Our key stage 4 curriculum broadens and develops the learning established at key stage 3 and prepares students for key stage 5. These are the 'Year of Adventure' (7), the 'Year of Challenge' (8) and the 'Year of Aspiration' (9). To further enhance this, and ensure our curriculum is both rigorous and robust, we have dedicated themes that our curriculum is built around which offer students and staff a clear focus. We are deliberate in our aim to offer both breadth and depth of study at KS3 with adequate time allocated to allow for this.
We continually work to ensure our curriculum is coherent, relevant and vertically integrated, both within and across subjects, to promote connections and links between the knowledge and experiences encountered. At the heart of our curriculum design is ensuring all our learners acquire deep understanding and knowledge within a broad range of subjects, while also developing fundamental skills that they can utilise within and beyond the classroom.
Its content is mapped against the National Curriculum. Our comprehensive three-year key stage 3 curriculum is adventurous, challenging and aspirational for all of our students. Providing knowledge, understanding, advice and support for issues that students may experience. Personal wellbeing and safety education that is age appropriate which is delivered to all Year groups.Careers and enterprise education is delivered in every key stage, allowing students to explore, understand and experience the range of future employment opportunities that are available to them. Cultural capital is developed within the classroom and enhanced through the variety and breadth of school events, visits and trips. Specialisation occurs when it is relevant and suitable for students. All students, no matter what their specific needs are, have the freedom to access to all subjects and extra-curricular events to decide their future learning pathway. Entitlement and opportunity for all students.Challenges and ambitions are enhanced as the curriculum expands through the Years, presenting new academic, technical and vocational learning experiences. A spiral curriculum, which reinforces prior learning and increases the complexity of the subject matter and skills mastery.Students develop and nurture these key skills that underpin their learning across all subject areas. Literacy, numeracy and communication skills run through the whole curriculum.Securing knowledge, understanding and skills that are the foundations of all subject learning and progression, enabling students to question and enquire within each discipline. A thorough and broad core curriculum delivered by each department accessed by all students.Monk’s Walk’s curriculum is designed and constructed by these key principles: Our curriculum is fundamentally structured so there is clear cohesion, sequencing and progression between Years and Key Stages. We recognise the broad range of skills, talents and abilities that our students possess and we ensure that the school’s curriculum supports and enhances these at every opportunity. Personal, academic and social development resonates through our curriculum, empowering students to become independent learners, conscientious workers who are resilient to challenges that they encounter in their studies. Our curriculum is one of opportunity for every student allowing them to explore, nurture and develop their interests and talents, alongside installing key academic principles and rigour. Our curriculum is designed to allow students to develop their knowledge and skills base so that they are fully prepared to be robust and engage with the wider world. Our aim is to provide an excellent education that will enable all students to make exceptional personal progress and prepare them for the broad range of opportunities that exist locally, nationally and in the global economy.