Curriculum & Learning
The school aims to provide an ambitious, broad, adapted and fully inclusive curriculum for all students through a formal programme of lessons and a full range of extra-curricular activities.
Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum is designed to develop:
- students’ existing interests and passions
- discovery of new ideas, perspectives and skills that will broaden horizons both within and beyond the classroom.
- high standards of academic achievement where outcomes empower students to progress to Higher Education.
- wellbeing, strength of character, and resilience that will help students to cope with choices and overcome challenges.
- global awareness, cultural capital and a clear understanding of fundamental British values.
- opportunities to make full use of their skills, qualities and attributes in order to prepare them effectively for adult and working life.
Key Stage 3
In Years 7 to 9 the aim is to improve our students’ knowledge to lay the foundations that prepare them for the rigours and challenge of Key Stage 4 and beyond.
Students follow the full range of subjects at Key Stage 3, including: English, Mathematics, Science, Food and Nutrition, Resistant Materials, a Foreign Language (French or Spanish), Geography, History, Art, Music, Drama, Physical Education, Religious Education, Computer Science and Citizenship.
Key Stage 4
Students make subject choices in Year 9, in order to start their GCSE courses in Year 10. These choices are based upon their Key Stage 3 experience. Some subjects may introduce GCSE related content in Year 9 to ensure students are fully aware of the content offered by subjects, and whether this is content that inspires them.
The Key Stage 4 Curriculum has a strong focus on the core EBacc academic subjects of English Language and Literature, Mathematics and Science as well as Languages and Humanities.
Our option structure ensures that all students follow the EBacc curriculum as core. We are proud of entry levels in excess of 90% in recent years. These subjects provide strong preparation for further study, enable social mobility and deepen students’ understanding of the world they will live, work, and thrive in.
Students are able to access the wider curriculum offer, covering a whole range of subjects by choosing additional optional subjects. These subjects include: Art and Design, Food Preparation and Nutrition, Design Technology, Music, Drama, Computer Science, Media Studies, Business Studies, Physical Education, Health and Fitness, Separate Sciences, Sports Studies, Enterprise and Marketing, Statistics, and Further Maths.
The curriculum is further enriched by a range of trips and visits of varying duration that occur throughout the five-year journey, at a national, local and international level. There are also various internal enrichment opportunities to access within school both of a sporting and academic nature. A sample include: Spelling Bees, Digital Leaders, Coding, GCSE Statistics, Musical Clubs - both instrumental and vocal, STEM Clubs, Reader Leaders, Literacy Ambassadors, Debating, Maths Challenges, Creative Writing and many more.
These ignite passions and interests that can be sustained beyond school and into later life.
Enrichment
Enrichment is an important part of our curriculum, and there are many activities that take place to further develop students’ cultural awareness, to ensure they have an understanding and appreciation of life in Britain, and beyond, and that they are prepared for life in modern Britain (trips to other countries, parliament etc.).
There are a range of enrichment opportunities for students, ranging from after school sessions to trips and visits, and students are encouraged to participate in, and respond positively to these opportunities. A priority for the school is to develop participation in music and drama opportunities over the year. The beginning of this has been positive, with numbers of students engaging in theatre visits.
Assessment
Students are assessed against the competencies specific to each year group in each subject. The acquisition of these curriculum competencies is used to generate a ‘tracking towards’ grade on the 9 – 1 GCSE scale.
At Key Stage 3 we align the outcomes with the GCSE 9 – 1 scale. Students progress will be assessed regularly and feedback given. Curriculum Leaders, tutors and teachers can target underperformance and specifically advise students and parents what is needed for the student to improve.
In Year 10, assessment is made by teachers, to give a current and tracking towards grade on the 9 – 1 scale alongside a working at grade.
In Year 11, teachers will report on the current grade and make a prediction based on standardised and moderated examination and assessment results.
In all year groups, the progress of students towards the GCSE targets is monitored by Senior Leaders and Curriculum Leaders. Students who are not ‘tracking towards’ their expected grade will be considered for intervention. This happens at all levels and increasingly in KS3 as well as KS4.
Fortnightly Cycle
At MHS we operate a two-week timetable. It offers breadth but also the opportunity for mastery and depth of study. Students have 3x100 minute sessions per day rather than five shorter lessons to experience the full breadth and depth of our ambitious curriculum. The breakdown of the fortnightly cycle is below.
| KS3 Curriculum | Minutes | KS4 Curriculum | Minutes |
|
Maths English Science DTA MFL Geography History PE Core Computer Science Music Drama CHS RE |
400 400 400 200 300 300 300 200 200 100 50 50 100 |
Maths English Science Humanities MFL Options 1 Options 2 PE Core CHS
|
500 600 500 300 300 300 300 100 100
|
| Total | 3000 | Total | 3000 |
Timings of the school day
Most subjects will be taught as double lessons (100 minutes).
|
Before school care (no charge) |
8.05am |
8.40am |
|---|---|---|
|
*Students should be on site by 8.30am and moving to tutor time at 8.35am when the warning bell goes off. |
||
| Tutorial/Assembly |
8.40am |
9.00am* |
|
SESSION 1 |
9.00am |
10.40am |
|
Break |
10.40am |
11.00am |
|
SESSION 2 |
11.00am |
12.40pm |
|
Lunch |
12.40pm |
1.25pm |
|
SESSION 3 |
1.25pm |
3.05pm |
|
Study Centre Open |
3.05pm |
5.30pm |
If you would like to find out more about our curriculum content, please contact the school directly.
