Christs School

Curriculum Policy
Christs School curriculum is designed to cover a wide range of subjects and to encourage
independent learning. The curriculum is broad and balanced to enable every student to develop
his/her academic strengths and personal talents.
Students are encouraged to choose subjects giving a broad depth of curriculum.
We aim to provide a curriculum which:
fulfils all National Curriculum requirements
uses a variety of learning and teaching strategies which develop independent learning
has an imaginative approach within a stimulating learning environment
is designed to meet the needs of each individual student
promotes cross curricular skills and knowledge
The Timetable:
The School operates a weekly timetable with 6 x 50 minute periods in each day.
Key Stage 3 Years 7, 8 and 9:
Compulsory National Curriculum subjects are:

English
Maths
Science
History
Geography
Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish)
Design and Technology
Art and Design
Music
Physical Education
Citizenship
Computing

In addition to these core subjects, students follow courses in:

Religious Education
Drama

In Key Stage 3 all subjects are taught in mixed ability classes apart from Maths where there a
mixture of setting and mixed ability classes in Year 7, 8 and 9.
Key Stage 4 Years 10 and 11:
The compulsory National Curriculum subjects are the Core and Foundation subjects.
Core subjects are:
English
Maths
Science
Foundation subjects are:
Computing
Physical Education
Citizenship
Schools must also offer at least one subject from each of these areas:
Arts
Design and Technology
Humanities
Modern Foreign Languages
All students study the core subjects: English, Maths and Science as well as Physical Education. All
students will also follow a full GCSE course in Religious Education. Computing and Citizenship are
offered as part of the choice of optional subjects.
Beyond these compulsory subjects students will have a choice of four more subjects that they would
like to study. The process of deciding on which options students will follow will take place in the
spring term of Year 9. For some students we may recommend an alternative pathway which might
include a course in Wider Key Skills and/or college placements as well as study support sessions.
Key Stage 5 The Sixth Form:
A comprehensive range of different AS and A levels are offered, including the Extended Project
Qualification and the opportunity to study and re-sit English and Maths as required (see Sixth Form
course directory for further details).
Able and Ambitious Programme:

High achievers throughout the School are provided with the opportunities for high level
performance through a variety of extension and enrichment activities, which challenge and
stretch them to achieve their potential. These occur within the curriculum as well as extracurricular and additionally scheduled activities. The Able and Ambitious Co-ordinator leads staff
in ensuring the identification and appropriate support for individual students, with a wholeschool focus on providing experiences that enhance and extend learning for all students.
Additional Support:
The Learning Support Department at Christ's School supports students with a wide range of
Learning, Behavioural, Social and Physical needs. We also support students that have English as a

second language. Our main aim as a department is to ensure that all students are fully included in
the life of the school and are well supported so that they can reach their full potential.
The majority of our support work takes place inside the classroom, working with the subject teacher
and student to help the students to access the curriculum and to make the best of their time at
Christ's. We also run a range of withdrawal sessions providing targeted intervention on either a
small group or one to one basis. At Key Stage 3 these sessions include literacy, numeracy, social,
emotional and behavioural support. At Key Stage 4 study skills is a further option with a personalised
curriculum available.
The department comprises a SENCo, Behaviour, Maths and Literacy specialists, Dyslexia specialist,
EAL specialist, 12 Learning Support Assistants and a departmental administrator. An Educational
Psychologist is in school to work with students for half a day per week. In addition we have two days
per week of Speech and Language therapy intervention, one day per week of targeted mentoring,
and involvement from other specialists as and when needed.
The department also houses an enhanced provision for pupils with Dyslexia. There are six places
spread throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 for students who have a statement of special educational need
for specific learning difficulties
The Curriculum Support Department delivers the Wider Key Skills qualification for students who
would benefit from studying a vocational course. This will equip them with many practical and work
related skills that are highly valued by employers. The department also provides bespoke individual
and small group support and intervention for students in a variety of subject areas.
Key Measures:
Secondary schools will no longer be ranked according to the proportion of students getting five or
more A*-C GCSE grades (including English and Maths) alone.
Instead, league tables will also look at the progress students make across eight subjects, with their
attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 benchmarked against what they were predicted to achieve
when they left primary school aged 11.
Progress 8
This will show the average of all students' progress across eight subjects at GCSE. These subjects
include: a double-weighted English element (the highest score of English Language or English
Literature will be double weighted if a student has taken both qualifications); a double-weighted
Maths element and three slots reserved for other EBacc subjects. There will also be three slots
available for further EBacc subjects or what the government has termed a "high value qualification"
the government will produce a list of these subjects every year. English Literature or English
Language will count in this group of subjects.
The Progress 8 measure will be based on students progress measured across eight subjects: English
and Mathematics ( pot 1); three other EBacc subjects (pot 2); and three further subjects (pot 3)
which can be from the range of EBacc subjects, or can be any other approved, high-value arts,
academic, or vocational qualification.
The Progress 8 score will always be determined by dividing the points total by 10 (the eight
qualifications with English and Mathematics counting double), regardless of how many qualifications
the student sits or in which subjects.

Pot 1
Double weighted English and Maths
English Language or English
Literature whichever is higher
Maths
(the highest score of English
Language or English Literature will
be double weighted if a student has
taken both qualifications)

Pot 2
EBACC Subjects
Best 3 grades
Computer Science
Geography
History
French
Spanish
Sciences
Any 3 subjects can count
towards the EBACC

Pot 3
Open pot of approved non-EBACC
qualifications. Best 3
Next best 3 including possibly English
Literature or English Language
RE
Citizenship
Music
Art
Textiles

Attainment 8
This will show the school's average grade across the same suite of eight subjects as Progress 8. So,
for example, it will show that students in a particular school tend to average a high B or low C grade
in their GCSEs.
The percentage of students achieving a C or above in English and Maths
This measure, which is currently used to form league tables, will still be publicly available. It will
show whether students achieve a good level in what the government calls "the most important
subjects".
The EBacc
This will show the percentage of students who achieve good grades in a range of academic subjects
including English, Maths, a Science, Computer Science, a Foreign Language and one or other of
History or Geography.
A fifth indicator showing the percentage of students who continue in education, employment or
training during the year after they finished their Key Stage 4 qualifications, may be introduced at a
later date.
This value-added system will be implemented from the 2015-16 academic year, with the
performance tables based on 2016 exam results reflecting the new system.
Enrichment Provision at Christs:
Christs aims to provide an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities for all students. The
school has a tradition of supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) links with
outside agencies and there are many opportunities for students to visit institutions, as well as
participating in school based events where experts from this field run workshops with students from
different year groups. Many departments run extra-curricular clubs; the aim is to offer a mixture of
academic, musical, creative and sporting opportunities for as many students as possible (see website
for details).