The Curriculum Model for 2022/23

The school's curriculum model is made up of two key parts: how we create class groups, and how much time we allocate to each subject within the timetable.

In reaching our current model, we considered: current research, the National Curriculum, our standard of offering breadth and depth to our subjects, ensuring there is enough time to cover the intended, sequenced knowledge for each subject, and the subject specialisms of our teachers.

At the heart of our curriculum is a strong academic offering with EBacc offered to all students and above the national average signing up through choice. Breadth is added through facilitating qualifications ensuring that only high value courses are offered. 

Mixed Ability Groups & Sets

For the academic year 2022/23 we introduced mixed ability groups across all of Key Stage 3, in all subjects.  This is a development on previous years where a number of subjects were mixed ability, and core subjects were banded, creating a loose setting structure where each class had a larger range of abilities than pure setting, but not as wide as mixed ability.

The debate around mixed ability versus setting has been around for a long time, and their are views that we considered on both sides of the argument.  In reaching our decision, we took advice from local outstanding schools, current research from the Education Endownment Foundation, and the expertise of our teaching staff.  We have committed to review mixed ability groups at the end of this academic year, ready for 2023/24.

In Key Stage 4, the decision to set students or use mixed ability groups is left to each core subject to decide, usually dependent on tiers of entry (Higher or Foundation).  Most utilise some mixed ability groups where this is possible.  In our Pathway subjects, as they have been chosen by students, and to ensure the courses can run, the classes are mixed ability by necessity.

Subject Hours

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4