Curriculum
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Opportunities for All
At Wade Deacon, every child matters. We pride ourselves on the provision of personalized learning, striving at all times to ensure that every child either achieves or exceeds their potential. Therefore, we provide a variety of curriculum pathways to suit abilities, talents and needs, wherever and whenever possible.
From Y7 to Y11, every child’s Progress to Success is continually assessed 4 times a year and at the end of each year, their progress and attainment is evaluated and reviewed so that they are placed in the most appropriate pathway for their GCSEs. Every child is different. Therefore, to provide a flexible personalized curriculum, every child will begin their GCSE courses in Year 9. Some pupils will take their GCSE subjects over 3 years, others may be fast tracked over two years and extend their learning in Y11 through the offer of a variety of other options to prepare them for Further Education. Most pupils will have a combination of both depending on their specific talents, gifts, abilities and needs.
The Foundation Stage:
We believe that the Foundation Stage in Years 7 and 8 is crucial to your child’s success in later life. This stage in your child’s education is designed to teach them the skills that are crucial, not just for excellent grades, but for an excellent life. Therefore, your child will be prepared, academically and socially during this time to enable them to achieve their potential in their GCSE years. We will build on the skills of literacy, numeracy, interpretation, deduction, analysis and evaluation to create learners who are independent and can approach their studies with sophistication, creativity and originality.
From Y7, in most subject areas, pupils are placed into sets according to their KS2 scores. However, in Y7, this is not finalized until after the first half term; this enables the school to obtain all the necessary information regarding the progress of your child.
There are two curriculum pathways that run from Y7 to Y11: the Success Pathway and the Baccalaureate Pathway.
Success Pathway:
Every child in the Success Pathway receives personalized and small group learning to ensure that they have the necessary literacy and numeracy skills for life. In Y7 and Y8, they will study most of their subjects together in a caring, learning environment where they feel safe and confident enough to participate. The aim is to ensure that by Year 9, pupils can access the GCSE curriculum and achieve success.
If your child is in the Success Pathway in Y7 and Y8, then s/he will study all the subjects below, except that History, Geography and R.E. will be built into a thematic scheme of work that focuses on literacy and numeracy skills. As the aim is to build literacy skills, the Success Pathway will not study French.
In Success Pathway: Years 7 & 8, your child willstudy:
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English with Drama |
Mathematics |
Science |
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Humanities (themed approach) |
Design, Music & Technology |
ICT and Careers Education |
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Physical Education |
Art |
Personal, Social & Health Education |
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Citizenship and Enterprise |
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Success Pathway KS4: Y9, Y10 & Y11.
Pupils in the Success Pathway will follow a very varied and personalized curriculum that enables them to achieve at least 5 good GCSEs at A*-C grades based on their talents, gifts, abilities and needs. In addition, they will take a variety of other qualifications that are built around life skills, leadership and future careers such as college courses and The Duke of Edinburgh Award. They will be able to take advantage of an intensive and aspirational Careers’ Programme which will support them into Further Education and/or the World of work. As a minimum, pupils will study the following courses*:
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Compulsory Courses |
Option Pool: pupils select one from: |
Compulsory Non-Exam Courses |
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English GCSE |
Art |
Citizenship & Enterprise |
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Mathematics GCSE |
Drama |
Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) |
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Personalised Life Skills course, (equivalent up to 2 GCSEs at grade B). |
Product Design GCSE |
Careers |
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A personalized GCSE Physical Education course (either BTEC Sport; P.E. GCSE or Dance) |
Music |
Duke of Edinburgh Award |
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Science (equivalent to 2 GCSEs) |
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Design and Technology GCSE |
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ICT GCSE |
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*the selection of courses may change owing to new developments in qualifications over time.
Ofsted (March 2011) said:
“The outstanding curriculum is exceptionally well matched to students’ needs from the moment they join the school in Year 7. Excellent transition arrangements mean that the school has ample information about students’ learning so additional support is provided immediately in literacy and numeracy for those who need it.”
Baccalaureate Pathway:
The English Baccalaureate is a highly academic qualification designed by the Government. Pupils in this pathway, in the Foundation Stage, study the following subjects:
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English with Drama |
Mathematics |
Science |
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History* |
Geography* |
Design & Technology** |
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Physical Education |
Art |
French |
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ICT and Careers Education |
Citizenship & Enterprise |
Personal, Social & Health Education |
*Religious Education is embedded into the History and Geography curriculum.
**Music Technology will be delivered as part of the Technology curriculum. If your child is keen and enthusiastic about music and would like to learn to play a musical instrument, then the school will offer this provision which will be timetabled during the school day or during Period 6 after school. If this option is chosen, please be aware that the school would appreciate your support in ensuring that 100% of the peripatetic lessons are attended and that your child will be expected to perform, with others, at a variety of school events.
Ofsted (March 2011) said:
“At Key Stage 4, students follow a range of pathways, including vocational courses, which are very well tailored to their needs and aspirations.”
Baccalaureate Pathway KS4: Years 9, 10 and 11.
To achieve the English Baccalaureate qualification, a learner must attain A*-C grades in the following GCSE subjects:
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English Language |
Mathematics |
Science |
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History or Geography |
A Modern Foreign Language |
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Other compulsory courses are:
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Physical Education |
GCSE ICT |
PSHE and Citizenship & Enterprise (non-exam). |
Therefore, all those pupils who are in the Baccalaureate Pathway will have good literacy and numeracy skills and continue to study the GCSE subjects above from Y9.
Science:
Those pupils who achieve highly in Science are given the opportunity to study separate Sciences (Biology, Physics and Chemistry GCSEs) from Y9. This is reviewed at the end of Y9 to ensure that all pupils are on the most appropriate course to enable them to achieve their potential. All pupils will study a Science course that will allow them to attain at least 2 GCSEs in this subject.
Physical Education:
All pupils will take a qualification in Physical Education and this will be personalized to maximize your child’s strengths in this area. All pupils will experience a variety of sports such as rock climbing, swimming, table tennis, judo and the more traditional sports of netball, rounders, football and rugby. In addition, some pupils will take a Leadership Award.
Options:
Pupils will be able to choose one option from a variety of courses* such as:
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German |
Business Studies |
Drama |
Music |
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Design and Technology (1 GCSE) |
Design and Technology (2 GCSEs) |
Art |
Music Technology |
*Course options may change owing to new developments in qualifications and courses over time.
There are 25 lessons in a week with 5 lessons in each day. However, your child may choose to take advantage of the extra-curricular activities that are on offer in Period 6 after school, whether that be Mandarin, Music, Physical Education or any one of the plethora of activities that take place.
Ofsted (March 2011) said:
“Wade Deacon High School provides an outstanding education for its students and lives up to its aim of being “committed to excellence” in all aspects of its work. Students’ attainment is high and their achievement is outstanding, not only in academic terms, but also in the way they develop into mature, well rounded young people who work hard and enjoy all that school has to offer them.”