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General Curriculum Statement

Outstanding_Colour_School smallerGeneral Curriculum Statement

At Kilgarth, we understand the importance of a flexible approach to the curriculum. This approach ensures that all of our young people have the opportunity to make academic and social progress throughout their studies.

Our aim is to inspire:

  • ambitious, capable learners who recognise the value of education in throughout their lives
  • enterprising, work skilled individuals ready to play a full part in life and work
  • ethical, informed citizens of the UK and the world
  • healthy, confident young adults, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society

To this end, we have designed our curriculum to match the complex needs of our pupils and we take pride in the broad and balanced opportunities that our pupils experience. Pupils that attend our school often have significant barriers to learning alongside other cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Due to this, the- vast majority of pupils at our school are performing significantly below their peers, nationally, when they arrive at our school. This is often as a result of poor engagement with education throughout their primary and sometimes secondary education. Our model aims to close the basic skills gap so that pupils can access KS3 and move on to Level 1 & 2 and GCSE qualifications during KS4, preparing them for a successful transition to post 16 provision. Over time, this model fosters engagement and success in education, building self-esteem and self-efficacy in pupils’ whilst learning appropriate social skills and coping strategies for the future.

As part of this we offer a flexible learning pathway in Yr.10 &11 for pupils who are not able to sustain full time provision or for pupils that have been de-schooled and require a different approach to ready them for post 16 provision.

Our curriculum model intends to:

  • Provide a programme of study with appropriate modifications that aligns with the national curriculum 2014
  • Provide a range of certification routes that allow success for all e.g. Entry Level / Vocational and GCSE qualifications
  • Promote an approach that re-engages young people in school and learning, enabling them to develop a growth mind-set, improve their mental health and well-being and establish themselves within our school’s caring and safe community
  • Help pupils to build positive and trusting relationships with staff that allows them to focus on their learning
  • Provide a positive, predictable and safe environment for pupils to learn to manage their behaviours in a way that allows them and others to learn
  • Prepare pupils for working life through a programme of life skills, SEAL and other opportunities e.g. work experience and learning outside the classroom

Through delivery of the curriculum we will:

  • Utilise diagnostic testing systems and other sources of data to establish accurate starting points for pupils and set targets in line with national expectations
  • Increase curriculum time dedicated to the teaching of English and Mathematics, to provide time to build upon basic skills so that pupils establish a level of reading competency that enables them to access the secondary curriculum
  • Reduce class sizes to support learning across the majority of the curriculum
  • Ensure that all teachers are teachers of literacy first and promote literacy across the curriculum
  • Provide literacy intervention to accelerate progress and foster reading for pleasure
  • Offer rewards to promote positive choices and good attitudes to learning alongside accountability for each pupil’s own learning
  • Maintain strong links with partner organisations e.g. Career Connect and alternative provision organisations to provide work-related progression routes for pupils that require individual curriculum pathways
  • Deliver a programme of study to develop pupils’ social and emotional learning based upon the 5 competencies of SEAL
  • Establish high expectations and accountability for learning throughout the school day

By the end of KS4 we want our pupils to:

  • Develop self-efficacy and purpose by supporting pupils to identify their end goals and aspirations for the future, thereby improving mental health and well-being
  • Develop resilience and the social skills required for a successful transition to further education or training
  • Develop a greater understanding of the world and develop values that allow them to actively contribute to society
  • Make progress in their basic skills, relative to their starting point, and continue their progression post -16, often through a more appropriate functional skills route
  • Make gains in literacy, allowing them greater access to the wider curriculum and to attain a suite of qualifications. This will allow them to access the post 16 options as their peers
  • Make progress towards their outcomes according to their Education, Health and Care Plans

“Leaders have created a positive climate for learning and personal development “– Ofsted 2019

“Pupils rise to the high expectations that staff have of their behaviour and engagement in learning” – Ofsted 2019.

“Despite the limitations of the school buildings, leaders have developed a broad curriculum offer which enables pupils to study for a range of qualifications and vocational accreditations” – Ofsted 2019.

“The majority of pupils make significant progress across the curriculum” – Ofsted 2019.

If you require further information please contact Mr Griffiths, Deputy Headteacher on 0151 652 8071.