.
The school curriculum encompasses all learning opportunities within school life, including extra-curricular activities and development of the wider social skills that will prepare our students to take their place as active citizens in society.
Curriculum Intent
- To develop students’ acquisition of key literacy skills, including reading, writing, verbal communication and vocabulary. Our curriculum explicitly addresses students’ tier 2 vocabulary to ensure that students continually build upon their vocabulary repertoire
- To contribute to the development of students’ cultural capital by ensuring that the curriculum provides an opportunity for students to explore different cultures, languages, traditions and experiences
- To ensure the school values of respect, responsibility and resilience and embedded within the heart of the curriculum and wider curriculum
- To develop students’ retention of key knowledge and skills through the thoughtfully planned retrieval of key information
Curriculum Implementation
- All curriculum areas will develop structured practice for retrieval and recall of information, focusing on the development of knowledge over time.
- All students will be taught the core study skills required for effective learning and revision, and will have the opportunity to practise these in class in preparation for end of year end external examinations, with a particular intention of supporting the attainment and progress of the high proportion of PPG students.
- A range of assessment techniques will be used to determine what has been learned and retained, and identify progress against internal age related expectations at KS3; and external assessment benchmarks at KS4.
- We will ensure that the curriculum is able to be adapted to ensure equality for students with special educational needs or disabilities
Intent
Whole School Implementation
To develop students’ acquisition of key literacy skills, including reading, writing, verbal communication and vocabulary. Our curriculum explicitly addresses students’ tier 2 vocabulary to ensure that students continually build upon their vocabulary repertoire
- All Do Now starter activities to include direct vocabulary instruction of identified tier 2 vocabulary relevant to the lesson
- Vocabulary and oracy included within the Woodlands Way
- All schemes of work in all subjects outline the relevant tier 2 and 3 vocabulary for the topic
- All subjects have department specific literacy implementation statements outlining how the core skills for literacy are taught within the subject
- Knowledge organisers are in place for all subjects and outline the relevant vocabulary for the scheme of work
To contribute to the development of students’ cultural capital by ensuring that the curriculum provides an opportunity for students to explore different cultures, languages, traditions and experiences
- All departments have cultural capital embedded within their curriculum intent statements
- Careers links embedded within the medium term plans for all subjects to ensure careers’ links and ‘real life links’ are found in the curriculum implementation
- Whole school cultural capital policy in place
- Celebration of different cultural and social events in school
- Supporting students through the LGBTQ+ group in school
- Opportunities for a range of trips and excursions, including residential trips and trips to the theatre.
To ensure the school values of respect, responsibility and resilience and embedded within the heart of the curriculum and wider curriculum
- All Do Now starter activities to include direct vocabulary instruction of identified tier 2 vocabulary relevant to the lesson
- Vocabulary and oracy included within the Woodlands Way
- All schemes of work in all subjects outline the relevant tier 2 and 3 vocabulary for the topic
- All subjects have department specific literacy implementation statements outlining how the core skills for literacy are taught within the subject
- Knowledge organisers are in place for all subjects and outline the relevant vocabulary for the scheme of work
To develop students’ acquisition of key literacy skills, including reading, writing, verbal communication and vocabulary. Our curriculum explicitly addresses students’ tier 2 vocabulary to ensure that students continually build upon their vocabulary repertoire
- All Do Now starter activities to include direct vocabulary instruction of identified tier 2 vocabulary relevant to the lesson
- Vocabulary and oracy included within the Woodlands Way
- All schemes of work in all subjects outline the relevant tier 2 and 3 vocabulary for the topic
- All subjects have department specific literacy implementation statements outlining how the core skills for literacy are taught within the subject
- Knowledge organisers are in place for all subjects and outline the relevant vocabulary for the scheme of work
KS3
- Our KS3 curriculum will focus on providing a broad and balanced curriculum experience for all students, with a focus on stretch and challenge at all levels: enabling strong progress building effectively on KS2 learning at all levels, and ensuring readiness for KS4 study.
- Subject areas have developed curriculum pathways with well-chosen content; which is sequenced effectively.
- Students will be taught in ability groups for English, Maths and Science, enabling students of all abilities to be challenged; and for appropriate support to be established to enable attainment gaps to be closed.
- Students will be taught in mixed ability groups for foundation subjects, with high quality learning experiences and a high level of stretch for all.
- A key skills pathway is in place to support a small number of students who have significant gaps in their basic literacy and numeracy skills.
- All KS3 students will have the opportunity to take part in at least one residential event, as well as a wide range of extra-curricular activities, trips, visits and visiting speakers.
- To support the school’s commitment to ensuring that all students have the basic skills required to succeed in modern society, all students in Y7-9 take part in DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) for twenty minutes every day, with outcomes linked to the Accelerated Reader programme.
KS4
- The KS4 experience enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects that they are studying, including a breadth of experience beyond the constraints of the exam specification.
- Subject areas have developed curriculum pathways with well-chosen content; which is sequenced effectively.
- Students are given support and advice in the selection of their KS4 courses based on their future career aspirations, as well as maintaining breadth in their personal choices.
- The range of KS4 courses offered will be selected based on the needs of the cohort, but will always represent a broad base of subject areas and represent high quality routes to post 16 study and beyond.
- All KS4 students will have the opportunity to take part in Work Experience, developing key employability skills, self-confidence and aspiration.
- Students will receive individual mentoring support from school staff and careers professionals to ensure that they are well placed to apply for, and succeed in, their post 16 pathway choices.
- Personal Discovery programme – PSHE and Citizenship is taught to all students as part of the weekly tutor programme. This includes sex and relationship education, healthy minds, careers and personal finance.
For a small number of our students, their needs are not able to be met through mainstream provision. To ensure that we provide a suitable curriculum to meet the academic and personal development needs of these students, a number of alternative pathways are in place. Provision of an alternative pathway is taken after careful consideration of the best interests of the child, and discussion with students, families and key staff members, and seeks to ensure equality of access to appropriate levels of learning for each student.
Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the RE curriculum. Please contact your child’s year leader to discuss this.
For any enquiries relating to the information provided on this page or to find out mor about our curriculum, please contact Ria Connery via email, ria.connery@woodlands.southampton.sch.uk.
Curriculum Offer
