Curriculum

Curriculum at Shire Oak Academy

Shire Oak Academy’s ethos and 6 core values embedded in ASPIRE together drive our vision for curriculum provision and delivery. We have an outstanding and diverse curriculum which aspires to respond to the local and national agenda both intelligently and creatively in order to ensure all our students receive a high quality learning experience at all times.

Our curriculum is the vehicle to allow our students to become:

Confident and successful individuals who enjoy learning, develop resilience, make ambitious progress and achieve high quality and meaningful qualifications.
Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society including their local community and the wider international world in which they exist.

As an academy, the statutory guidance and requirements of the National Curriculum do not have to be followed. However, the academy feels that the National Curriculum provides a sound basis for a broad and balanced curriculum.

We believe wholeheartedly that in order to access a broad and balanced curriculum, all students need to be confident and proficient in the basics of reading, writing, communication and mathematics and these are given the highest priority at all times.

We believe it is critical that to deliver a high quality 11-18 programme we must appreciate fully the primary curriculum and Key Stage 2 in order to ensure ambitious progression takes place upon transition and that a high level of appropriate pace is established from the start of Year 7.

Finally, we consider it critical that equal opportunities and fundamental British Values are promoted and realised at all levels of curriculum provision. Whilst we provide individual and small group withdrawal support where necessary our curriculum is one which celebrates inclusion and tolerance at all times and we firmly believe that our diversity as a school ultimately enriches and enhances our curriculum for the benefit of all.

Countdown Calendars

Key Stage 3

The KS3 curriculum aims to provide an excellent grounding in the core subjects (Maths, Science, English, Computing, Religious Education, Personal, Health and Social Education, Physical Education and Citizenship) as well as the Arts; the Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages and Design and Technology. It is through this study that they develop a range of skills and competencies and a substantial body of knowledge.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Key Stage 4

In Years 10 and 11 students continue to follow the National Curriculum Subjects in English, Maths, Science, PE and RE. We begin our options process in the Autumn Term in Year 9 where students are guided carefully onto a range of courses in which they show both interest and aptitude. Our comprehensive KS4 provision offer is set out in our Options booklet available on the school website.

Year 10

Year 11

Key Stage 5

In Key Stage 5 our curriculum offer is for two year courses, either GCE Advanced Level or Vocational subject (BTEC or Cambridge Nationals). By working as part of the Mercian Trust, our plan is to offer a full range of subject options, whatever students academic interest and aptitude may be. Across the MAT schools we offer a range of subjects which may not normally be on offer through our MAT block. We are able to offer access to 35+ A Level courses and a range of specialist technical and vocational programmes.

6th Form Prospectus