Curriculum Statement

At The Weald, our ethos of opportunity and community underpins everything we do; our approach to education is to provide enriching learning experiences which require students to engage with the world around them and support the development of their character.

Intent

Our curriculum is dynamic and responsive for all students in all three key stages, developed around the principle of Mastery.  As experts in their fields, subject leaders plan the content, knowledge and skills coherently to ensure that students are prepared for the next stage, whether this be employment or further study.  The curriculum engenders a thirst for knowledge and curiosity about the world around them.  Knowledge and skills broaden horizons. The wider curriculum enriches, builds personal skills, such as resilience and self-reflection, and supports and encourages aspiration and acceptance. The broader aim is to ensure that all our students are fulfilled and that no door is closed to them. 

Each subject has a coherent curriculum map which models progression. This is linked to knowledge organisers which outline the core components within the curriculum. Students use knowledge organisers to know and remember more of it so that they can connect and understand it more deeply. Students self-regulate how much they know and remember by using knowledge organisers and other curricular resources in conjunction with PLCs (personal learning checklists). Fluency in this core knowledge is built through a range of methods, including low stakes testing, which are used by teachers to find and fix mistakes and misconceptions through responsive teaching. This knowledge is secured and applied flexibly through a broad range of tasks.  

A key part of our curriculum is enrichment.  This is built into programmes of study for each subject as well as delivered through carefully planned specialist days.

Implementation

We implement our curriculum in a way which maximises it having the intended impact. The 6Rs are our curriculum implementation toolkit. They underpin quality first teaching for all. They are ‘best bets’ to ensure all students are supported and challenged to meet our high expectations, irrespective of their start points. We believe they can make the most difference, especially for students for whom it matters most. 

The 6Rs are built on two core curriculum questions:

• What are we doing and why? Are you and your students clear on how this lesson links to progress in the curriculum journey? (This year and years before/after?) What does success look like in this context?
• Do you know your students and their needs? Is teaching scaffolded to support and challenge every student to meet the same high expectations? We must know our students and their individual needs, particularly those with SEND or who are disadvantaged. 

Teacher knowledge of the curriculum and the best way to implement it is a core driver for the quality of education at The Weald. This includes the three types of teacher knowledge: subject knowledge, pedagogy and subject pedagogy.  We support the development of pedagogy through focused CPD. Staff retention is strong and as such, teachers have very good knowledge of the subjects they teach. Where teachers are teaching new subjects or qualifications, we provide subject knowledge enhancement time to develop expertise. 

Impact

How far our curriculum is having its intended impact is measured by how far students know, remember and can do more of it. This is measured through a range of outcomes including:

• Summative assessment outcomes and reporting, which is reviewed holistically by Heads of Year and by subject at SLT RSL meetings
• Lesson Visits and discussions with students, with their work. 
• Curriculum Reviews - including work scrutiny 
• Staff, student and parent voice feedback 
• The success of our students over a sustained period in national tests
• Our students’ readiness for the next stage in their learning and life beyond education 
• Ongoing cycles of school and department self evaluation and improvement action planning, which are informed by the outcomes above 

We use assessment in two ways:

• Formative assessment to support students on route, by finding and fixing errors, mistakes and misconceptions. The purpose of formative assessment is to improve student performance. 
• Summative assessment - to make claims about how students are performing towards or against curriculum end points. The purpose of summative assessment is to prove student performance. 

Assessment also provides students, teachers, parents and other key stakeholders with information that enables all parties to focus efforts - including intervention strategies - where there is the greatest need. 

Feedback should be a combination of verbal, whole class and individual and should be followed by an opportunity for students to reflect and respond; teachers must build in time to do this with students, so they are eventually able to self-regulate. (Please see Assessment and Feedback Policy).

For specific subject information, please see the menu on the right.