Curriculum Intent
We are a pilgrim school and we journey with Mary to become the person God intends us to be.
The curriculum is central to our mission as a school to develop virtuous young people who are able to grow and flourish, and fulfil their God-given potential. The teachings of Christ underpin everything we do. Our curriculum encompasses opportunities within and beyond the classroom, and promotes achievement for all. Core subjects are central to Years 7 to 11, and our pathways programmes in Year 9 and at Post-16 allow as much individual choice as possible.
We believe that each individual pupil has a right to access a varied and exciting curriculum, one that inspires, nurtures and celebrates each pupil’s unique talents. Our curriculum aims to challenge and encourage every pupil to strive to achieve their full potential.
Our Core Purpose
St Mary’s aims to:
- develop virtuous character so we become the person God intends us to be
- be inspired by our patron, and form group saints
- teach the beliefs, doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church
- instil respect for moral values and tolerance of other religions, races and cultures
- give the satisfaction of achievement to all pupils and develop a sense of vocation
- encourage good habits of work, appearance and healthy living
- promote an understanding of our place in society and the importance of our contribution to the common good
Our curriculum further aims to:
- promote oracy, numeracy and literacy
- develop an effective and imaginative use of language
- provide mathematical, scientific and technical knowledge and skills
- teach about human achievement and encourage aesthetic and environmental awareness
- teach how present-day society evolved, including British values, and understand what it means to be a global citizen
- immerse pupils in a rich , ambitious yet secure environment where they can be challenged to grow and succeed.
- provide opportunities in the creative arts
- develop independent learning and study skills
Our curriculum builds on the skills and knowledge taught by our partner primary schools and reflects our local context. Our pupils’ attainment on entry is above national average. We therefore have an aspirational and inclusive curriculum to meet our pupils' needs, to prepare them for life in the wider world. We have high ambition for all our pupils including those with special educational needs, and those who are disadvantaged. We have a detailed strategy to address the needs and narrow the gap for those pupils who are socially disadvantaged.
The Curriculum Journey
Each year through school has a specific focus or theme. The focus is reflected in the key events and opportunities that are planned during each key stage. You can see how the theme is reflected in the curriculum by looking at our curriculum maps.
| Year group | Theme | |
| Year 7 | Belonging | Students are welcomed into the St Mary’s school community |
| Year 8 | Responsibility | Students begin to consider their role in the wider world |
| Year 9 | Choices | Students make decisions about which path they wish to follow when they take their GCSE options, in preparation for the following year. |
| Year 10 | Challenges | Students are working towards an aspirational long-term goal and so focus on challenges |
| Year 11 | Discernment | This a time for students to realise the potential that has been nurtured in the previous years, and also to think and reflect carefully on next steps in the future, and on becoming the person God intends them to be. |
Many of our Year 11 cohort regularly continue their St Mary’s journey in our sixth form. Here the focus is Formation in Year 12, and Human Flourishing in Year 13. Our hope is that, when they leave our family community, their virtuous character and their God-given gifts shine and that they contribute to the common good of society and the beauty of the world.
These themes are echoed in our extensive extra-curricular programme of clubs, activities, school teams, trips, and visits. These cover a wide range of activities that take place at lunchtime and after school, from music, dance, and drama groups to sports teams. There are clubs dedicated to interests ranging from chess to science, as well as opportunities to be involved in the catholic life of the school and the life of the local community through voluntary work and fundraising. All these activities and opportunities complement what happens in the classroom and encourage our pupils to grow in self-knowledge and confidence.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9 ) Curriculum Structure and Detail
Our curriculum in Years 7, 8 and 9 strives to inspire and motivate pupils, aiming to instill in all pupils a genuine love of learning and a curiosity to expand their knowledge and skills. Our curriculum offer is designed to exceed the prescribed requirements of the National Curriculum in both range and depth, thereby laying firm foundations from which learning at key stage 4 can thrive and flourish.
There are seven forms in each year, four on the north side and three on the south side. In Years 7, 8 and 9, most subjects are taught in mixed ability form/teaching groups.
Maths is taught in two half-year group cohorts to allow balanced setting, there are four teaching groups for each half of the year group. This approach is also introduced in year 9 for Science lessons and allows pupils to make rapid progress from their individual starting points.
All pupils in Year 7 learn French. In Year 8 the majority of pupils continue with French, in addition to this, German is taught as a second modern foreign language to about two thirds of the year group. A small number of pupils are offered literacy support as an alternative to a language.
Personal, social, health and citizenship education is delivered as a discrete subject and forms part of all pupils’ timetabled lessons from Year 7 through to Year 13. These PDT (personal development time) lessons also include elements of careers education, the Prevent strategy and RSHE (Relationship, Sex and Heath Education). Each year group follows a scheme of work that is relevant to and appropriate for them whilst also having the flexibility and capacity to accommodate emerging or topical local, national or global themes.
All pupils are given an ambitious target grade based on their prior attainment and baseline testing. Progress towards this target is tracked, and interventions identified. Interventions to support learning include:
• Targeted one-to-one and small group literacy and numeracy support with teaching assistants
• Nurture support and guidance from the Hub
• Personalised timetables
• Inclusion support through form groups
• Intervention/counselling from inclusion team
• Off-site alternative provision
Year 7: Number of hourly lessons per two week cycle
- English - 7 hours
- RE - 5 hours
- Maths - 6 hours
- Geography - 3hours
- History - 3hours
- Science - 6 hours
- Technology (Product Design, Textiles and Food) - 3 hours
- Music, Art, Drama - 2 hours
- PE - 3 hours
- French - 5 hours
- Computer Science - 2 hours
- Personal Development Time (PDT) - 1 hour
Year 8: Number of hourly lessons per two week cycle
- English - 6 hours
- RE - 5 hours
- Maths - 7 hours
- Geography - 3hours
- History - 3 hours
- Science - 6 hours
- Technology (Product Design, Textiles and Food) - 3 hours
- Music, Art, Drama - 2 hours
- PE - 3 hours
- French/French & German - 5 hours
- Computer Science - 2 hours
- Personal Development Time (PDT) - 1 hour
Year 8: Number of hourly lessons per two week cycle
- English - 6 hours
- RE - 5 hours
- Maths - 6 hours
- History - 3 hours
- Geography - 3 hours
- Science - 9 hours
- Design Technology (Product Design, Textiles and Food) - 3 hours
- Art - 2 hours
- Music - 2hours
- Drama 1 hour
- PE - 3 hours
- French or German - 4 hours
- Computer Science - 2 hours
- Personal Development Time (PDT) - 1 hour
The Bishop Wheeler Baccalaureate
The Bishop Wheeler Baccalaureate is central to our Key Stage 3 (KS3) curriculum and has character education at its heart. The Bishop Wheeler Baccalaureate is an inclusive award that aims to enhance student knowledge, skills and attributes to enable them to contribute to the common good of all. It is aspirational in that the award acknowledges that each young
person is capable of significant achievements and successes in multiple areas. The award offers a range of opportunities that encompass traditional subject disciplines in addition to an entitlement to personal development opportunities that are physical, creative and cultural and include elements of community service. In addition, the Bishop Wheeler Baccalaureate recognises the steps on our journey towards developing a virtuous character, and a deepening understanding of our Catholic faith and its call to serve.
The Bishop Wheeler Baccalaureate is rewarded for engaging in activities and opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. The Baccalaureate provides an appropriate level of challenge for each learner in the classroom and beyond. The award encompasses three areas of school life; core learning, the personal development of each learner, and their contribution to the community. The tasks that students complete embody the virtues of Faith, Hope, Love, Justice, Solidarity, Temperance, Courage and Practical Wisdom among others. Principles encapsulated by Pope Benedict XVI, when he wrote the following statement about education,
‘It is about forming the human person, equipping him or her to live life to the full – in
short it is about imparting wisdom. And true wisdom is inseparable from knowledge of the Creator…’ (Benedict XVI, 2010a)
Further information on this can be found here.
Key Stage 4 (Years 10 - 11) Curriculum Structure and Detail
Our pupils follow a two-year programme of study prior to taking GCSE and technical qualifications at the end of Year 11. One key feature of our curriculum model at Key Stage 4 relates to the increased proportion of curriculum hours allocated to English and maths. This reflects the importance of literacy and numeracy for all pupils as well as the challenge of the current linear GCSEs and the good pass measure of grade 5.
Our two-year key stage 4 is specifically designed to maximise pupil choice whilst retaining a strong academic profile. The vast majority of pupils complement their compulsory core subjects of English, mathematics, Science, RE, core PE and PDT (Personal Development Time), with three additional option choices.
The options available to pupils include: art, computer science, design and technology (including a textiles option), drama, food preparation and nutrition, geography, health and social care, history, media studies, performing arts, PE, sport science, PDT, and two modern languages (French and German).
All of our pupils follow one of three curriculum pathways at Key Stage 4. Each pathway features the compulsory core of English, mathematics, religious education, science and a non-examination PE programme of lessons.
Most pupils follow the EBacc pathway, which features a modern foreign language and a humanities subject alongside one other option subject from the list detailed below.
Approximately 20% of pupils follow the Open pathway This route combines the opportunity for individual pupils to pursue subjects that make up the EBacc with some additional flexibility. It is designed for those we feel will benefit from an increased range of choice whilst also being able to undertake a full suite of GCSE subjects.
Our Bespoke pathway focuses on providing a personalised curriculum for a very small minority of learners who have particular and individual learning needs. With a focus on promoting a mastery of literacy and numeracy and preparing pupils for the next stage in their lives the core curriculum is complimented by an individual combination of optional subjects, including an OCR qualification in Life and Living Skills. Those pupils on this pathway also receive personalised support in through our Hub provision.
In addition to our school-based curriculum, we also work with external partners to provide alternative education packages to meet specific need. This could take the form of college courses beginning in Year 10, tailored provision, or one-to-one support. The aim is to ensure success in the core literacy and numeracy skills thereby securing progression to a suitable qualification or training provider for each individual.
Support is tailored to need. In addition to high-quality, inclusive teaching, further interventions from Year 10 through to Year 11 include:
• Subject-based drop-in sessions
• Individual support from the Hub
• Inclusion team and learning mentor support
• Assertive mentoring
• Opportunities to offer an adjusted curriculum to meet individual medical/SEMH needs
• Personalised timetables
• Offsite alternative provision
Years 10: Number of hourly lessons per two week cycle
- RE - 5 hours
- English - 9 hours
- Maths - 9 hours
- Science - 9 hours
- PE - 2 hours
- PDT - 1 hour
- Option Subject - 5 hours (3 chosen = 15hours)
- Personal Development time (PDT) - 1 hour
Years 11: Number of hourly lessons per two week cycle
- RE - 5 hours
- English - 9 hours
- Maths - 8 hours
- Science - 9 hours
- PE - 2 hours
- Personal Development time (PDT) - 1 hour
- Option Subject - 4 hours (4 chosen = 16 hours)
Sixth Form Curriculum Structure and Detail
Our Post-16 curriculum in the Sixth Form is based on level 3 courses, mainly A-level with a number of Applied General courses. Based on an entry requirement of 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, our Pathways to Success options programme include a number of routes for students to achieve, whatever their GCSE profile.
The focus is to prepare our students for their next step, in education, employment, apprenticeships or training at age 18.
Each student is enrolled on a 16-19 study programme which is made up of the following elements:
- the core aim: most students choose three options (although for some pathways more or fewer subjects might be recommended) with 9 hours teaching per fortnight for each subject
- English and Maths tuition if a student has not achieved a grade 4 at GCSE
- the opportunity to undertake a work experience placement
- non-qualification activity to develop students’ character; this includes lessons and themed days in religious education, time with tutors to focus on study skills and post 18 pathway, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities
- Personal Development Time (PDT)
- a Health and Wellbeing Programme
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), worth half an A-level, is also available as an option.
We set challenging targets based on prior attainment at GCSE, and provide a range of different interventions and support for students who are not on track, including mentoring, subject tutorials and supervised study.
Further information on available courses and Sixth Form can be found in the Sixth Form section of the website here.
Destinations
Our curriculum meets our students’ needs. Students progress into our Sixth Form, move into FE and Apprenticeships. We are proud of our extremely low numbers of NEETs.
At the end of Year 13, most students go to university. This year (2023) has also seen 30 students moving into employment and higher apprenticeships at the end of Year 13.
Further information on our destinations can be found in the Exam Results and Destinations pages here.
Further Information
Contact Information
If you would like to obtain additional information relating to the curriculum, please contact Mr 11 M Flanagan, Deputy Headteacher via admin@stmarysmenston.org
Curriculum Statement Document - this is available in the Statutory policies and information section of the site here.
Links