Curriculum Design
At The St Lawrence Academy, we believe in the transformative power of education and the inherent potential of every student. Grounded in the principles of inclusivity, our curriculum is designed to set high expectations for academic achievement, personal growth, and spiritual development for all members of our diverse community. We are committed to providing an environment where every student feels treasured, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
We strongly believe that all students, irrespective of starting point and background, have a right to access the same high quality curriculum which will allow them to develop the knowledge, skills and qualities required in order for them to be successful in the future.
Our curriculum has been carefully thought through, and to ensure that all students develop holistically, our subject teams have designed and planned their curriculum according to the following principles:
| Our Curriculum |
| is ambitious, offering all students access to the most powerful knowledge of each subject |
| is taught to be remembered, not merely encountered, through curriculum content that is well sequenced and vertically integrated |
| embodies our vision and ethos through educating for knowledge, wisdom and skills, educating for hope and aspiration, educating for community and living well together, and educating for dignity and respect |
| promotes the spiritual development of all students |
| develops students’ 21st century learning skills, and is underpinned by a literacy strategy that supports increased vocabulary acquisition and reading fluency |
We want our students to study a full range of subjects for as long as possible, and we therefore have a three year KS3. Our KS3 curriculum is broad and balanced, and has been carefully constructed to provide students with a well-rounded education, fostering academic excellence, personal development, and a range of skills which provides opportunities within which all students can find expression, be nourished and developed.
During Key Stage 3, students are placed in mixed ability groupings for all subjects. apart from Maths, within which students are set by ability from Year 8. This approach is driven by a desire to have high expectations for all of our students, which is reinforced by our culture of teaching to the top, and providing appropriate support and scaffolding for all students to access the same knowledge and skills.
As part of our wider literacy strategy, in Year 7 students have one English lesson each week which is set by their current reading age, as determined by the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) which students complete during their first week in the academy, This allows students to follow a bespoke reading programme which is appropriately pitched to their current reading level, ranging from phonics support to advanced reading comprehension.
A breakdown of subjects within KS3 can be seen below:
| KS3 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Mathematics | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Science | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Religious Education | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Physical Education | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Computer Science | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Geography | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| History | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Language (Spanish) | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Art | In Rotation | 1 | In Rotation |
| Music | 1 | In Rotation | 1 |
| Art / Food / Technology / Music/Drama (Rotation) | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Character Education (in Tutor Time) | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes |
| Reflections (in Tutor Time) | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes |
| Total lessons/week | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Within Key Stage 4 our core curriculum consists of English, Maths, Science, Religious Education and Physical Education. In addition to this, our Key Stage 4 curriculum offers a broad range of option choices to meet the diverse needs, interests, and aspirations of students, which include academic, vocational and practical qualifications. The flexibility in choosing subjects at this stage allows students to tailor their educational experience, fostering engagement and preparing them for future education and career paths. The breakdown of the Key Stage 4 curriculum and option choices available can be viewed below.
| KS4 | Year 10 | Year 11 |
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Mathematics | 4 | 4 |
| Science: Combined | 4 | 4 |
| Religious Education | 2 | 2 |
| Physical Education | 2 | 2 |
| Futures (in Tutor time) | 25 Minutes | |
| Character Education (in Tutor Time) | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes |
| Reflections (in Tutor Time) | 50 Minutes | 50 Minutes |
| OPTION CHOICES | 3 Options of 3 Hours Each | 3 Options of 3 Hours Each |
| Computer Science | ||
| Languages (Spanish) | ||
| Geography | ||
| History | ||
| Science: Triple | ||
| Business | ||
| 3D Design | ||
| Engineering | ||
| Hospitality & Catering | ||
| Hair & Beauty | ||
| Health & Social Care | ||
| Prince’s Trust | ||
| Performing Arts: Dance | ||
| Photography | ||
| Sports Science | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Music | ||
| Option Hours | 9 | 9 |
| Total Lessons/Week | 25 | 25 |
Details of the curriculum for each subject can be viewed on our Subject Pages.
For further information about the curriculum, please contact Dan Ellerby, Deputy Headteacher, [email protected].
