A broad and balanced curriculum is offered to all of our students: underpinned by the academic core of subjects (English, Maths, Science, Humanities and Languages), learning is enhanced by the study of the Arts, computing, technology and physical education, offering our students a course of study in which academic rigour fully prepares them for further education and university.
Years 7, 8 & 9 Students study English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts (Art, Dance, Drama and Music), Humanities (History, Geography, Religious Education), a Modern Foreign Language (French or Spanish), Design Technology, Computer Science and Physical Education.
KS3 Curriculum by Year Group
| Curriculum | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| Curriculum Map 2024-2025 | Y7 Curriculum | Y8 Curriculum | Y9 Curriculum |
| Curriculum Rationale Summer 2 2023-2024* | Year 7 Summer 2 | Year 8 Summer 2 | Year 9 Summer 2 |
| Curriculum Rationale Summer 1 2023-2024* | Year 7 Summer 1 | Year 8 Summer 1 | Year 9 Summer 1 |
| Curriculum Rationale Spring 2 2023-2024* | Year 7 Spring 2 | Year 8 Spring 2 | Year 9 Spring 2 |
| Curriculum Rationale Spring 1 2023-2024* | Year 7 Spring 1 | Year 8 Spring 1 | Year 9 Spring 1 |
| Curriculum Rationale Autumn 2 2023-2024* | Year 7 Autumn 2 | Year 8 Autumn 2 | Year 9 Autumn 2 |
| Curriculum Rationale Autumn 1 2024-2025 | Year 7 Autumn 1 | Year 8 Autumn 1 | Year 9 Autumn 1 |
*To be updated with each new term
We assess our students in Year 7 through to Year 9 according to how they are progressing within their Baseline Threshold.
Baseline Thresholds are the starting points; they are decided using data from a combination of Key Stage 2 Test Results, Reading Age Tests and *Cognitive Abilities Tests (CAT).
* The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) is an assessment of a range of reasoning skills. The tests look at three types of reasoning: words, numbers and shapes or figures, i.e. verbal, quantitative and non-verbal reasoning.
Baseline Thresholds
| Threshold | Description |
| Excellence | Aimed at students with the highest starting points from Key Stage 2. These students should achieve a grade 8 or 9 at GCSE. |
| Master | These students should achieve at least a grade 6 or 7 at GCSE. |
| Secure | These students should achieve at least a grade 4 or 5 at GCSE. |
| Emerging | Aimed at students with the lowest starting points from Key Stage 2. These students should achieve at least a grade 1 or 2 at GCSE |
The Baseline Thresholds are used as a guide for the teachers to be able to assess whether students are making expected progress from their starting point. We gather evidence from classwork as well as assessments to decide whether expected progress for a student working within the threshold is being made or not.
If students are not making expected progress, support is given to help them to improve. We want students to understand that if they are currently not making expected progress, it is not necessarily an indication of poor attitude or aptitude; it simply takes time and practice to grasp complex concepts and apply this knowledge successfully. An important aspect of learning anything is to know what we are good at, but also what we need to focus on more, in order to improve.
When designing assessments for Year 7 and 8, our teachers mapped the skills and knowledge back from Year 11 to Year 7. We are confident that we know exactly what their work needs to look like at Key Stage 3, in order for them to achieve their full potential by the end of Year 11.
Students very rarely move from threshold to threshold and only if a student excels within their threshold for three consecutive assessment points, will their baseline be raised in the subject.