HINCHINGBROOKE

SCHOOL

Policy Statement

on

CURRICULUM

Drawn up by:                                                 SJE

Date:                                                              May 2006

Date adopted by Governing Body:                 4.7.06

Revised:           

Our Mission

It is our ambition that all Hinchingbrooke students achieve, at each stage, the highest possible step on their learning journey.  They will have self-confidence, founded in their learning achievements and social skills, to become good citizens.  Their physical and spiritual well being will give them energy and enthusiasm for the challenges before them.  We expect that they will have pride in their success and find their school life a lasting inspiration.  For our students, we seek to be the best.

We are committed to developing the quality of teaching and learning as our central task.  As teachers, we will raise achievement and aspiration among all students by:

• Offering full access to an exciting, challenging and relevant curriculum
• Challenging and supporting all students to enable them to reach their full potential
• Structuring and planning all lessons to facilitate independence.

The Curriculum

The curriculum consists of tutorial time and thirty lessons, each of 50 minutes duration.

The amount of contact per subject for each year/ key stage is set out in Appendix 1.

Information for Parents - KS3 and 4

A curriculum newsletter is published termly.  This outlines the course content for the forthcoming weeks. We also hold a number of calendared evenings, some organised by the school others, by the HSA Education Open Forum, designed to provide greater insight into aspects of the curriculum.

Personal Development (PD)

The PD curriculum throughout the school includes personal organisation and study skills, health education (including drugs education, sex education and personal safety), citizenship and careers education.  The PD curriculum is delivered by a team of teachers, and is supported by guidance staff.

Beyond PD lessons, personal, social, health and citizenship education is an integral part of the school.  Across the whole curriculum, we aim to develop students' knowledge, personal and social skills, attitudes and values, to help them benefit from their school experience and prepare them to take their place as responsible citizens in society.  This takes place not only in lessons, but also in all the other interactions and activities which form part of the life of the school community, notably, assemblies, the house system and school/ year councils.

Sex and Relationships Education

We believe that sex and relationships education belongs within a broader framework of knowledge, social skills, attitudes and values.  As well as providing information, our course aims to encourage students:

• To understand their responsibilities
• To form mature and stable relationships in the context of family life
• To accept and explore the attitudes and beliefs of a variety of cultures, religions and peoples.

We are committed to sharing this role with parents and carers, who are the key figures in their children’s social and moral development. Sex education is given in science and Personal, Social and Health Education lessons.

Section 241 of the Education Act 1993 gives parents and carers the right to withdraw their children from any part of a school's sex and relationships programme, apart from those required under the National Curriculum for science.  This right applies to all students, including those over compulsory school age. 

Collective Worship

Students take part in a Year Assembly at least once a week.  Assembly themes address a very wide range of issues important to young people, including those of a spiritual, moral, social and ethical nature. 

Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship and religious education should they wish to do so.  Students who have been withdrawn will be provided with alternative work.

Careers

Careers education is developed throughout the curriculum, but particularly in PD, which includes work on interviewing skills, information finding, decision making, idea generation, work experience, action planning and CV writing for Post 16 options.  Students are encouraged to find out information and explore career opportunities through use of the Connexions library with up to date literature, videos, CD-ROMs and software.  Students also have the opportunity to seek guidance from Connexions advisers and visiting professionals.  The careers department is represented at all parents’/carers’ evenings and separate information evenings are held on Post 16 options (Year 11) and Higher Education (Year 12).   The careers department will always try to respond to the individual needs of the student and help in developing their understanding of the career path that they wish to pursue.

Work Related Learning

We are committed to the concept of work related learning. The ICT department is piloting a course for year 10 students that will allow them to learn about the world of work, as well as to develop the skills and experience to be successful whatever their career path may be. The work experience, ACIS project and any other aspects of school life are part of our commitment to enabling our students to be prepared for the world of work, in its many and changing forms.

Work Experience

All Year 10 students take part in a two-week work experience placement in the summer term.  This is designed to give students an insight into the world of work environment. 

All students are prepared thoroughly for work experience and their progress is monitored by members of staff who visit the work placement.  The response from parents/carers, students and employers over the years has been very positive, and work experience has become a very valuable addition to the curriculum.

Citizenship

We do not offer Citizenship as a discrete subject but the underpinning values and rationale infuse our curriculum and approach to education. Many aspects of the Citizenship curriculum are addressed through timetabled subjects, including Personal Development (PD), Geography, English and History.

Additional projects, such as the Active Citizens in Schools (ACIS), and learning experiences, such as assemblies, also contribute to the development of Hinchingbrooke students as good citizens.

Homework

We believe that homework forms an important part of student's learning.  Subject teachers will set a variety of forms of homework, and students should record the tasks set in their planner. 

Please refer to the School’s Homework policies for fuller detail.

We hope that parents and carers will encourage their child with their homework, both by checking their planner regularly, and by discussing the work with them.

The Key Stages

We believe that smooth transition between the key stages is of paramount importance if students are to be successful. The Transition Manager oversees year 6 to 7 transition. Transition between the key stages and to education, training and careers is co-ordinated by the relevant Key Stage Management teams.

Outline details about the curriculum at each key stage can be found in Appendix 1.

Complaints about the curriculum

Should you have a complaint about the curriculum, it should be addressed in the first instance to the relevant subject teacher, head of department or head of year.

If you are not satisfied with the response, please contact the Assistant Headteacher in charge of the relevant Key Stage.

Parents and carers do, of course, have a right to make a formal complaint invoking the school’s complaints procedure. This can be obtained from the school office.

Please note that this policy should be read in conjunction with our other curriculum-related policies, namely:

• Assessment & Reporting Policy
• Marking Policy
• Homework Policy
• Careers Education & Guidance Policy
• Inclusion
• Sex Education
  

APPENDIX 1

Key Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9

All students follow a broad balanced curriculum, with the following subjects being studied: English, Maths, Science, ICT, a Modern Foreign Language, Design & Technology, History, Geography, RE, PSE, Art, Music, Drama and PE. They also have the opportunity of studying a second Modern Foreign Language in Year 8, as part of the options process.  The time allocated to each subject is as follows:

Each student is allocated to a tutor group on entering the school.  These groups are carefully put together to ensure that each group is balanced in gender and ability.  A student's form tutor is the first point of contact between home and school if any concerns arise.  

In Key Stage 3, students are taught in a mix of groups set according to ability and mixed-ability classes. Mathematics and science both set according to ability in year 7. In maths, students are put into sets immediately based on their Key Stage 2 SAT results. In science, students are allocated to sets according to ability from January in Year 7. In English, students are grouped part way through year 7. Those students who need more support are allocated to a smaller set in which they can be given more individual attention. The most able students are put into a set together. All other students are taught in mixed-ability English groups. 

The setting is reviewed regularly during the key stage as he teachers build up a fuller picture of each student’s abilities.

Key Stage 4 - Years 10 and 11

All students take English, Mathematics, Science, ICT,PE, PD & RE.  PD includes careers work and health education.  Students follow one of two routes.  One route involves students choosing three options from a range of subjects including Double Award Vocational GCSEs in Business, Art & Design and ICT.  The second route (the STEP course) offers up to three optional subjects including Vocational GCSEs and courses offered in association with other education providers e.g. Huntingdon Regional College and the School Catering Service. For most students, the curriculum results in their obtaining 10 GCSEs, although students on the STEP course will follow fewer GCSE courses. Alternative accreditation is awarded, wherever possible. 

In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11), students are grouped by ability for maths, English and Science.  Grouping for other subjects are largely dictated by option choices.  Students usually remain in the same tutor groups as in Years 7 to 9. 

Post 16 - The Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13)

The majority of Hinchingbrooke students return after GCSEs to the Hinchingbrooke Sixth Form. The school offers AS/A2 levels, Advanced VCEs and NVQs.  A Sixth Form prospectus is available on the Sixth Form website. A printed copy may be requested.  Nearly all students in Year 12 follow a course in ICT, some opt for the 6 Unit Advanced VCE and most of the remainder follow a 1 year 3 unit course.

Courses available include:

AS/A2 Level:

GNVQ and Advanced VCE:                                            NVQ:

Art and Design                                                           Catering

Business and Finance                                                 Sports Management & Allied Services

Health and Social Care                                                 

Information & Communication Technology                  FLAW:

Travel and Tourism                                                     German

Performing Arts

In addition, students participate in PE/games, community service and/or work placements.

VCE/GNVQ students participate in a work-related activity or work placement related to the subject they are studying. A level and advanced VCE students can undertake a work placement in which they develop a piece of research related to their studies.