Strands Overview

Strand 1 - Communication 

Within the communication strand of the curriculum pupils will be explicitly taught the skills of:  

• Discussion and debate – students will be taught the art and rules of effective discussion and debate through the process of a deeper exploration of topics, built on knowledge, respect and listening.  Through debate students will be taught to; present and develop their point of view, extend responses beyond the minimum, acquire and use a wide range of rich vocabulary and apply the rule of SHAPE (Sentences, Hands Down, Articulate, Project, Eye Contact)  when speaking in order to develop oracy and confidence of delivery of the spoken word. 
• Reading – Students will read forensically following a read, register and respond model, which will be structured under three themes representative of the school demographic and student body.  Through forensic reading activities pupils will; foster a love of reading through exposure to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, including autobiographies, develop rich and expansive vocabulary through the teaching of root words and learn specific strategies in relation to decoding information from text
• Technical writing and SPAG – Students will explicitly focus on improving the accuracy of their written work through the development of ambitious vocabulary, command of grammatical skills and ability to structure responses appropriate to a variety of form.  

These skills will be the golden thread which is woven throughout all three strands.   

Strand 2 - Enterprise

This element of the curriculum will foster an approach which enables learners to develop a ‘can do’ and positive attitude through supporting a wide range of work and professional skills and capabilities including resilience, innovation and self-belief.  

A well-coordinated and highly comprehensive CEIAG offer will sit underneath this strand of the curriculum. Pupils will have access to a clear and highly structured programme ensuring that both students and parents are provided with accurate and informative advice throughout their KS3 and 4 experience enabling them to make informed choices about their future progression. This will be delivered through a variety of different engaging experiences and events. We will ensure that all pupils will have access to a progress advisor whose role is to work closely with students throughout their educational experience to ensure progress is maximised and that the most aspirational route in terms of the next stage of their education and career has been considered, with a view to providing guided support which encourages pupils to exceed expectations.   

Strand 3 - Creativity 

The creative strand of the curriculum will equip our learners with the skills, ability and confidence to enable them to work imaginatively. Students will be encouraged and supported to develop skills in relation to;  

We believe that by providing key creative opportunities for students in the curriculum and in our extra-curricular offer, will expose students to a range of different activities and opportunities that will allow them explore and express themselves through a range of different mediums. This will allow students to develop more imaginative ways of working both independently and collaboratively, promoting new areas of interest and talent, thus building their confidence and adaptability. 

 Exam Information