Great Yarmouth Charter Academy 3

Curriculum

Curriculum Vision 

Our curriculum, like everything at Great Yarmouth Charter, is guided by the virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude. We believe that every young person is capable of achieving something great. Our curriculum and the way that we deliver the curriculum is designed to support the motto at Charter, “Sapientia Potentia Est”, Wisdom is Power.

By providing a rigorous, academic curriculum that is rich in carefully sequenced knowledge, our goal is to enable pupils to take their place in the community of educated citizens. Respect is embodied in our curriculum through the high value we place on subjects and our teachers as experts in their subject areas. 

We want our pupils to have access to the best that has been thought and said, and with this in mind our teachers think carefully about what to teach and how best to teach it. We want pupils’ future options to be wide, so we do not narrow the curriculum. Instead, we ensure pupils are exposed to a wide body of knowledge through our Key Stage Three curriculum over years 7, 8 and 9. We also think carefully about those pupils whose formal study of a subject will come to an end in Year 9, and prioritise the knowledge that creates well-rounded, well-educated individuals. 

Our teachers use their expertise and that of their teams and support of the Education Team at Inspiration Trust to deliver an evidence informed approach to planning and teaching. We believe pupils are more likely to remember all they have learned if the delivery of that knowledge has been carefully sequenced and planned. We work hard to ensure our curriculum is coherent, with learning building over time, which enables pupils to learn new knowledge that is efficient and sustainable. Our teachers use formative assessment as a means to improve pupils' understanding, not just to measure it. Our curriculum plans establish a model of progression in each subject, and teachers think about how to test and for understanding through incisive questioning, retrevial practice and live marking, either within the classroom or online through virtual learning platforms. This means our pupils make good progress through our curriculum and are well prepared for their next level of study. 

High expectations are evident through the rigorous academic focus of our curriculum. At GCSE level, the majority are entered for, and perform well in, EBacc subjects. By ensuring broad coverage of academic subjects, we ensure all pupils are not only prepared for GCSE but for life afterwards, including sixth form study and a great university for those who wish to pursue such a goal.

We deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. Our extended school day allows us to ensure that all pupils have access to a curriculum that equips them to keep safe,and to know about the options options available to them to enjoy healthy lifestyles, relationships, experience of the world of work and play  a full part in society by learning what it means to be a British citizen.  In key stage 4, additional time is given to master the basics and progress well in a range of EBacc subjects.

All pupils study the following lessons in Years 7 - 9: Maths, English, science, French, PE, religious education, history, geography, art and music. The curriculum has been remodelled to secure a broad and balanced education safely within current guidance from Public Health England (PHE) and the Department for Education (DfE) with respect to measures strengthening our response to COVID-19. The school day has been extended to support teaching year groups in discrete locations that continue to follow our curriculum planning, as well as provide time to catch up in areas such as English, Mathematics and GCSE options as well as developing pupils’ understanding of how to keep physically healthy, eat healthily and maintain an active lifestyle, including giving ample opportunities for pupils to be active during the school day and through extra-curricular activities. An example of this is the use of prep time where pupils have additional daily time with their tutors to follow a programme of learning to keep themselves safe online and in the community, relationships and sex education, as well as access to sports, music, reading, homework and careers education. 

In Key Stage 4, all pupils continue to study a broad and balanced academic curriculum to GCSE, and are able to opt in to additional subjects. 

All pupils study maths, English literature and English language, biology, chemistry, physics, PE, history or geography or French, and three other options.

An overview of our remodelled curriculum for the teaching of a broad and balanced curriculum for all subjects across all year groups which meet current guidance provided by PHE and the DfE to strengthen our response to COVID-19 can be found below:

Year 7 - 9

English

 

5 hours

Maths

 

5 hours

Science

 

5 hours

RE                           100 minutes

History                     100 minutes

Geography              100 minutes

PE                           100 minutes

French or Literacy   100 minutes

Prep     4 hours

Art and Music          100 minutes

 

Year 10 - 11

English

 

5 hours

Maths 

 

5 hours

Science

 

5 hours (Y10)

 

230 mins (Y11)

EBacc- French or Geography or History

 

200 mins (Y10)

260 mins (Y11)

Ebacc and Open GCSE option

 

200 mins (Y10)

260 mins (Y11)

Ebacc and 2nd Open GCSE option

 

260 mins (Y10)

200 mins (Y11)

Ebacc and 3rd Open GCSE option

 

260 mins (Y10)

5 hours (Y11)

Careers, Relationships and sex education 150 mins


Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and 11) Option Subjects:

Triple Science

Geography

History

RE

French

Art and Design

Photography

Music

Performing Arts

Sport

Child Development

 

If you would like more information about our curriculum, please contact us:

Contact Us