KS3 Curriculum Offer:

Our students are exposed to a challenging curriculum. We have a strong focus on the core subjects English, maths and science. Throughout key stage 3, students study three humanities subjects (history, geography and religious education) and a language. In addition to this, students have the experience of technical and visual arts subjects, including music, drama and art. They receive PSHCE through the ‘Character and Assemblies Programme’ daily which aims to build the skills and knowledge required to progress both throughout the school and into the wider world, raising aspirations and promoting kindness and thankfulness.

The full subject offer is outlined below.

Subject

No of periods per week

Y7

Y8

Y9

English

6

6

6

Maths

5

5

5

Science

5

5

5

History

2

2

2

Geography

2

2

2

RE

2

2

2

French or Spanish*

3

3

3

PE

2

2

2

Music

1

1

1

Drama

1

1

1

Art

1

1

1

PSCHE**

1

1

1

The total number of periods per week is 30.

* Students’ reading ages are assessed on entry to the academy. To ensure that all our students can read at an age appropriate level, some students will follow a literacy intervention programme instead of Languages. Students following this programme are assessed regularly so that they can re-join Languages as soon as it is appropriate.

Students also access the enrichment programme which includes IT and coding club and Spanish club.

** Our PSCHE programme is delivered through tutor time and through one discrete lesson a week which is delivered in tutor groups. At Ark Charter we use a rolling programme to ensure that curriculum breadth is maintained whilst we equip our students with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

We discuss individual curriculum pathways with pupils and their parents in year 9 to prepare them for the transition to Key Stage 4.

Curriculum Overviews:

These will be added shortly.

KS4 Curriculum Offer:

Our key priority at key stage 4 is that students have the essential skills of literacy, numeracy and are prepared for further study, employment and life after school. Our Key Stage 4 curriculum centres on essential academic subjects, providing our students with an excellent foundation for further study and the option to continue their studies at a top university. The academy offers a broad range of GCSE courses supported by a selection of pre-vocational courses in Health and Fitness, Business and Hospitality and Catering.

All students study a compulsory core GCSE curriculum of English (2 GCSEs), Maths (1 GCSE), and Science (Double Award) and either Geography or History over 2 years. In addition, all students follow a programme of non-examined PSCHE, RE and Sport and Fitness. Our more able students will be given the opportunity to study Triple Science pathway.

As a Church of England school we are committed to ensuring all our students study GCSE RE as part of the core curriculum. We have recently reviewed our curriculum and are moving towards reintroducing GCSE RE as part of our core offer over the next 2 years.

All students study an additional two optional GCSE courses over 2 years. We encourage students to follow the English Baccalaureate (that is, GCSEs in English, mathematics, a humanities subject, a language and a science subject) as this will help them secure access to the best universities and future employment. Whilst the majority of students study a humanities subject, only a small number choose to study a language. We are addressing this by introducing French into our KS3 curriculum so that students have a choice and ensuring that students follow a curriculum which engages them as well as ensuring they understand the value in learning an additional language. However, we firmly believe that every child has talents in various subjects and should be encouraged to make their own choices at GCSE in subjects that they are interested in and will excel in. We also offer targeted students extra support in English and maths to ensure they reach a high standard of literacy and numeracy.

In addition to this, we provide opportunities to support students throughout their final GCSE year with targeted sessions and guidance outside of the timetabled curriculum. We provide high quality revision materials and work packs to support courses and raise aspirations. 

 

Subject

Qualification

Type

No of periods per week

Y10

Y11

English

GCSE

Core

5

5

Maths

GCSE

Core

5

5

Science

GCSE

Core

6

6

History or Geography

GCSE

Core

4

4

RE

N/A

Core

2

2

PE

N/A

Core

1

1

PSCHE

N/A

Core

1**

1**

Computer Science

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Spanish

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Music

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Drama

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Fine Art

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Media

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Music

GCSE

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Business

BTEC

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Hospitality and Catering

BTEC

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Sport

BTEC

Foundation

 3 or 4*

3 or 4*

Literacy

N/A

 

 

2

Numeracy

N/A

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

* One option block will receive 4 periods a week in year 10 followed by 3 in year 11, the other will receive 3 periods a week in year 10 followed by 4 in year 11. This is to ensure students have sufficient time in Science to learn the content required for the two GCSEs they are studying.

** Our PSCHE programme is delivered through tutor time and through one discrete lesson a week which is delivered in tutor groups. At Ark Charter we use a rolling programme to ensure that curriculum breadth is maintained whilst we equip our students with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

Curriculum Overviews

These will be added shortly.

Exam boards

Details for the awarding bodies for each of the qualifications we offer can be found here Key Stage Four Awarding Bodies

Email Assistant Principal Grace Duffy (g.duffy@charteracademy.org.uk) to find out more about our curriculum.