Academic Curriculum

Overview

The curriculum at Cardinal Hume Catholic School is aligned closely to our principles and values as a Catholic school.  As such, we place pupils at the centre of our curriculum design, ensuring they have access to all aspects of learning at each key stage ensuring equality of opportunity for all our pupils.  We have ambition for all our pupils and our curriculum structure, design and content reflects this.   

The aims of the school are:  

• To develop in students a knowledge of the Catholic faith and a respect for the spiritual and moral values intrinsic to it. 
• To enable all students to develop as fully as possible in all aspects of their school life. 

• To help students develop lively, inquiring minds and the ability to question and argue rationally and the flexibility to cope with the demands of a complex fast changing modern society. 
• To prepare students for adult life and fit them for productive roles at work, in the community, at home and at leisure by providing them with the necessary knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes. 
• To help students communicate by using language and number effectively. 
• To help students understand the physical world in which they live. 
• To help students appreciate the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations and provide them with basic social, economic and political awareness. 

• To help students develop their aesthetic appreciation by introducing them to a wide variety of experiences. 
• To provide society with young adults with the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes it needs. 
• To provide students with the knowledge to keep themselves fit and healthy. 
• To develop high standards of behaviour, good manners, and to show the students the need for these. 
• To help students gain external qualifications commensurate with their ability. 

• To provide students with the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes necessary for further learning. 
• To develop and sustain high academic standards. 

We have an overarching curriculum intent which focuses on the development of learning behaviours.  The development of these behaviours is central to our curriculum planning and the structures we have in place.  These structures are vital in supporting the learning of pupils and allowing them to access a curriculum that: 

• Is broad and balanced. The majority of pupils follow a curriculum that provides access to a 10 GCSE offer. A smaller number will be provided additional support and focused teaching to access a 9 GCSE offer. 
• Provides knowledge and cultural capital needed to succeed in life. 
• Is challenging and ambitious for all. Support and scaffolding systems are fully implemented to develop all pupils’ knowledge, skills and abilities. 

• Places the Ebacc at the heart of the curriculum.  
• Is coherently planned and sequenced to allow pupils the platform to progress on to the next stage of learning. This also builds in knowledge and skills that will be important for future learning and employment opportunities. 

Our more specific curriculum intent within individual subject areas is underpinned in the identification of learning that is required by set end points. Learning is planned and sequenced in response to the identification of this, allowing students to continuously build on their learning and apply it to new areas of study.  

The main aspects of our whole school curriculum organisation are: 

Modular Approach & Curriculum Review Design 

• Our curriculum is structured into 3 modules across the academic year. This provides a structured approach for staff, pupils and parents and allows for learning to be consolidated at key points throughout the year, gradually securing learning in the long-term memory. 
• At the end of each module there is a structured review process for both pupils and staff. 
• At a pupil level, there is a review of their learning, where pupils reflect upon and set targets for the development of their academic behaviours. Pupils also review their progress within each curriculum area and set targets linked to subject specific learning. 
• At a staff level, there is a collaborative review of the taught curriculum and the opportunity to plan any crucial learning, skills or concepts that need to be revisited for individual pupils and / or groups of pupils. Staff utilise assessment information to focus on the key learning required to support further progress. 

Curriculum Planning & Lesson Structure 

We have a common approach to curriculum planning that ensures all subjects have identified the key concepts and learning requirements. This then forms the basis of department OOLs (Outlines of Learning). Within OOLs, curriculum leaders will: 

• Structure long term planning around crucial learning that needs to take place at key points. This is where end points are identified and OOLs demonstrate how they build towards these.  
• Demonstrate their approach to spaced repetition and closing learning gaps. Strategies for this are included within OOLs. 
• Make links to a lesson structure that is a well-established feature of Cardinal Hume. This supports us to effectively engage pupils in the learning curriculum. 

• Focus on the use of class profiles to be embedded in lesson structures. The class profiles provide strategies for high quality learning for all student groups. This provides a key link between curriculum strategy and classroom implementation. 

RSE 

This supports particularly the school aims 

• To develop in students a knowledge of the Catholic faith and a respect for the spiritual and moral values intrinsic to it. 
• To help students appreciate the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations and provide them with basic social, economic and political awareness. 
• To provide society with young adults with the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes it needs. 
• To provide students with the knowledge to keep themselves fit and healthy. 

Students attend one lesson a week on a rolling basis of RSE.   The school follows the CES Model Catholic Secondary RSE curriculum and the lessons are delivered by tutors. 

IAG 

This supports particularly the school aims 

• To prepare students for adult life and fit them for productive roles at work, in the community, at home and at leisure by providing them with the necessary knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes. 
• To help students appreciate the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations and provide them with basic social, economic and political awareness. 
• To help students develop their aesthetic appreciation by introducing them to a wide variety of experiences. 
• To provide society with young adults with the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes it needs. 
• To provide students with the knowledge to keep themselves fit and healthy. 

A structured IAG programme is delivered by tutors in a timetabled session one afternoon each week for 45 minutes.