Forge Valley School Curriculum Statement

The curriculum at Forge Valley School has been developed to provide a broad, balanced and ambitious learning experience for all of our pupils.

By ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality curriculum, delivered by expert teachers in specialised classrooms we aim to develop our pupils into well rounded, morally grounded, ambitious and resilient individuals ready to take their place in a dynamic and diverse 21^st Century.

We want all of our pupils to master learning concepts by engaging in thinking, elaborating and actively exploring ideas. We wish all of our pupils to be able to apply their learning to differing concepts and context and make it increasingly adaptable and extensive.  

We want all our pupils and students to acquire powerful knowledge to take all beyond their own experiences, enabling social mobility with a focus on social justice for all. We will incorporate a range of opinions, voices, and experiences within our curriculum ensuring that cultural capital and essential knowledge is incorporated to allow an equitable education for all.

We seek to ensure pupils are in-depth readers and are confident in being able to develop emotional, personal responses to texts, their personal life experiences, their ideas, their imagination. Reading is not subject specific, and all subjects taught within our curriculum are not discreet, sharing common goals and connections. Furthermore, learning is carefully sequenced to allow pupils opportunity to continue developing, furthering and challenging their on-going knowledge and skills.

The breadth and variety within our curriculum allow pupils and students to think and work creatively. This is further supported by opportunities to engage with activities outside of the classroom including extra-curricular clubs and activities ranging from sports and outdoor pursuits to IT, reading and cookery. These activities support academia and continue to support the growth of cultural capital for our pupils and students allowing us to realise the life chances and dreams of every child.

 

Our school curriculum specifically addresses the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. Please see below our SEND policy and Equality Statement as also referenced within the Policies section of this website.

 

 

 

Key Stage 3: Y7 - Y9 (age 11-14)

Year groups are split into three bands in KS3 (x, y and z)

Maths are set by ability in all three year groups.

DT in KS3 are taught projects that rotate at set points throughout the academic year.

In year 7, Foundation Learning is available for students identified as requiring support with Numeracy and Literacy. These students are withdrawn from mainstream English, Maths, History, Geography and Spanish classes.

All Subjects in KS3 are Compulsory 

Year 7

	English	Maths	Science	PE	DT	Art	History	Geography	Performing Arts	RE	PSHE	Spanish	IT
Hours per week	3	4	3	2	2	1	1.5	1.5	1	1	1	3	1

Year 8

	English	Maths	Science	PE	DT	Art	History	Geography	Performing Arts	RE	PSHE	Spanish	IT
Hours per week	4	3	3	2	2	1	1.5	1.5	1	1	1	3	1

Year 9

	English	Maths	Science	PE	DT	Art	History	Geography	Performing Arts	RE	PSHE	Spanish	IT
Hours per week	4	4	3	2	2	1	1.5	1.5	1	1	1	2	1

 

Key Stage 4: Y10 & Y11 (aged 14-16)

KS4 groups work primarily towards GCSE qualifications. The year groups are split into two bands. KS4 curriculum is a mixture of 6 Core subjects and 3 Option subjects chosen from the lists in the table below.

All KS4 students must take at least one humanity (History / Geography) and a full EBACC programme of study would also include Spanish. We strongly recommend that all pupils study Spanish.

The Option Bands indicated A, B, and C, detailed below are indicative for current Years 10 and 11 and are determined once we have received pupil choices.

Y10

 

	Option A	Option B	Option C
	Art Business Hospitality & Catering Geography History Performing Arts Product Design (DT) Spanish BTEC Sport	Art  Hospitality & Catering Computer Science Geography History Health & Social Care Music Product Design (DT) Spanish BTEC Sport	Business Hospitality & Catering Geography History  Health & Social Care Creative iMedia Spanish BTEC Sport
Hours per week	2	2	3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Y11

 

	Option A	Option B	Option C
	Art Business Hospitality & Catering Geography History Health & Social Care Music Product Design (DT)  Spanish BTEC Sport	Art Hospitality & Catering Computer Science Geography History Health & Social Care Performing Arts Product Design (DT) Spanish BTEC Sport	Business Hospitality & Catering Geography History Health & Social Care Creative iMedia Spanish  BTEC Sport
Hours per week	3	3	2