Curriculum intent
The single most important driver in all that we do is to remain ‘child centred, progress focused’. From this starting point our Curriculum intent has evolved.
Our curriculum is much more than just lessons. It includes the ethos, attitudes and relationships that we intentionally cultivate to make Wingfield a ‘very special place’ to learn.
Our curriculum will:
1. Engender a clear sense of aspiration and acquisition of core knowledge and skills.
We place a high value on our teachers as experts in their subject areas. We want our pupils to have access to the best that has been thought and said, and with this in mind our teachers think carefully about what to teach and how best to teach it. We want pupils’ future options to be wide, so we do not narrow the curriculum. KS3 focuses on giving every child the widest experience possible.
2. Ensure all students make outstanding progress- No child left behind
To have the highest of expectations of our young people and ensuring they have the highest aspirations of themselves is a non-negotiable. Our intention is then to remove barriers to learning to maximise life chances and diminish social disadvantage.
Some students will come to us with barriers; gaps will need closing and intervention delivered if we are to ensure students make outstanding progress. These barriers could include:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Oracy
- Vocabulary
- SEMH
- Social disadvantage
3. Develop well-rounded individuals who are ready to take their place in society
Our core student values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience will be nurtured from day one and will underpin the way in which we deliver our curriculum and undertake our day to day routines.
4. Provide memorable learning experiences
Developing the cultural capital of our students, ensuring they experience things outside of their everyday is an imperative. Learning experiences, knowledge and skills are sequenced and interwoven throughout the curriculum to provide students with the relevant experiences they need to be successful.
Curriculum Implementation
The Academy believes that a coherently planned and intelligently sequenced curriculum by passionate, hardworking teachers, is the foundation upon which excellent learning and development is built. The curriculum is designed and implemented in such a way that it builds on prior knowledge and prepares pupils for the next stage in their education. This is complimented by the academy’s Teaching and Learning Excellence model which is informed by cognitive science: great explanations, core knowledge and elaborate illustrations, opportunities for retrieval, frequent low-stakes tests and dual coding, as well as explicitly teaching students how to revise independently, and providing them with the resources and accountability to engage in regular and effective revision, creating a foundation for progression to the next level.
Curriculum road maps demonstrate how key ideas are developed, built upon and spiralled throughout a 5-year journey, which allows for interleaving, spaced practice and retrieval to be well planned and sequenced. Curriculum plans identify the core knowledge and skills that are required for students’ to be successful. There are opportunities for students to apply their learning using a variety of methods to demonstrate their learning.
Curriculum Impact
Curriculum impact is demonstrated through the acquisition of knowledge, cultural capital and how well prepared our students are to move onto life beyond Wingfield. In judging the impact of the curriculum, a wide range of measures are used:
- Student outcomes – what do students leave with, are they suitably qualified? This is analysed throughout every year group so we can adapt and adjust the curriculum offer as required.
- Student destinations – where do our students progress onto after Wingfield?
- Learning walks and lesson observations.
- Book looks
- Curriculum Team discussions and curriculum planning and evaluation meetings
- Attendance data
- Extra-curricular engagement.
- Regular assessments / moderation
- Progress tracking – gender, disadvantaged, SEND and prior attainment.
- ATL data, reflecting students who are invested in their learning
- Excellent careers, information, advice and guidance.
- Embedding a rich knowledge-based curriculum.
- Ambitious and challenging curriculum.
- Student voice.
- Parental voice.
- Staff voice.
- Students who achieve the pledge in each year group.
- Students who achieve the baccalaureate in each year group