Our curriculum ambition at Atherton High School is to make learning irresistible for all! We have designed a challenging and ambitious curriculum to provide the best learning opportunities for all our students to aspire and achieve.
Our core values that drive our curriculum are:
- Aspirationfor all to improve life chances for every student.
- Excellence in learning through an ambitious knowledgeand literacy rich curriculum for all.
- Characterand personal development to equip all of our students to succeed in life.
- Culturally relevant curriculum to ensure students understand the world through each subject lens.
Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum intent is ambitious because we are determined to:
- engage our young people in learning and to foster a culture of commitment to lifelong learning.
- challenge all our students to be knowledge and vocabulary rich, to foster deep learning opportunities, so our young people have a strong, conceptual understanding of subject matter and a love of learning.
- build opportunities for our students to develop a strong sense of character, and responsibility as young citizens who are able to make positive contributions now, and in the future, to the communities to which they belong.
- nurture a culture of aspiration through the principles of balance and choice; hence, our young people can apply their knowledge to challenges and experience an enormous sense of accomplishment in their achievements.
Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum is at the heart of our practice; we have a relentless focus on the quality of education in our school by continually reflecting on three key questions:
- What is taught?
- Why is it taught?
- How is it taught?
Every subject has a carefully planned ‘Learning Journey’ from Year 7 to Year 11 with the components of learning carefully sequenced, so that learning builds on learning. Knowledge Organisers outline the essential knowledge and vocabulary students will learn within a component of study.
We believe in a high challenge – low stress model of implementing our curriculum. The heart of our teaching delivery is to be responsive: our driving question is ‘Are students secure with the knowledge I have taught them?’
An essential part of our curriculum is personal development through PSHE, LRE and an active form programme. This supports students to build character, to build resilience, develop leadership skills, gain understanding of our local area and appreciation and care for the world around us.
We are proud of our ambitious curriculum. Everyone at Atherton High School is given every opportunity to be successful and achieve well.
Curriculum Structure
At Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9), learners study a broad and balanced curriculum to ensure that all students experience the breadth of subjects, delivered by subject specialists. There are opportunities for students who need extra literacy support and numeracy support to receive this.
All pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum which supports intellectual challenge, the tools to develop physical and mental health, multiple opportunities to be creative and the development of cultural capital. The KS3 curriculum includes: English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, RE, MFL (Spanish/ French), Computing, Design & Technology, Food Technology, Art, Music, Drama, PSHE and Citizenship Education, and PE.
KS3 receive 5 x one-hour lessons each day.
Our Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11) curriculum offers students a wide variety of academic and vocational subjects to choose, alongside core subjects. We want every young person to aim high, love learning and make their GCSE subjects a foundation for life long study. We help our students make good GCSE choices through a Guided Options Evening, one-to-one sessions, College Drop-in Days, College Taster Days and an individual interview with local colleges and/or people from the local business community.
KS4 pupils receive
Year 10: 6 x one-hour lessons on Mondays for Year 10 & 5 x one-hour lessons Tuesday – Friday. (In the summer term Year 10 move to a 28 period week.)
Year 11: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 6 x one-hour lessons. Thursday, Friday 5 x one-hour lessons
Curriculum Impact
Pupils at Atherton High School are extremely well prepared for their next stages in education or training. Their positive and successful experiences of learning give them an eagerness to continue with their studies. Pupils show respect for others and are confident and ambitious. Pupils are well informed about the opportunities that exist for them beyond school and how to achieve their ambitions through well-structured CEIAG and enrichment opportunities.
Almost all pupils go on to further their learning on courses that match their aspirations.
Our curriculum is underpinned by a range of assessment approaches, which allows teachers to support pupils to embed and use knowledge fluently, check understanding and inform teaching. Our pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum and, as a result, make good progress. See here for our GCSE results page: Results – Atherton High School
