Curriculum Overview

Our Curriculum supports our motto: Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve. We want to create a curriculum which is ambitious and aspirational, which lays the foundations for students to learn, flourish and enjoy a future filled with choice. We are developing a culture of high expectations for all which cultivates a love of learning and drive for success. We are dedicated to empowering our students to fulfil our motto of ‘Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve’, equipping them with the skills and values necessary for success both academically and in their life endeavours; building their cultural capital whilst inspiring and enabling them to make a lasting and positive contribution to future societies worldwide. 

Intent: 

We intend to develop a curriculum which: 

• Enables all learners to benefit from an ambitious curriculum that has been purposely planned so that students encounter knowledge and experiences in the best order which will enable students to embrace opportunities beyond the curriculum to develop their love of learning
• Is broad and balanced allowing students to develop knowledge, skills and understanding across many subjects ensuring that the National Curriculum is covered
• Provides a rigorous academic curriculum that is challenging, accessible and all students will make accelerated progress, regardless of their starting points
• Allows all students a progression route; it is differentiated with different pathways for specific groups of students eg. disadvantaged, most vulnerable and most able 
• Matches student aspirations and will allow them to succeed in the next phase of their training or education
• Builds upon skill and knowledge from key stage 2
• Is underpinned by our belief in the limitless potential of every student
• Empowers students to value their education
• Embodies high expectations and challenge in order to build resilience and confidence so they are ready to contribute to a rapidly changing society
• Maintains the highest standards of literacy across the curriculum
• Supports students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development & promotes fundamental British Values
• Celebrates and explores our local context but also widens experience. 

Implementation: 

Here are some of the ways in which we will implement our curriculum: 

• Curriculum training is at the heart of the Continued Professional Development programme
• The implementation of our challenging curriculum is centred around Rosenshine`s Principles of Instruction which is used to support Quality First Teaching
• Teach Meets are used for collaborative practice and the sharing of expertise
• Artificial Intelligence is used as a tool to bring the curriculum to life and engage learners
• Assessments are planned so that they check student understanding and inform subsequent teaching
• Information is embedded into long term memory through a variety of retrieval practice activities including regular low stakes testing, the opportunity to revisit and build upon prior learning, and carefully sequenced activities using principles of interweaving, interleaving and mixed practice.
• Curriculum leaders are experts in their subject areas and work together so strong links are formed cross – curricular throughout the school
• The topic profiles are in students’ books and staff explore creative ways to use them in lessons and develop students’ understanding of their own sequences of learning.
• Each department plans, delivers and reviews its curriculum
• The delivery of the curriculum focuses on Rosenshine’s principles, requiring students to be reflective, curious and have ownership over their progress
• Ensure that assessment points are well planned with time for moderation
• Cold Calling and Deep Questioning are key features in lessons
• Our curriculum gradually builds the learning experience. It allows for continuity of experiences as the learner progresses and grows
• Extra-curricular opportunities are integral to the whole curriculum offer
• A small minority of students follow more personalised curriculums in order to meet their specific learning needs. Very few learners are educated off-site unless such personalisation is in their best interests.

The Impact of the Curriculum will ensure that: 

• The curriculum is the core of the school and the bedrock for staff professional development
• Enjoyment of the expertly planned curriculum will promote achievement, confidence and outstanding behaviour for learning
• Enhance the positive culture and atmosphere of our school, both in and out of lessons and the positive role our students play in the wider community
• Prepare out students for the global world, with the skills and knowledge which will allow them to be active and successful participants
• The wider enrichment and extra-curricular programme will have supported the development of every student, giving them the cultural capital to be successful in the next stage of their education and career development
• Subject leaders make intelligent use of assessment to inform curriculum design
• The curriculum delivery has improved reading, writing and numeracy.

We constantly review our provision through discussion with our students, teachers, subject leaders and parents. We review curriculum ambition, inclusivity, breadth and how things are taught. For further information about our curriculum, please contact Mrs Barham, Deputy Headteacher on barhamk@matthew-arnold.surrey.sch.uk