Curriculum

Curriculum Aims

We have identified a set of curriculum aims, designed to ensure we enable Kirton Academy students to make positive contributions to North Lincolnshire and the wider community.

They are to:

1. Build deep knowledge, skills & understanding in all subject areas.
2. Develop Literacy & Numeracy to address social disadvantage.
3. Equip our students with opportunities and experiences within and beyond the curriculum to develop personally and be able to make informed and ambitious choices about their future so they can succeed in modern Britain..

Curriculum Impact

We are ambitious for all pupils to achieve because of the education they have received. Specifically, we want our curriculum to enable pupils to;

• Leave the Academy as young adults able to share their own ideas, views, and opinions, responding to others in a considered and well-articulated manner.
• Know more, Do more, Remember More, making progress to acquire the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life, from what is intended in the curriculum.
• Have pride in the work they produce.
• Able to read to an age-appropriate level and fluency.
• Have been well prepared for their next stage of education, training, or employment.
• Achieve well in national tests and examinations, where relevant.

Curriculum Locality

Our school is in the heart of Lincolnshire. Where we are located, like many areas of Lincolnshire, developed as an agricultural community with farming as the primary employer. Later, the area become reliant on industries such as steelmaking to provide employment for the local workforce. Whilst manufacturing (17.4 % of the labour workforce) is still important, other sectors such as Wholesale& Retail Trade (17.2%) and Human Health and Social Work (14.3%) have equal importance as employers in the area. Our highly ambitious curriculum is designed to provide a workforce that that possess the desired skills and knowledge needed by employers and an appreciation of how to thrive in our community.

Curriculum Development and Research

We have learned from a wide range of sources to create and evolve our curriculum and pedagogy including utilising the National Curriculum programmes of Study; OFSTED’s Subject guides; consultation with local employers, LGAT primary and secondary schools.

In addition, we have used the following resources to support the design of our curriculum.

North Lincolnshire Economic Growth Plan
(investinnorthlincolnshire.com)

This document has enabled school leaders to understand the future employment opportunities of our students in the area.

Census - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

This website enables school leaders to understand the population of the area it serves.

Curriculum Principles

Every child has the potential to succeed and there are no excuses not to achieve that success. We expect that every Kirton Academy student leaves our academy with the qualifications, skills, and confidence to achieve excellence.We have identified a set of principles which underpin our curriculum design to enable our students to be proud of who they are, be active community members who share a passion for educational excellence:

• The curriculum is designed to ensure that students experience a broad curriculum for as long as possible to support students' learning and progression into further and higher education, training, or employment.
• The curriculum is ambitious and designed to give pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, the knowledge they need to take advantage of opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences in later life
• When designing the knowledge-rich curriculum, care is taken to ensure that it is built on sound pedagogical principles to enable our students to know more and do more and prepare them for 21st Century life.
• Considerable thought, time and planning is devoted by all staff in ensuring that the curriculum is mapped and sequenced to complement what has been previously learned. The build-up of knowledge and the practice of skills over time is gradual to enable pupils to achieve clear end points.
• Ensuring students enjoy their time in school and develop the cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
• Providing every child, regardless of their social background, race, nationality, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, with a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow.

Our Curriculum Design (Implementation)

Key Stage 3 (3 years)

At Key Stage 3, the curriculum is devised in collaboration with our colleagues in local primary schools. Our students receive a broad and balanced curriculum in Y7, 8 and 9, that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. We run a three-year Key stage 3 to ensure that pupils have the opportunity and time to study an ambitious curriculum, enabling them to gain secure foundations for success in their future studies.

Table of curriculum lessons offered.

Key Stage 4 (2 years)

Students undertake a 2-year curriculum at KS4 building upon the key knowledge gained during the previous three years of study. In Key Stage 4, we provide a broad, ambitious, and inclusive curriculum that prepares students for a variety of post-16 opportunities and enables them to develop the life-long learning skills that are required by colleges, universities, and employers.

All our Key Stage 4 students are encouraged to fulfil the Ebacc qualification; however, it is recognised that some of our children wish to complete the study of subjects which do not fall within the Ebacc qualification. As such, our curriculum is flexible and responds to the personal aspirations of each child. All pupils have access to non-examined subjects such as physical education and CPSHE known in the school as ‘Life’. The learning route that each student takes will be based on consultation between students, parents and carers, class teachers and members of the Senior Leadership Team. Discussions will focus on the suitability and demands of each subject.