Curriculum and Subjects

Curriculum

The academy curriculum (in the wider sense) reflects the culture of our society; changing children’s lives through learning; having equality of access to, and acquiring, ever-deepening knowledge and ever-broadening skills that inform who they are now and who they can become in adult life. The curriculum is designed to be flexible and responsive to the individual needs, interests, and aspirations of students. By placing learners at the heart of the curriculum, the school aims to create a student-centred environment where each learner is motivated, inspired, and empowered to take ownership of their learning. Active and participatory learning methods are used to keep students engaged. This includes project-based learning, experiential learning opportunities, and the use of real-world contexts. Students are encouraged to ask questions, explore their interests, and pursue their passions within the structure of the curriculum.

The academy has an established transition process with well-developed links with primary schools.  Our three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum includes a broad-based curriculum which focuses on developing competencies such as communication skills, ICT skills, interpersonal skills etc, that can be used in all aspects of learning as well as subject based knowledge, skills and understanding.

The curriculum is designed to improve transition from primary education to secondary education, to increase engagement, enjoyment and motivation and accelerate progress.  The curriculum at Key Stage 3 aims to raise students’ aspirations, develop knowledge, skills and understanding, and promote self-belief and self-confidence.  Here at West Lakes Academy we promote learning and as a consequence develop powerful learners.  We work to develop students’ learning skills and equip young people with the skills they need to be successful in the 21^st century.

Timings of the academy day 

Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3, the curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils are given experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education through the core and extended curriculum. All pupils also follow a course of PSHE.

We are committed to ensure that all children experience a positive classroom learning experience built upon high expectations. Tutor groups are crafted to create mixed ability classes, which students are taught in for a number of subjects across the academy. This means that the tutor, as well as the Head of Year, can support their tutor family to be successful in their curriculum journey and offer guidance to support the classroom learning environment. As part of many children will be taught in mixed ability form groups across several subjects to ensure no learner is restricted by their banding or ability grouping. We are committed to ensure that all children experience a positive classroom learning environment built upon high expectations and therefore mixed ability classes, within a mixed ability banding, will allow students to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication. Additionally mixed ability grouping at KS3 prevents students from becoming ‘stuck’ in a rigid system or from losing confidence in their abilities due to being placed in ability bands or classes.

In English and Maths children will be set in ability classes on the basis of performance and with clear opportunities available for all pupils to move up or down sets following routine assessment windows and teacher assessment. This ensures that we put our learner at the heart of the curriculum by routinely assessing their setting within core subjects.

Nurture – 7 and 8 students who are struggling to access mainstream school or have a curriculum gap in English / Maths are supported with the nurture route. This means that significantly scaffolded lessons take place in the nurture room for English and Maths. Students also have 2 lessons of social studies a week to support their eventual integration into the classroom. Other lessons, listed below, occur in the academy with students joining their future tutor groups as part of their learning and integration into the mainstream timetable.

Key Stage 4

At the end of the three year Key Stage 3, students then begin a 14-19 programme of study.  The academy’s programme of study is developing and is moving to become highly ‘personalised’ to meet students’ individual needs and aspirations. At the end of Year 9, students choose from a number of different pathways, including vocational offers which leads to the world of work.

A range of GCSE and BTEC subjects are offered at Key Stage 4. KS4 groups work primarily towards GCSE qualifications. The KS4 curriculum is a mixture of 5 Core subjects and 3 Option subjects. All KS4 students are encouraged to take at least one EBACC subject with blue band encouraged to take more.

Key Stage 5

Our Sixth Form courses are also clearly established, with detail in a separate course guide