Introduction

The Ecclesbourne Curriculum

Our mission statement is “Learning Together For The Future.” We work very hard to ensure that all members of our school community acquire the knowledge and skills required for now and for a fulfilling future. Our curriculum is designed to help students to develop confidence in themselves and their abilities, to feel valued and value others and to appreciate the world at large.

We believe that all our students have talents and abilities that it is our responsibility to discover and develop. We know that when we have the highest expectations of what young people can achieve they rarely fail to thrive. And so our curriculum is designed on the basis that intelligence is a muscle, not a fixed quantity. We are concerned to ensure every student in our care is challenged to believe in their ability to achieve their best by trying their hardest.

Our curriculum is rooted in these aims and is designed to ensure students are engaged and challenged to achieve the best that they can. We believe profoundly that students thrive best in a nurturing, well-ordered environment where they develop the self-confidence to take risks and push themselves.

What follows in the Key Stage 3, 4 and Sixth Form Sections is an introduction to the Ecclesbourne Curriculum. It should be noted that we are very proud of the exceptionally high standards of success achieved by our students and of the strong academic core to our curriculum. It is also important to note that we place a very strong emphasis on the development of character and values and a great deal of this is achieved through our enrichment and extra-curricular provision from Year 7 to 13. As you read on please do keep your eyes open for the wealth of opportunities available outside the classroom.

Intent: Aims of the Curriculum

 The Ecclesbourne School Curriculum aims to:

  • Provide a broad, balanced curriculum with a strong academic core
  • Meet the requirements of the National Curriculum including a three-year Key Stage 3 that preserves the widest possible choice for all
  • Ensure students are equipped with the knowledge and cultural capital needed to be educated citizens conversant with the best that has been thought and said
  • Engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement
  • Develop students’ own creativity and ability to solve problems
  • Provide every student with the skills knowledge and qualifications to enable them to access the next stage of their education/career
  • Inspire, challenge, stretch and support students to achieve their potential
  • Give students the experiences and opportunities to develop as caring, healthy and informed young people in the 21st century
  • Develop in students the resilience and flexibility to be able to adapt to the changing world they will meet.
  • Foster an enjoyment in learning and a commitment to lifelong learning
  • Promote learning in its broadest sense, across and beyond the taught curriculum
  • Open students’ minds to the broad richness of our spiritual, moral, social and cultural heritages

 Impact: Outcomes of the Curriculum

 The Ecclesbourne School Curriculum will:

  • Lead to qualifications that our students need to pursue their chosen path.
  •  Lead to qualifications that are of worth to employers and for entry into Higher Education.
  • Meet the needs of students of all abilities at Ecclesbourne.
  • Prepare students to make informed and appropriate choices at the end of KS3, KS4 and KS5.
  • Help students develop lively, enquiring minds, an ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills.
  • Be broad, balanced, relevant, differentiated and include personalisation.
  • Adapt to changing requirements and expectations from Government and Higher Education.
  • Fulfil the statutory requirements of the School’s funding agreement and meet the expectations of regulatory bodies.
  • Exceed national standards in achievement, attainment and progress.
  • Help students develop personal moral values, respect for religious values and tolerance of other beliefs and cultures.

Implementation: Curriculum Delivery

KS3 KS4 KS5