1st May
Overview
We offer a varied curriculum and as expectations of our students are very high, and we wish to support them in every way, ability setting operates increasingly as students move from Year 7 through to Year 13.
“The curriculum is broad and balanced. Adaptions are made to suit individual needs including off-site provision which is carefully coordinated and monitored. The curriculum is enriched by a wealth of extra-curricular activities, including the forthcoming school production at the Leatherhead Theatre, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, sport, dance, orchestra and choir.” Ofsted 2019
In Year 7 and 8 the core curriculum consists of Maths, English, Sciences, Geography, History, Religious Studies, a Modern Foreign Language (Spanish and French), Technology (Food, Resistant Materials or Graphics, Textiles), Drama, Music, Art, Information and Communication Technology (iPads for Learning in Year 7), Physical Education and Life Skills and Wellbeing (PSHCE). Students will select their KS4 options during Year 8.
On entering Key Stage 4 (Years 9, 10 and 11) students are offered one of two different curriculum pathways. Many students choose the Open pathway, whilst others choose a more traditional Baccalaureate curriculum. Within both pathways, students can study a variety of technical qualifications (BTECs and NCFE) alongside the 9 – 1 graded GCSEs.
Our 3 year KS4 curriculum was a new development for Year 9 in 2018. From September to December (Autumn term) students in Year 9 will follow a KS3 linked curriculum, and will use this term to reflect on their option choices, and will have the opportunity to change their KS4 courses. Teaching of the GCSE/Technical qualification option courses for all Year 9 students will commence from January of the academic year. The core GCSE subjects (English, Mathematics and Science) will be taught to all students from September providing the students with 8 terms over the 3 years to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of these core subject areas.
Considerable advice and guidance is available to students and their parents to allow the most appropriate choice of curriculum to be made throughout Year 8 to Year 13, overseen by an Assistant Head Curriculum and our external Careers Advisor. Our High Achievers programme provides additional subject specific provision to broaden subject knowledge and understanding during the school day, or part of the extra-curricular provision. This is underpinned in lessons with tough, tougher and toughest tasks within all subject areas.
All subject Heads of Department outline their curriculum intent in their subject pages online, and the overviews are presented within student exercise books. A review ofsubject implementation and curriculum impact takes place in the summer term as part of our annual conference (INSET days) in preparation for the next academic year.
Both academic and technical courses are available in the Sixth Form, where GCSEs can be studied onto A Level/L3 BTECs with a variety of new courses on offer such as Government and Politics, Sociology, BTEC Health & Social Care, Psychology and BTEC Travel & Tourism, BTEC Human Biology and BTEC Sport. A large number of Sixth Form students move on to University and Higher Education, whilst some choose to enter the world of work. Our Sixth Form and GCSE progression routes can be viewed on our website.
Homework is set from day one and is recorded online, and presented through ShowMyHomework which can be accessed from the school iPad. . Students will receive a homework timetable via their iPads providing guidance and links to support their organisation.
Homework club operates in the Learning Resource Centre on Monday - Thursday evenings from 3.30 - 4.15pm and is supervised. Students may use computers and technology to help with homework completion.
If you would like further information on the curriculum at Blenheim, please contact Mr. G. Adams, Deputy Headteacher with responsibility for curriculum planning.
Parents may find the Parent Guide to GCSEs along with the App below useful tools to learn more about the National Curriculum.
Download our Parent Guide to GCSEs
Download the National Curriculum App
The new GCSE grading system explained
The Department for Education is launching a campaign to promote and communicate the changes to GCSEs.
Watch a video to help explain the new grading
Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs)
These PLCs break down the content of the GCSEs that students are studying into their individual themes/topics/units/modules.
These materials offer parents an overview of the content being delivered in each subject each term. More importantly, these PLCs will provide students with a checklist to review their progress and aid revision planning.
For each subject there will be a PLC for each unit/terms work, therefore, please check here for new PLC resources as the year progresses
