We Believe in the promise of each individual and will ensure we inspire, support and challenge in proportionate measure, so that we all thrive and are able to achieve our own individual best potential.

Introduction


Our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, focused on maximising student potential and progress that allows all students to flourish and be the best they can become.

On starting at Ormskirk School every student is allocated a Personal Tutor and is placed into a tutor group. From September 2022 these tutor groups will contain students from every year group from 7-11. Each tutor group is a member of one our five houses. Each house is led by a House Progress Lead and also has a dedicated Pastoral & Behaviour Manager (a non-teacher dedicated to wellbeing support). The Pastoral & Behaviour Manager, House Progress Leads together with our Head of Learning Support and Assistant Head with responsibility for Progress and Intervention ensure cross subject overview, interrogation and intervention on progress and learning matters for all our students. 


Current Key Stage 3

Year 7 – 8

In Year 7 and 8, children also study Spanish and Humanities subjects (History, Geography and RE), Art, Computing, Design Technology, Drama, Food Technology and Music. In Year 9, students continue with Spanish and the Humanities suite of subjects. They also have the opportunity to explore two subjects in depth, choosing from Art, Computing, Design Technology, Drama, Food Technology or Music or a second language.


Year 9

n Year 9 students are taught in shared mixed attainment groupings for English, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Spanish and PE. In Maths students are taught in different groups and in Science the separate disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taught by specialists. In addition to this, Year 9 students can choose to explore two subjects in more depth with 2 choices from Art, Design Technology, Computing, Drama, Food Preparation and Nutrition, Music and a second language, French, having met their full national curriculum entitlement in Years 7 & 8.


Current Key Stage 4


All students study English Language and Literature, Maths and Science leading to GCSE qualifications and continue to participate in a core PE programme. A significant proportion of students take 3 separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) within their core subject time.  Students choose at least 1 GCSE option from Geography, History and/or a Modern Foreign Language, Spanish or French from the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects and up to 2 further GCSE options from either the EBacc subjects listed above and/or Art & Design, Computing, IT Cambridge National, Health & Social Care, Business Studies, Drama, Food Preparation and Nutrition, Music, Physical Education, Religious Studies and a Cambridge National in Sport Science. 


All Years


All students in Key Stages 3 and 4 study Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Careers Education (PHSCE) on 5 collapsed curriculum days throughout the year. At Key Stage 4 this includes elements of Religious Education. PHSCE is threaded into the tutor and assembly programme throughout the year.
 

Please contact the General Office should you wish to make an appointment to discuss any aspect of the curriculum further.

Homework

Meaningful homework will be set in order to reinforce learning and promote independence. This might be set weekly, fortnightly, depending on how to best enhance learning at that point in the curriculum. We have a flexible approach to homework in as much as we don’t enforce a rigid timetable, so as to avoid the risk of homework just being set for the sake of it. Students will always engage more fully when they see there is a clear purpose. We believe in quality not quantity, so there won’t be a discernible increase at Key Stage Four – instead the work will be more focused towards curriculum understanding and GCSE exam preparation. This is to allow time for more intense revision or preparation periods at various ‘hotspots’ in the GCSE courses.

We will offer variety in the types of homework set, in order to capture different approaches to learning but it will come within the remit of either Reading, Recall or Revision. Reading homeworks are aimed at enhancing comprehension skills, developing a curiosity about the world around us and embedding research skills and critical thinking. Recall homeworks are small chunks of learning that are used to increase the retention of knowledge and skills that can then be further developed within the classroom. Revision homeworks are to prepare the students for assessments and develop strategies for independent learning.

We will undertake a Curriculum Review on an annual basis that will take into account Government legislation and the views of students, parents, Local Academy Councillors, staff and the Trust.

Curriculum Overview

Curriculum Overview 2022 - 2023

Key Stage 3

  • There are 10 teaching groups per year group for the majority of subjects
  • The groups are split into 2 bands - O and S 
  • The bands are equal ability with 5 classes in each band
  • There is 1 class in each band which is a smaller nurture group
  • Within the carousel suite of lessons there are 12 teaching groups to give the practical subjects smaller class sizes

Year 7

  • Pupils are taught in mixed prior attainment groups for all subjects

Year 8

  • Pupils are taught in mixed prior attainment groups for all subjects

Year 9

  • Pupils are taught in sets for Maths
  • Pupils are taught in mixed prior attainment groups for all subjects

Key Stage 4

Years 10 and 11

  • Pupils remain in O and S band for English, Maths and PE
  • Option subjects & Science run across both bands and there are 4 option columns
  • Pupils continue to study PSHE during form tutor time
  • Pupils are taught in sets for English, Maths and Science
  • Option subjects are mixed prior attainment

Key Stage 5

  • In year 12 students choose 3 subjects from 5 option columns
  • Students who have not achieved a grade 4 GCSE in either English Language or Literature and/or Maths will continue with these subjects
  • All students follow an enrichment programme including a potential additional qualification with the 'Extended Project'

Subjects

Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
English 6 10
Maths 6 10
Science 6 10
Technology 4 12
PE 4 12
Spanish 4 10
Geography 3 10
History 3 10
Religious Education 2 10
Computer Science 2 10
Art 2 10
Drama 2 10
Music 2 10
Literacy 2 10
Skills For Life 2 10
Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
English  6 10
Maths 6 10
Science 6 10
Technology 4 12
PE 4 12
Geography 3 10
History 3 10
Spanish Sets  3 10
French or Key Skills 3 12
Religious Education 2 10
Computer Science 2 10
Art 2 10
Drama 2 10
Music 2 10
Skills For Life 2 10

French 8 classes

Key Skills 4 classes

Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
English 6 10
Maths 6 10
Science 6 10
Technology 3 12
PE 4 12
Geography 3 10
History 3 10
Spanish Sets  4 10
French or Key Skills 3 12
Religious Education 2 10
Computer Science 2 10
Art 2 10
Drama 2 10
Music 2 10
Skills For Life 2 10

French 8 classes

Key Skills 4 classes

Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
English 8 9
Maths 7 9
Science 9 11
Religious Studies 2 9
PE 2 12
Skills For Life 2 10
Option A 5 see option sheet
Option B 5
Option C 5
Option D 5
     
Learning for Life    
Key Skills / Re 4 1
English 8 1
Maths 7 1
Science 9 1
Information Technology  4 1
PE 2 1
Art 4 1
College 10 1
Skills for Life  2 1
Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
English 8 10
Maths 7 10
Science 9 11
Religious Studies 2 10
PE 2 12
Skills For Life 2 10
Option A 5 see option sheet
Option B 5
Option C 5
Option D 5
     
Learning for Life    
Key Skills / Re 8 1
English 7 1
Maths 7 1
Science 6 1
Information Technology  4 1
PE 2 1
Art 4 1
College 10 1
Skills for Life 2 1
Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
Option A 10 see option sheet
Option B 10
Option C 10
Option D 10
Tutorial  2 6
Enrichment 2 *
Resit English 4 1
Resit Maths 4 1
AS Maths 4 1

* Enrichment is combined in Y12 & 13 and there are approx. 8 classes across both year groups

Year 12 & 13 - 9 face to face 1 study

6th form - classes with small numbers have a reduced number of face-to-face lessons

Extended Project is dependant on student numbers

Subject Lessons per fortnight Classes
Option A 9 see option sheet
Option B 9
Option C 9
Option D 9
Tutorial  2 6
Enrichment 2 *
Resit English 4 1
Resit Maths 4 1
Extended Project 2 1
Core maths 4 1

* Enrichment is combined in Y12 & 13 and there are approx. 8 classes across both year groups

Year 12 & 13 - 9 face to face 1 study

6th form - classes with small numbers have a reduced number of face-to-face lessons

Extended Project is dependant on student numbers