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Curriculum Rationale

KS3 (Years 7, 8 and 9)

In years 7 and 8 students at City Academy follow the Cabot Learning Federation shared curriculum which intends to allow students to fulfil the academy’s vision of preparing students to go to university, choose their career and improve the world. The KS3 curriculum has been written by “curriculum curators”; experts in the subject areas across the trust and is based on the following principles.

  • The curriculum enables children to acquire knowledge and skills, which are secured through application (over time and in different contexts) to develop understanding (change in long term memory) and allows children to seek meaning and achieve personal growth.
  • Built-up from KS2 to secure a foundation for young people for life (… and KS4). Based on Age Related Expectations and using DOYA. (Not built down from KS4).
  • Focused on the progression of content and concepts through the KS3 curriculum that accelerates progress within a progressive and purposeful 3-19 CLF Curriculum.
  • The curriculum is our opportunity to inspire children to be successful individuals, historians, mathematicians, geographers, musicians, authors, artist, sportspeople, scientists, writers, innovators, dreamers, magicians, mothers, fathers, positive citizens.
  • On a platform of standardisation the curriculum releases teachers to drive up learning and progress. Standardised Age Related Expectations, curriculum and assessment frees and empowers experts to collaborate, follow the learning and teach.
  • The curriculum will be curated by subject experts and teams from across the Trust who are empowered to evolve the curriculum that will allow all children to thrive.
  • The content of the curriculum is progressive and is based on consolidating and revisiting content over time to secure progress over time.
  • The curriculum seeks depth of study rather than breadth to build understanding and to seek meaning; stretching and challenging children to think.

The Age Related Expectations and exemplars are widely published to support child, parent, teacher, leader and other staff understanding of the expected standards and the content of the curriculum, enabling wider ownership of the curriculum

This improved curriculum covers the KS3 curriculum in depth and therefore allows the students to choose their options in y8 ready for y9 where option subjects account for less than 40% of teaching time.

KS4 (years 10 and 11)

Currently, at GSCE all students study English Literature and Language, Mathematics, Double or Triple Science, R.E, core PE and have PHSE delivered through “drop down” days. Students then choose from History or Geography; Spanish, Computer Science or a community Language; and then one from a range of subjects including Art, Drama, PE, Music, Business, Computer Science, Health and Social Care, Photography and Catering.

Wider Curriculum Enrichment

The taught curriculum in enriched through a wide range of opportunities such as language trips, sport clubs, drama club and productions, peripatetic music lessons, choir and band. To ensure equity of opportunity a wide range of enrichment happens during the school day including theatre visits, workshops with a large range of employers including Rolls-Royce and Ovo, First Story and Future Quest.