Secondary Curriculum
Ark Victoria Academy Curriculum intent
All pupils leave Ark Victoria with broad and diverse academic knowledge and skills. Our curriculum enables pupils to make connections across themes and concepts, within and across subject disciplines, building their vocabulary and understanding. It also develops pupils' ambition and independence, as well as fostering resilience and kindness. This leads to our pupils becoming respectful, curious citizens with a strong moral purpose.
Curriculum design and programmes
Curriculum design in Ark is informed by four key design principles. Our curricula are:
• Knowledge-rich
• Academically ambitious
• Logically sequenced
• Designed to support memory
As an Ark school, we benefit from collaboration within the network to create high quality curricula. At Ark Victoria Academy, we have a range of curriculum programmes and deliver curricula such as English Mastery, Maths Mastery and the Secondary Music Programme. We also work with colleagues across the network to create Assessment Aligned Frameworks for subjects such as French and History. In addition, we have Ark Victoria Curriculum subjects which are informed by National Curriculum and exam board specifications, and created by our staff, for example, Drama.
What does excellence in the curriculum look like?
• Teachers are confident about the core knowledge, skills and concepts and the relationship between them across years and phases
• The curriculum is owned and shared by the community at Ark Victoria
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and constantly being supported through scholarship and reading around the subject
• Common curricula materials are regularly reviewed and, where necessary, adapted to suit the needs of our pupils and the context
• Teachers understand progression in their subject(s) and what excellence looks like
• The curriculum is acknowledged as a constantly evolving piece of work, responsive to lessons learnt from teaching and learning
• The curriculum, as a whole, is cohesive and builds pupils’ cultural capital, vocabulary, ability to question, their community spirit and sense of enquiry
• All pupils become more knowledgeable in each of the subject disciplines
• All pupils are able to critically evaluate and offer opinions to join in the ‘great conversations’
• Our curriculum enriches and is diverse and inclusive
Overview of the curriculum
Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)
Pupils study 13 subjects in total, with 29 lessons per week. Pupils also have a Personal development curriculum and a library lesson.
Core subjects: Maths, English and Science
Non-core subjects: Geography, History, Religious studies, French, Computer Science, PE, Art and Design, DT, Music and Drama
In KS3, the curriculum share is 48% of lessons in core subjects.
Key Stage 4
In KS4, we offer a full range of academic and vocational programmes with an emphasis on achievement at GCSE and in the English Baccalaureate. The curriculum at KS4 gives each pupil extended time to focus on a relatively smaller number of courses.
Core subjects: Maths, English Literature and Language, and Science
Some pupils study three separate Science GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and some pupils work towards the Combined Science Award.
Pupils also participate in Core PE lessons.
Key Stage 4 - Qualifications and Exam Boards 2022/2023
Option subjects: Pupils are guided to pick subjects from the options below.
|
Subject |
Exam Board |
|
GCSE English Language |
AQA |
|
GCSE English Literature |
AQA |
|
GCSE Combined Science (Double Award) |
AQA |
|
GCSE Biology |
AQA |
|
GCSE Chemistry |
AQA |
|
GCSE Physics |
AQA |
|
GCSE Geography |
AQA |
|
GCSE Maths |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE Business Studies |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE Computer Science |
OCR |
|
GCSE Drama |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE French |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE History |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE Religious Studies Specification B |
PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
| GCSE Art and Design: 3D Design - product design | OCR |
| GCSE Music - Available from 2023/24 | WJEC |
| BTEC Music | PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
|
GCSE PE |
OCR |
| Cambridge National - Sports Studies | OCR |
| Cambridge National - Creative I-Media | OCR |
| Functional Skills English | PEARSON/EDEXCEL
|
| Functional Skills ICT | PEARSON/EDEXCEL |
| Entry Level Certificate Science | AQA |
| Entry Level Certificate Maths | AQA |
| Personal Development and Employability Skills | The Prince's Trust |
We also offer pupils the opportunity to take GCSE’s in Community Languages.
In Year 10, the curriculum share is 55% of lessons in core subjects.
Key contacts
If you have any general questions, please contact Mrs Lee. If you have questions relating to the curriculum of a particular subject, please direct your query to the member of staff detailed below:
Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)
General queries: Mrs Lee (l.lee@arkvictoria.org)
Art and Design: Mrs Bennett (r.bennett@arkvictoria.org)
Computer Science: Mr Singh (r.singh@arkvictoria.org)
Drama: Mr Hopson (l.hopson@arkvictoria.org)
Design and Technology: Mrs Bennett (b.bennett@arkvictoria.org)
English: Mr Cooper (d.copper@arkvictoria.org)
French: Miss Farrant (a.farrant@arkvictoria.org)
Geography: Miss Addy (s.addy@arkvictoria.org)
History: Mr Pritchard (a.pritchard@arkvictoria.org)
Maths: Mrs Sehejpal (t.sehejpal@arkvictoria.org)
Music: Mr Hopson (l.hopson@arkvictoria.org)
Personal development Mrs Turner (h.turner@arkvictoria.org)
PE: Miss Coughlan (s.coughlan@arkvictoria.org)
RS: Mr Nore (a.nore@arkvictoria.org)
Science: Mrs Rashid (s.rashid@arkvictoria.org)
Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11)
General queries: Mrs Lee (l.lee@arkvictoria.org)
Art and Design: Mrs Bennett (r.bennett@arkvictoria.org)
Biology: Mr Miah (a.miah1@arkvictoria.org)
Business Studies: Mr Nandi (m.nandi@arkvictoria.org)
Computer Science: Mr Singh (r.singh@arkvictoria.org)
Creative I-Media: Mr Singh (r.singh@arkvictoria.org)
Drama: Mr Hopson (l.hopson@arkvictoria.org)
Design and Technology: Mrs Bennett (b.bennett@arkvictoria.org)
English: Mr Cooper (d.copper@arkvictoria.org)
French: Miss Farrant (a.farrant@arkvictoria.org)
Geography: Miss Addy (s.addy@arkvictoria.org)
History: Mr Pritchard (a.pritchard@arkvictoria.org)
Maths: Mrs Sehejpal (t.sehejpal@arkvictoria.org)
Music: Mr Hopson (l.hopson@arkvictoria.org)
Personal development Mrs Turner (h.turner@arkvictoria.org)
PE/Sports Studies: Miss Coughlan (s.coughlan@arkvictoria.org)
RS: Mr Nore (a.nore@arkvictoria.org)
Science: Mrs Rashid (s.rashid@arkvictoria.org)
Alternative Curriculum
All students can thrive when the correct support and educational provisions are provided. With the right processes and systems in place, pupils are able to achieve their potential by attending university, completing an FE/HE course, getting paid employment and living more independently. On top of this, there is a legal obligation to provide education for a child, regardless of their needs in the UK.
One principle that underpins our alternative curriculum is ‘the need to support the child or young person, and the child’s parents, in order to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help them achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood.’ SEND Code of Practice (January 2015). Pupils with additional needs may need extra help or support, to allow them to have the same opportunities as others of the same age.
Therefore, to meet the diverse educational needs of pupils here at Ark Victoria, we want to offer a range of core and vocational subjects. We want our provision to be specifically built to offer a safe and empathetic place for pupils to learn. We will focus on academia as well as more improving independence, employability and life skills.
When pupils embark on this alternative curriculum we are committed to building the confidence, enthusiasm and employability skills that they will need to continue in education, employment or training when they leave Ark Victoria. In line with our high expectations, the pupils experience a broad, bespoke curriculum that suits their individual needs and enhances their life chances.
Princes trust
Please use the following link for more guidance on the KS4 Princes Trust qualification that we offer: Click here
Expectations for Computing KS4
NC Expectations for Computing KS4 2022-23 .pdf
Secondary RSE
Please see the attached letter with information about our secondary Personal Development and RSE curriculum - PSHE and RSE Audit Autumn 2022.pdf
More Information
For more information about our curriculum at Ark Victoria, please contact info@arkvictoria.org to arrange a meeting with our Curriculum Leads:
Secondary School
Mrs L Lee
Deputy Headteacher
