Rationale
We believe that our students deserve a curriculum that does not narrow their life chances but enables social equity and mobility. We want all our students to achieve their potential and we truly believe that "Everyone Excels Everyday".
Whole Academy Curriculum Vision
At Hollingworth the curriculum is designed to enable all students to:
- make outstanding progress in their learning, regardless of ability, gender, social background or ethnic origin;
- be engaged in a curriculum suffused with memorable experiences and rich in opportunities for learning;
- learn, with teachers, in an environment which is mutually respectful and promotes a shared enjoyment of learning;
- develop social attitudes and behaviours founded upon the values of respect, responsibility and resilience;
- develop transferable skills and attitudes necessary to thrive as an active citizen in the 21st century.
We offer a challenging, well sequenced curriculum which is broad and balanced focusing on breadth before depth, promoting new knowledge and skills, the acquisition of skills being central, both in terms of literacy and numeracy. Student progress is achieved through high quality teaching and access to a range of engaging learning opportunities enabling students to move successfully to the next stage in their education or career path.
We will achieve this by…
- Ensuring that all students have a challenging, broad and balanced curriculum.
- Developing a knowledge-led curriculum which also explicitly acknowledges and develops transferrable skills.
- Developing a curriculum that has an appropriate coverage, content, structure and sequencing that has been implemented effectively through careful planning and consideration.
- Developing ‘high quality’ teaching in all classrooms through regular, high quality staff development; ensuring that we develop and retain outstanding professionals.
- Using evidence based research to inform developments in curricular provision, pedagogy and leadership.
- Insisting that all staff having a sharp focus on the progress of and provision for key vulnerable groups.
- Understanding that literacy is a key barrier to social justice and equity. All staff to ensure opportunities are provided for developing students’ reading, writing and oracy skills.
- Ensuring that everyone promotes our ethos of ‘Everyone Excels Everyday’ through the development of pupils’ resilience, respect and responsibility.
- Establishing a school-led improvement system underpinned by the principles of Excellence, Equity, Engagement and Enterprise.
Curriculum Provision
Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8 and 9)
In Year 7, students are placed in a mixed ability tutor group. Students are taught in mixed ability groups for History, Geography, Religious Education, Modern Foreign Languages (French or Spanish), Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Digital Literacy (ICT), Design Technology and Food Technology. Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) is taught on a rolling programme by Form Tutors. English, Mathematics, Physical Education (PE) and Science 'set' the pupils according to their ability in these subjects.
For a number of years we have run a small nurture group in KS3 for those students who need additional support in relation to literacy and numeracy. We offer a range of opportunities in order to challenge and support their learning which includes smaller class sizes and a smaller team of teachers (please see 'Inclusion and Learning Support'). We also offer an extensive programme aimed at stretching and supporting our most able students (please see the 'Provision for High Ability Students' section).
In KS3 we aim to 'make learning irresistible' by incorporating a series of enrichment events and days which engage students in their learning. Many of these events feed in to departmental schemes of work and involve outside agencies.
Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)
The curriculum provision provided for Year 10 and 11 pupils closely follows the National Curriculum requirements for Key Stage 4 (14-16) with all students studying for qualifications in the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. Our broad and balanced curriculum offers students choices both within and in addition to the National Curriculum framework. This is subject to change in the future as we review the curriculum annually in order to best meet the needs of our students.
GCSE Courses
Vocational Courses
Awarding Bodies
Physical Education and Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Religious Education (PSHCRE) are compulsory non-examination subjects for all. We also offer GCSE Urdu for a small number of students as an after school session.
Tutor Time Reading Programme
All students are encouraged to read for pleasure and carry a reading book with them at all times. Reading is the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens; through reading we teach them the best that has been thought. As such, reading is prioritised to allow students to access the full curriculum offer. Our reading curriculum is planned to develop students' fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading whilst building powerful knowledge.
Homework
We believe that homework plays an important part in the learning and development of all our pupils and we set it as a matter of good educational practice. We deem that homework is such a vital area of study that it positively affects attainment and helps students to fulfil their potential. It is because of this that we ask parents/carers to support us in seeing that homework is properly completed to the best of their child's ability. We use Google Classroom to support and extend learning.
Homework is also recognised as something that encourages good study habits. This is because it offers pupils the chance to work independently and helps to develop self-discipline. Finally, homework also gives students the opportunity to practice what they have learned during lessons. In conclusion, evidence shows that students who attempt their homework conscientiously are the ones who will be likely to make the most of their opportunities at school.
At the start of the year, all Year 7 students receive a planner to help plan and record their homework. All homework tasks are arranged to ensure there is a balance throughout the week.
Inclusion & Learning Support
We recognise all of our children as individuals, respect them accordingly and are committed to developing the learning of all students regardless of ability or background. To help those who have particular learning needs we have a dedicated team of support staff to assist students in class.
In May 2019, we were awarded the IQM Flagship School Award in recognition for our outstanding inclusive practice. The 2019 IQM report quoted:
'Everyone involved with the school, pull together to realise the school's vision and understand that this is a superbly inclusive place to come to work and learn. Inclusion is a natural and intuitive part of what happens daily, where students are encouraged to achieve their full potential, where everyone involved is committed to the inclusion of all students whatever it takes.'
We are able to support our students with a wide range of issues through our Inclusion Unit, either through our mentor support or our inclusion room if needed. We have also recently expanded the Inclusion staff to include a Student and Family Support Worker and we can offer Early Help to our families. Students also have access to many external agencies through school should this be required.
Provision for High Ability Students
The needs of our high ability students are extremely important to the school. Programmes of study have been designed to stretch and challenge the most able students at KS3 and KS4. All our students are set challenging targets which are above the national expected levels of progress. These are monitored at regular intervals and intervention is put in place where children are not achieving the grades they are capable of. High ability students' progress is monitored from entry into school and mentoring programmes are in place from Year 7 to 11 to help ensure they achieve the higher grades at GCSE.
Visits are arranged to sixth form colleges and universities, to give students the opportunity to see these places for themselves and to hopefully inspire them. We have established links with St John's College and the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University and Pembroke College at Oxford, and several groups of high ability students have visited there to find out about university life or take part in enrichment events. We also run a number of other subject specific enrichment events to local sixth form colleges and universities. We are currently working closely with the Stephen Spender Trust to provide high ability students with opportunities to flourish in MFL.
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
Please refer to our SEND Policy here:
https://hollingworthacademy.co.uk/key-information/policies-and-information/sen-information-report
Enrichment Events
At Hollingworth we believe in providing a stimulating and creative environment, both in and outside of school. This personalised approach means developing the whole child, focusing on their individual strengths and needs.
We aim to enrich the curriculum with regular educational trips and visits and run over seventy each year. These include all age groups and represent all curriculum areas. Residential trips organised for students at Hollingworth over recent years include: ski trips to Andorra; History visits to Ypres, the Somme and Vimy Ridge; a RE and History trip to Berlin; a PE trip to Tarragona, Spain, with a group of Year 7/8 pupils for a football tournament; a MFL trip to Andalucía; a Drama and English trip to London, and a Science trip to CERN in Switzerland to see the Large Hadron Collider.
In recent years Hollingworth has looked to develop the creative skills and talents of all students. A series of enrichment days which focus on issues such as human rights, healthy lifestyles and choices, and effective revision techniques, are provided for all students. Furthermore, during these sessions we develop the transferrable skills, such as team work, personal and social enterprise, which the students will need when they leave Hollingworth. These creative skills are also developed through participation in the many Performing Arts events. We are currently working in partnership with the National Theatre to give further opportunities to our pupils. Other recent events include:
- Evenings of Music, Voice and Piano.
- Evening of Dance.
- The Mighty Zulu Nation.
- Various theatre trips including Rock of Ages and Wicked in Manchester and the London Residential where pupils visited the Globe Theatre.
- Year 8 Summer Singing Showcase.
- Year 7 Performing Arts Showcase.
- Free instrumental sessions – piano, singing, brass, woodwind, violin, guitar and drums.
- Community Music Project – with performances at a local care home.
- The British Music Exhibition, Liverpool.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Hollingworth runs a number of clubs after school on a daily basis. These include every single department, with a particularly healthy PE provision. A full list of after school clubs can be found on our website. There is also a homework club run in the Learning Resource Centre Monday to Friday for all year groups from 3.10 - 4.10pm. This allows students to access a range of resources and IT equipment.
The Futures Hub
In Key Stage 4, we have an upper school study area known as 'The Futures Hub', which offers our students an area to carry out further studies. This area also allows us to host enrichment events involving other schools and CEIAG presentations.
Revision Sessions
As we move closer to the exam season, our Intervention Programme begins from January. Over one hundred revision sessions per week are put on by staff every week after school. For our Year 11 students, attendance at these after school sessions are compulsory on a Monday to Thursday. We also move pupils into targeted tutor groups where they receive short revision sessions in the 20 minute registration period. All of these interventions enable pupils to manage their workload better allowing them daily revision time leading up to the exams.
Further Information
For further details surrounding our curriculum provision please contact Mr C Williamson, Deputy Headteacher - Quality of Education. cwilliamson@hollingworthacademy.co.uk
