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A High Performing Specialist Academy for Technology & Applied Learning

Curriculum

It is our intention to provide an engaging, broad and ambitious curriculum for students of all abilities and backgrounds.  Our highly sequenced curriculum uses applied learning strategies to embed a deep knowledge of the key concepts of each subject and to develop students’ understanding of learning.   We are committed to developing responsible, aspirational, independent, happy and well-rounded young people who are equipped for future education, employment and participation in their communities. 

Our curriculum is innovative and has breadth and challenge for all students, across all three key stages.  We have a two-year KS3 which affords our students a wide choice of ambitious qualifications at KS4 including the study of a GCSE in one year during Year 9.  All students complete a GCSE Short Course in RS in Year 10.  This wide choice at KS4 engages students in their learning and fully prepares them for the next phase in their education or career.

The English Baccalaureate is promoted and available for all students.  This follows the belief that all students should be able to access an academic curriculum and that studying the EBacc helps to remove barriers to success.  It is also the case that languages and humanities can be considered as facilitating subjects; studying these subjects supports skills that will benefit students in other subject areas. The Department for Education suggests that students taking these courses at GCSE are more likely to gain places in top universities and be able to demonstrate a range of skills that support employability in an increasingly international market.

Collingwood College wants to make sure that students are in the best possible position regarding job opportunities, access to colleges, apprenticeships and university.  We also want to support students whose ambitions and success are served by taking other qualifications and those who know their career path follows a more creative or practical route.  We are committed to promoting the study of the STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Mathematics and ICT as reflected by our specialist school status in Technology.  We have a very wide range of high-quality STEM subjects available. 

Following consultations with students, parents and governors, we do not insist that students take a Modern Foreign Language at GCSE, however we have adapted the KS3 Languages Curriculum to increase uptake at KS4 – we have moved to one language in KS3 (French or Spanish) instead of two to ensure that a mastery model enables students to feel more confident in their study Languages.   

Curriculum Leaders reviewed the architecture of their Curriculum.  We created Curriculum Maps to ensure that each subject had an intent and identified the exciting big ideas for each of their subject areas for each Key Stage which are covered in depth.  HODs then mapped their schemes of learning to ensure that the curriculum was sequenced in such a way as to promote learning and enable students to progress to the next stage.  Department Curriculum Maps also demonstrate how a focus on vocabulary, Careers and Diversity are embedded within our Schemes of Learning.  The curriculum is adapted to cater for students of all abilities.  Above all, our Curriculum promotes challenge and enjoyment for all.

Key Stage 3

Students will cover the National Curriculum programme of study in the following subjects:

  • Art
  • Design and Technology
  • Citizenship
  • Performing Arts (Music, Drama and Dance)
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Information Communication Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Modern Foreign Language (French or Spanish)
  • PSHE
  • Physical Education
  • Philosophy, Religion and Culture (PRC)
  • Science.

Students receive their full entitlement of the National Curriculum and follow a mastery model where oracy, sophisticated vocabulary and metacognition are promoted across the curriculum in order to support and prepare students for their Key Stage 4 course.  KS3 students are taught in quarterbands and in mixed ability for all subjects other than in Maths where they are set.  When students embark on their learning journey at Collingwood they will sit some baseline tests and the results of these, alongside their Key Stage 2 scores, set students on a Flight path which is intended to be indicative of the grade they may achieve at GCSE.

Year 9

Year 9 is a transition year when students are introduced to the demands of GCSE with the aim of completing subjects over one, two or three years.  Our innovative curriculum design maximises student engagement whereby our students experience early success in a rigorous and high-quality qualification.

Students are given the opportunity to continue their study of National Curriculum subjects, and they can choose one of the subjects listed below to study intensively over one year with an external examination at the end:

  • Art
  • Business
  • Computer Science
  • Citizenship Studies
  • LAMDA
  • Music Arts Award
  • Project
  • Spanish or French
  • Sport Studies.

Students select two other option choices for subjects which they will complete over two or three years.  Subjects on offer are:

  • Art, Craft and Design
  • Business
  • Children’s Play, Learning and Development
  • Citizenship Studies
  • Computer Science
  • Creative iMedia
  • Drama
  • Film Studies
  • French
  • Geography
  • History
  • IT
  • Media
  • Music
  • Performing Arts
  • Photography
  • Physical Education
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Sport Science
  • Technology: Food Prep, Design and Technology, Electronics, Engineering, Textiles

Core subjects are:

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science
  • PE
  • ICT
  • Philosophy, Religion and Culture (PRC)
  • PSHE.

Year 9 students will select a further two option subjects to complete in Years 10 and 11.

Years 10 and 11

All students will complete their RS qualification at the end of Year 10.  Students have the option to top this up to a full GCSE, usually as a twilight offer.

All students complete GCSE English and GCSE English Literature and Mathematics at the end of Year 11.  In Science, the majority of students follow a GCSE Combined Science pathway which will lead to two GCSEs.  A triple science route is available for the most able.

Option subjects are generally mixed ability and completed at the end of Year 11.  There are a wide range of traditional GCSE subjects as well as Applied GCSEs, OCR Nationals and BTECs.

Please click on the appropriate year group to view our Curriculum Booklets for information on setting:

Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Years 10 and 11

Sixth Form

We have a broad range of academic and vocational subjects on offer in the Sixth Form.  Most students generally study the equivalent of 3 A Level subjects, although the most able students may take 4 subjects. 

Please visit the Sixth Form area on our website for more details.

Please see individual department pages to view relevant information and Curriculum Maps.

 

Curriculum Information