Key Stage 3 Curriculum

Year 7     

Year 7 students will study a broad curriculum meeting all National Curriculum requirements. Humanities and Design subjects are taught as part of a rotation to allow for greater depth.

The Bridge curriculum seeks to reduce the number of teachers students will work with in order to allow learning relationships to develop. Across all lessons in The Bridge curriculum there is a clear focus on fluent literacy, numeracy and communication skills. We aim to promptly identify and support students who start HAJC6 without a secure grasp of reading, writing and mathematics so that they can access the full curriculum. Additional interventions are timetabled for students who are not yet reaching age related expectations to enable rapid catch up so that they are fully equipped to access lessons. The Bridge curriculum lays the foundation for a 7 year journey. 

Year 7 Curriculum Overview 2020/21 - PDF

Focus - Character and Communication 

Year 7 tutors will be from a wide range of curriculum areas to develop a consistent, form yet nurturing environment. The Edge will be complemented with creative character building initiatives. 

The KS3 Promise will aim to ensure student access activities to broaden their experiences within and beyond academy life. 

Find out more about The Bridge - Click here

Year 8

Students continue with a National Curriculum model which places appropriate emphasis on the development of core skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Languages and ICT. These will be applied to a wide range of other key subjects in order to maximise opportunities for successful GCSE performance in both core and option areas. The curriculum is supplemented with a Personal and Social Education programme that addresses a range of personal, social and health-related issues and careers education in an engaging and often unique fashion. At the end of Year 8 students select between 6-8 GCSE option choices to study in Year 9 alongside the core curriculum. 

Year 8 Curriculum Overview 2020/21 -PDF

Focus - Literacy and Numeracy

Year 8 tutors will facilitate the focus on literacy and numeracy for intervention. 

The KS3 Promise will aim to ensure students access activities to broaden their experiences within and beyond academy life under the broad themes of Explore, Dream, Grow, Exceed.  

Year 9

The new Ofsted framework published for first implementation in September 2019 places great emphasis on the KS3 curriculum being a 3-year course of study. Therefore, from September 2020 we have taken the decision to no longer run the options taster model in year 9, all students currently in year 8 will continue to study all of their subjects in year 9. Most other schools running a two-year KS3 curriculum are also making this change.

The Year 9 curriculum now follows the KS3 national curriculum with a focus on a depth of learning in each subject. 

During the autumn and spring terms of year 9, students will begin the process of determining which 3-4 option subjects they would like to study in years 10 and 11, alongside the core curriculum of English, Maths, Science, Core PE and PSE. Students in year 9, along with their parents/carers, will be invited to a KS4 Options Evening to discuss their option choices for years 10 and 11. 

Focus - STEM and Wider Curriculum Careers

The tutors for Year 9 are well placed to introduce and encourage practical and creative subjects alongside a focus on STEM.

 

For more information on KS3 please contact Ms V Bull - vbull@hajc.leics.sch.uk 

 

HAJC6 Recovery Curriculum- Key Stage 3 

All subjects have delivered a ‘Recovery Curriculum’, identifying gaps in learning due to the lockdown, with subjects adapting their curriculum to ensure no student is left behind. Wellbeing is also a central focus. 

Our HAJC6 Recovery Curriculum takes a three-tiered approach in order to best support students and staff:

Tier 1- Holistic Recovery (a universal offer made to all students and staff)
Tier 2- Focused Recovery (based on individual needs) 
Tier 3- Deep Recovery (longer period of recovery and specialist support)

• Upon their return to school all student in Key Stage 3 and 4 spent the day within their tutor groups. Time was allocated to help students understand the changes to the school space (e.g. staggered starts, routes in and out of school, zoned teaching areas/social spaces) and establish safe boundaries and practices (e.g. physical distancing, hygiene requirements).
• Activities upon first return to the academy were fully planned by the recovery curriculum group and focused on re-establishing relationships, building a sense of community, routines and skills for learning.
• Wellbeing checks were completed by all students and any referrals were passed by tutors to Pastoral Leaders.  This helps the academy to check what has changed over the summer or gain an insight as to the lived experiences of new students. Information from initial wellbeing check shared with tutors and teaching staff where appropriate.
• Assemblies – initial assemblies via Microsoft Teams focusing on reconnecting and building a whole school culture, based on TRUE values, that is right for recovery and reignition of learning. Moving on to a focus on relationships and community and content, with content tailored to year groups 7-9 (key stage 3) on the basis of student voice.
• CPDL for staff to raise awareness of issues that have impacted on student wellbeing and how to spot signs of trauma/loss in order to make referrals to Pastoral Leaders.
• A weekly tutor slot for year 7 and 8 students, allocated to recovery, will introduce the concept of resilience and progress to introduce our HAJC6 character traits. With the year 9 weekly slot focuses on looking ahead and preparation for Key Stage 4. 
• Cultural Capital tutor sessions focus on the very best of community spirit and resilience demonstrated both locally and nationally.