Curriculum
Curriculum Vision
Our curriculum is designed to foster thought, curiosity and a desire for learning in all pupils, regardless of their background, strengths and needs. It is ambitious, challenging and engaging.
It builds on the essential knowledge, skills and understanding from primary school and enables pupils to become informed citizens who have an appreciation of human creativity, ingenuity and achievement.
Our curriculum draws out key concepts that provide a rich web of knowledge for our pupils and help them to become expert critical thinkers.
At the heart of our curriculum is a strong academic core for all our pupils at key stage 3 and key stage 4: the English Baccalaureate. This includes English, mathematics, sciences, history, geography and a modern foreign language. Creative and performing arts, technology, computing, and physical education are central to our curriculum offer sparking curiosity, interests and talent.
At Key Stage 5, we offer a range of A Level and vocational courses to prepare students well for their next stage in education, employment or training.
Teaching & Learning
Teaching colleagues at Gateacre School are completely dedicated to meeting student needs and ensuring that our students receive outstanding learning and achieve outstanding results.
Our students receive engaging lessons in a positive, safe and friendly learning environment. They benefit from the expertise of experienced teaching staff who have an enthusiastic and contagious passion for their subject area. We adapt our delivery for each class, ensuring that no student is left behind, and that gaps in learning are identified and resolved rapidly.
Homework
Students are provided with regular homework for consolidation and extension of knowledge. Dependent on the subject area, homework may take the form of online programs, such as Sparx and Reading Wise, or paper-based activities. Our students take their progress seriously and use home learning opportunities to accelerate their progress.
Curriculum Design
At Gateacre school, we believe in offering all students a learning experience and curriculum that is broad, balance and relevant. We want students to be challenged to fulfil their individual potential by equipping them with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to enter the professional world.
We operate on a one week 30-period timetable, each day has 6 lessons each lasting for 50 minutes. Students are setted based on their ability in English, Maths and Science only. For all other subjects they are taught in mixed ability classes.
KS3 Curriculum (Y7 – Y9)
In Year 7 to 9, students will study up to 15 subjects on their timetables.
Students in KS3 are split into 2 half years for all their subjects – G and S. The band (G or S) in which students are place depends upon a number of factors; including academic performance, pastoral considerations and group/ gender splits.
In Core subjects, such as Maths, English and Science there are up to 5 groups in each half year and these are ability groups, which are regularly reviewed and amended as appropriate. For all other subjects, students are placed in mixed ability groups within their half year which are numbered groups from 1 to 6.
KS4 Curriculum, (Y10 & Y11)
The KS4 Curriculum in year 10 and 11 offers a breadth of subjects. Our options process at the end of Year 9 is based upon the abilities, interests and aptitude of students. Students are fully supported to choose the subject as appropriate for them and their destination post-16. We have an impressive range of GCSE and Vocational qualifications and adapt every year to meet the needs and aspirations of students. The outcome of the KS4 curriculum is learners will be obtaining a wide range of GCSE to Vocational Qualifications over the course of two years.
All KS4 students study English, Maths and Science and are taught in two half years – G and S which are ability groups from 1 to 5. The group G1 in Science is students who have chosen ‘Separate Science’ as one of their option subjects. Core subject sets are regularly reviewed and amended as appropriate.
For Option subjects and the weekly Active Lifestyles lesson students are, for the most part, taught in mixed ability groups
