curriculum

Our Curriculum Intent

At Claremont High School Academy the curriculum is designed to provide every child with the opportunity to establish lifelong learning for lifelong achievement. Claremont has an academic curriculum with vocational pathways which encourages breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding for all. Our inclusive curriculum creates resilient individuals with transferable knowledge and skills and the confidence to question and challenge.

The purpose of our learning curriculum is to create confident individuals who are able to engage with and have the required skills to succeed in the world of further and higher education and eventually the workforce. As adults, they will be financially aware, technologically safe and understand how to remain healthy in body, mind and relationships. Finally, our students will be able to face the world with a cultural and moral awareness of our multi ethnic society and their participation in it.

Our Curriculum vision

Our Curriculum Vision

Further information

Please email the school directly for further information concerning the curriculum

admin@claremont-high.org.uk 

Curriculum Maps

 For half termly curriculum maps by year group click here

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Intent by Year Group from September 2019

In Years 7 and 8, pupils study a broad and balanced core curriculum. which includes a wide range of subjects from eight curriculum areas: Mathematics and Numeracy, English Language, Literature and Literacy, Languages, Sciences, Religious and Moral Education, Humanities, Arts and Technology.

The number in brackets indicates the number of hours allocated per two week timetable cycle. 

 Year 7

English (7), Maths (7), Science (7), History (3), Geography (3), Religious Education (2), Computing (2), Design Technology/ Food/ CAD CAM rotation (2), Art and Design (2), Music (2), Drama (2), Physical Education (4), French/Spanish or German/Spanish (6), Personal, Social & Health Education (1) 

Selected pupils are withdrawn from a small number of lessons for additional support.

Year 8

English (8), Maths (7), Science (7), History (3), Geography (3), Philosophy and Religious Education (2), Design Technology/ Food/ CAD CAM rotation (2), Art and Design (2), Music (2), Drama (2), Computing (2), Physical Education (4), French,  Spanish or German (5), Personal, Social & Health Education (1) 

Selected pupils are withdrawn from a small number of lessons for additional support.

Year 9

In Year 9 the majority of pupils will study subjects from seven curriculum areas: Mathematics and Numeracy, English Language, Literature and Literacy, Sciences, Languages, Religious and Moral Education, Humanities, Arts, Technology.

The Year 9 early options are designed to allow pupils to concentrate on the 2 creative subjects that are of most interest to them while also building a foundation for study at Key Stage 4 (Years 10 &11). 

Curriculum

English (8), Maths (8), Science (7), History (4), Geography (4), Philosophy and Religious Education (2), Physical Education (4), French, German or Spanish (5), Personal, Social & Health Education (2) 

Early Option – a choice of two of the following subjects:

Drama, Music, Art and Design, Food, Design and Technology, Computing, Information Technology (3) 

Selected pupils are withdrawn from a small number of lessons for additional support. 

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Intent by Year Group 

At Key Stage 4, all pupils study a core curriculum alongside their option choices that are decided on the basis of their progress at Key Stage 3 and their interests.  

More information concerning the Options is available in the guide below:

KS4 Subject Guide

Option Choices

The way in which the option columns are designed allows pupils to take a broad range of subjects from different curriculum areas, accommodates the needs of individuals and provide progression to their next stage of learning.

The number in brackets indicates the number of hours allocated per two week timetable cycle.

Year 10 and 11

Philosophy and Religious Education

Philosophy and Religious Education is compulsory throughout the school.

The approach used in the study of R.E. at Claremont High School Academy is one which emphasises the spiritual and sacred nature of all faith traditions and considers in breadth the major world religions to try to give students a better understanding of religion. All students study core R.E. at Ks4 as a non-examined subject.  Students have the option to take it as a GCSE if they wish.

PSHEE & PSHRE Education

Throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 PSHEE is taught by a dedicated team from a variety of different subject areas to ensure not only consistency in subject knowledge and delivery but also effective monitoring and evaluation of the course and the subject content. Our overall aim is to ensure pupils are ready to uphold the Claremont visions and values within School and wider society, preparing our students to be successful in life beyond secondary education. PSHEE is a core subject and everybody is required to study all aspects of the PSHEE curriculum, with exceptions to specific content within the Relationships and Sex Education topics, where pupils can be withdrawn from this area of the curriculum only. 

PSHEE education is central to the development of the young people at Claremont. The planned programme is designed to help them deal with the difficult moral, social and health-related issues that arise in their lives and in society. It also helps them to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to live confident, healthy, independent lives as individuals, parents, workers and members of society. At Key Stage 4, our programme now incorporates Core RE.  This content works with the same themes and concepts however includes more developed understanding of different viewpoints and ethical discussions. In addition to this, the PSHE programme promotes fundamental British Values, which are taught implicitly in lessons and throughout all key stages.  

At Key Stage 5 we run a range of compulsory sessions that meet the needs of our older students and help them prepare for the wider world. The content is tailored to our students and is delivered by the same team of specialist staff. Our Key Stage 5 students also have the opportunity to support in the delivery of some content to lower school. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop communication skills and build healthy and supportive relationships across our school community.  

The key concepts which underpin all the topics covered are:   

• Identity   
• Resilience   
• Managing Change   
• Power (within social contexts such as peer-pressure)   
• Rights, Responsibility and Consent   
• Diversity and Equality   
• Risk management   
• Health (mental, physical and emotional) and Balanced lifestyles   
• Relationships (including; friendships, romantic, familial)  and Sex Education 
• Careers (including academic choices, enterprise and economic understanding)  
• Financial literacy    

Our PSHEE education programme is a spiral curriculum that is built from our school and wider community values and needs. The nature of it means that our co-curriculum opportunities are intrinsically linked to its themes and provision. In this way it also gives us the unique position of being fundamental to the whole school ethos and acting as a co-curricular opportunity for all other areas.    

The PSHEE team are involved in writing and delivering a number of tutorials and assemblies across the school. Every year we deliver assemblies on Holocaust Memorial Day and Gender Equality. These themes of equality and mutual respect are interwoven through our curriculum. Our presence in the wider school helps reinforce these values and places them in a position of import on the whole school setting.    

Every year, the PSHEE team run a 1-day training on CPR and lifesaving skills for the whole of year 9. All students learn how to deliver CPR, put someone in the recovery position and when to do what. This doesn't just complement our curriculum but feeds our extended community. Heart attacks are often witnessed by children and this day provides a training to ensure they won't feel helpless even if there is little they can do.   

In addition to these activities, we also work with the pastoral team to provide intervention for selected students when possible. This may be through small groups or 1-1 additional sessions. During this time experienced members of the PSHEE team will work on the themes within our curriculum but will be able to go into far more depth and pull apart the more complex elements of the most relevant themes.    

We run a Mental Wellbeing and Mindfulness programme. This is primarily run through tutorial however the content reaches into every aspect of Claremont life. Through these sessions all staff and students will be introduced to easy practices to manage their feelings and build their emotional literacy. Alongside our core curriculum this helps our whole community develop their resilience, stress management and communication skills. Now more than ever, this is an area vital to the positive development of young people to ensure their success both personally and academically.  

Key Stage 5 Curriculum Intent by Year Group

Students in the sixth form can choose an A Level pathway, Level 3 vocational pathway (BTEC or Cambridge National) or a combined A Level and vocational pathway, depending on their results at GCSE and choice of subjects.  We provide guidance to all students about the best pathway for them from Year 10 onwards to ensure they make an informed choice and are on the right courses.  The majority of our students study 3 A Levels or A Level equivalents, although occasionally students will choose to study 4 A Levels.

Students who have not achieved a grade 4 at GCSE in English or Maths are required to continue these subjects in Year 12. The retake English and Maths classes are scheduled in a different column to the BTEC subjects to avoid clashes.

From January in Year 12, students can take part in our Extended Project Qualification programme.  They are taught research and study skills before going on to complete the EPQ by working independently, supported by an academic mentor.  This in-depth study provides a context for developing critical thinking and project management skills, these skills are widely transferable and help students become more confident in other areas of study.  Universities recognise the EPQ as a qualification in addition to student's A Level/Vocational courses.  

Pupils follow an enrichment program which includes PSHEE and one PE session a fortnight.

All Level 3 (A Level and Vocational) courses are allocated 9 hours of teaching per subject in the two week timetable. All sixth form students follow an enrichment / tutorial program of study that is a requirement in the sixth form.

Click here for more information about the Sixth Form Curriculum.