Curriculum

Edgbarrow School’s curriculum consists of all those activities planned by the school to promote the students' intellectual, moral, social, spiritual and physical development and to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. The curriculum is designed to help students to:

acquire relevant understanding, knowledge and skills to allow them to thrive in a fast-changing world and prepare them for life after school;
develop lively and enquiring minds, to develop the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills;
be safe;
use literacy, numeracy and ICT skills effectively;
develop personal moral values;
prepare pupils for life in modern Britain effectively, developing their understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance and respect;
develop cultural capital to take their place in society in an informed, positive and active way, valuing education as a lifelong process.

Edgbarrow School’s curriculum considers the context of the school, social make-up, ability profile, locality and employment prospects. The curriculum is designed with the following principles:

Breadth

Students study courses based on the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3, and flexible options programmes at Key Stage 4 and Post 16. A range of teaching and learning styles is to be encouraged, to ensure a richness of educational environment that enhances the experience of students.

Balance

Each area of learning is given appropriate attention to others and the curriculum as a whole. This includes sound guidance with options systems and the monitoring of cross-curricular experience.

Relevance

Learning is linked to students’ own experience. The linkage of what is learnt to the needs of adult life is made plain. Opportunities are sought to develop schemes of work that facilitate this linkage, involving experiences both inside and outside the classroom.

Personalisation

Students are offered experiences carefully matched to their developing abilities, their aptitude and individual needs; students are taught in varying groupings, which reflect their abilities in a range of subject areas, to allow sufficient differentiation of the curriculum to meet the individual needs of students.

Progression and Continuity

Effective transition from Key Stage 2 to secondary education requires careful planning. Work undertaken at each stage is based on previous achievements. Each subject area operates carefully defined schemes of work that have given due consideration to this issue to ensure that students are offered material appropriate to their age and ability. KS3 supports preparation for KS4. Courses at Post 16 are offered to ensure progression from KS4 in a wide range of areas.

Ambition

There will be high expectations for student achievement, behaviour and personal development. Students will be expected to have high expectations of themselves. The curriculum and teaching and learning should provide an appropriate challenge that allows students to fulfil their potential.

The curriculum has undergone significant reforms. For more details on these changes please select these links:

Additional Information

Special Educational Needs

The school has a ‘Progress’ department that supports the needs of students with moderate learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties, emotional, social, behavioural and language and communication difficulties. The department has a range of interventions to support the curriculum based on individual need. This may include withdrawal from languages to provide literacy, numeracy or social support.

Edgbarrow SEND Information Report - Nov 2023

Access Arrangements

An Access Arrangement is support provided in examinations to enable students to demonstrate what they know and can do, despite difficulties which might otherwise prevent them from doing so. For more information, please select the link below.

Access Arrangement and Referral Process

Highest Ability and Talented Student

The starting point for Edgbarrow’s Highest Ability and Talented programme is the 'Highest Ability and Talented Register'. Students are identified in two main ways:

Prior identification by primary school
Nomination by the subject teacher

This information is then made available to teachers via SIMs. Under their class register, teachers can see specific information about what the student is on the register for. The HAT Coordinator will also monitor these students throughout their time at Edgbarrow to ensure they are achieving to their best ability.

Literacy and Numeracy

The development of student's skills in literacy and numeracy are key to our curriculum provision. Every curriculum area has a responsibility to develop students in these areas and the school adopts a separate Literacy and Numeracy Policy.

Work-Related Learning

The school is committed to preparing students for the world of work, this involves a comprehensive programme in Key Stage 4 including mock interviews and Skills for Life. We have an ambition that all students should gain work experience at some point in Key Stage 4/5. We also work closely with Adviza to provide independent and impartial careers guidance service.

Co-Curricular Activities

The school runs a comprehensive programme of co-curricular activities to meet the needs of a wide range of students. This can take the form of sports clubs/teams through to school visits and productions. The school and governors recognise the significant contribution co-curricular activities can have on the development of our students.

Homework

Homework is set regularly in all year groups and parents/carers are informed at the start of the year as to how this programme works. Parents/Carers have been given the option to sign up to Class Charts which will enable students/parents/carers to monitor homework that has been set daily. Working at home provides an important opportunity to embed and extend work undertaken in lessons. This will contribute significantly to the progress a student makes.

Key Stage 3

Years 7, 8 and 9

Students will follow national guidelines throughout Key Stage 3 to support and prepare them for their Key Stage 4 courses. The school operates a banding system of 1-9 (9 being the highest band). Students will be given a target based upon their Key Stage 2 scores and baseline assessments on arrival at Edgbarrow. The band they are awarded at the end of the Key Stage is intended to be indicative of the grade they may achieve at GCSE.

The majority of subjects are taught by mixed ability, however, there are settings in Maths, Science, and Languages. We use a range of data to assist in the tracking and monitoring of students progress and to assist in the setting. These include Key Stage 2 performance and expected levels of progress.

FOR YEAR 7 ONLY: We have recently changed the way in which we track progress in Key Stage 3. The new format is currently in operation with Year 7 only. In each individual subject, students are given one of three progress bands: foundation, intermediate and higher. These bands are based upon Key Stage 2 scores, as well as evidence gathered by class teachers. Throughout Key Stage 3, students will be judged to be meeting, exceeding or below expectations for their given band. The headline criteria for each of these bands can be found below. More information about the new banding format will be given to Year 7 parents well in advance of the first Student Progress Report, which is sent to parents at the beginning of February. Year 7 Assessment and Reporting webinar Nov 2023Further details about each subject can be found using the links below. Please also refer to the Key Stage 3 assessment maps which detail how each department will assess students against the bands to track and report to parents.

IT & Computer Science

Mathematics

Music

Physical Education

Philosophy, Ethics & Religion (PER)

Science

PSHE

Study Skills Presentation

Year 9 GCSE Options 2024-2026

Please use the links below for further Options information.

Key Stage 4

Years 10 & 11

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum is split into Core compulsory subjects taken by all students and Options where students can make a choice as to the subjects chosen.

Core subjects:

English Language (8 periods - Year 10)
English Literature (8 periods - Year 11)

Mathematics (7 periods - Year 10 & 11)

Science (10 periods)

PE (4 Periods)

PSHE

Key Stage 5

Year 12 & 13

Under legislation introduced in 2010, it is now compulsory for students to remain in education or training until they are 18. Our Sixth Form programme is comprehensive and includes a range of A-Levels and vocational options. Where we are unable to provide for an individual’s needs we will signpost the best options for them. Our Sixth Form has approximately 350 students. The vast majority of these places are filled by current Edgbarrow students with approximately 40 places each year going to students from other schools. For more information about the Sixth Form admissions process please visit the Sixth Form area of our website.

Each subject is taught for 8 periods a cycle. Further information is available from our: Sixth Form Prospectus

Should you have any questions with regards to the Curriculum at Edgbarrow School,
please do not hesitate to email Curriculum