Curriculum Policy

St Catherine's School
CURRICULUM POLICY - SENIOR

Reviewed by:	Deputy Head Academic
Last Reviewed:	May 2024
Next Review:	May 2026

SCHOOL MISSION

We are inspired by St Catherine of Siena, who said ‘Be who God wants you to be, and you will set the world on fire’, to form young women of confidence and compassion, ready for service and leadership in the world. We fulfil our mission through these values:

Community: a place of cheerfulness, dignity and tolerance, where all are welcome
Faith: a Christ-centred school with time for reflection; a culture of gratitude and friendship
Courage: with self-knowledge, resilience and integrity, and a readiness for challenge
Scholarship: where gifts are developed through curiosity, imagination and ambition
Service: commitment to others, to stewardship, and to justice and hope for all

The Curriculum Policy for the Senior School is the overall responsibility of the Deputy Head Academic. Heads of Department and Subject Leads manage the curriculum choices for each year group and regular meetings ensure that the Senior School is consistent and ambitious in the implementation and management of the curriculum. Approaches and objectives regarding assessments (including public exams), pupil intervention and support, pupil reports, and teaching and learning are also informed by the Curriculum Policy.

The Head of Department/Subject Lead uses the School Development Plan and public examination results to produce a Subject Report which identifies key targets for improvement within the department. This covers changes to curriculum, plans for co-curricular clubs and activities, trips, extension and enrichment. It also includes any changes to exam specifications and how these changes will be incorporated within the curriculum. These departmental targets are monitored across the year in consultation with Line Managers.

Aims

We aim to provide:

a curriculum which values Religious Education and has, at its heart, the spiritual, moral and social values of the Gospels, as set out in the School Mission Statement;
a curriculum which reflects and respects the cultural diversity of the School, and which is committed to equality and accessibility, as set out in the Equal Opportunities Policy and the Accessibility Policy;
a broad and balanced curriculum, reflecting scholarship, intellectual values and personal growth that will bring pupils into contact with the elements of learning: knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes – and the areas of learning experience: aesthetic/creative, human and social, linguistic and literary, mathematical, moral, physical, scientific, spiritual and technological;
a relevant curriculum that will reflect the previous learning of the pupils, their aspirations and promote personal growth and contemporary society;
a differentiated curriculum that will allow for differences in pupils’ abilities and skills, including those of SEND and AGT pupils;
a curriculum which deals comprehensively and sensitively with Personal, Social and Health Education, and Relationships and Sex Education;
effective preparation for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society including learning about Fundamental British Values;
access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that enables pupils to make informed choices about a broad range of university and career options.

Objectives

To maintain a curriculum which:

addresses pupils’ academic and other achievements through a focus on
- Exam results and change in attainment over time
- Knowledge, skills and understanding (KSU)
- Communication
- Numeracy
- ICT
- Study skills
- Academic and other achievements
- Attitudes towards learning
at Key Stages Three and Four, provides a core that balances the elements and areas of learning, while addressing key aspects of the National Curriculum and preparing pupils for GCSEs/IGCSEs;
at Key Stage Five, provides each pupil with extensive A Level choices and the right balance of challenges and skills to pursue further learning at a further education college/university of their choice.

To meet the needs of the individual by:

focusing on the pupils’ development of the following skills and aptitudes:
self-understanding
decision-making
spiritual understanding
moral understanding and responsibility for own behaviour
social development and collaboration
contribution to others, the school and the community
respecting diversity and cultural understanding
staying safe and keeping healthy
at Key Stages Three and Four, where appropriate, allowing for the setting of subjects according to ability so that all pupils have the opportunity to make progress;
At Key Stage Five providing small class sizes, one-on-one tutorial advice on careers and further education;
providing support, within the resources that it possesses, for SEND pupils and/or those who find certain aspects of their learning programmes difficult;
enabling pupils with disabilities to have full access to the curriculum;
teaching in ways that make allowances for individual abilities and skills.

Curriculum

In the Senior School all pupils follow a programme in Religious Education, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Physical Education (PE), including swimming up to Year 9.

Key Stage 3: All national curriculum subjects are taught. Pupils study two languages in Year 7 and 8 then they select two of the three languages to study further in 9. From Year 7, pupils are set by ability in English and Maths. Year 8 pupils may be set by ability in Modern Foreign Languages, depending on the cohort and Year 9 pupils are set by ability for Science.

Key Stage 4: All pupils study the core subjects to I/GCSE – English Language, English Literature, Religious Education, Mathematics, and Science (‘Trilogy’ Double Award). They also study either French, German or Spanish. Year 10 and 11 pupils have one Study period a week for independent work or study skills, in preparation for their public exams.

In addition, pupils choose a further three subjects from: Separate Sciences, Art, Drama,French, Geography, German, History, Computer Science, Music, PE, Photography, Food and Nutrition, Textiles and Spanish.

Key Stage 5: All students in Key Stage 5 follow a General Studies programme, which includes one period of General RE. The pupils also have a PE lesson each week. All pupils are expected to study four A level subjects initially in Yr 12; they are able to drop their fourth subject after one term, following consultation with the Head of Sixth Form. There is also an opportunity for pupils to complete the EPQ.

Requirement for Political Impartiality

For the purpose of the curriculum, girls may be presented with political views, and these examples can help pupil learning. However, pupils are not actively encouraged by teachers or others to support particular political viewpoints. Teaching staff take care not to exploit pupils’ vulnerability by seeking to convince them that a particular political position is necessarily correct, or by trying to impose their own views on pupils. Where political views are brought to the attention of pupils, they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views so that pupils are made aware that there are normally countervailing views and a balance is struck between the opinions and beliefs discussed.

Able, Gifted & Talented

Able and Gifted pupils are stretched and challenged through the planned curriculum and through co-curricular activities and trips. Lessons in core subjects are streamed from Year 7, and those in the higher sets are therefore provided with appropriate extension. In addition, all staff routinely provide ‘HOT’ (higher order thinking) or other stretch/extension tasks to ensure every pupil in their classroom is always fully and productively engaged.

Talented pupils are provided with extension and development opportunities within lessons and also within the wide range of co -curricular activities and national competitions.

An annual AG&T register is compiled based on nominations from teaching staff, and the progress of these pupils is evaluated each term, based on teacher observations and examination data. Further opportunity exists through the competitions and activities available for pupils, and the EPQ programme.