The Curriculum at Lydiard Park Academy
Lydiard Park Academy aims to build on the knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils have developed in their primary school. Our overarching aim is for each pupil to turn their ‘potential into performance’, we achieve this by ensuring that our curriculum gives access to a broad spectrum of subjects and opportunities, so there is something that each pupil can access and develop in response to their own profile of skills, abilities and interests.
We follow the National Curriculum as the framework for our curriculum, following recommendations for the allocated time, for example, delivering the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum in three full years (Years 7 to 9) and GCSE specifications in the two full years (Years 10 and 11) as intended in examination board specifications.
Our Curriculum aims are to develop:
- Successful learners who make progress and achieve;
- Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives;
- Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
Each subject is taught by specialist teachers ensuring pupils are well prepared for the subjects they may choose to study at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.
KS3 - All our pupils will study core subjects of English, Maths and Science. Humanities which includes Geography, History and Religious Education, Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish), Art, Design Technology, Music, Drama, Physical Education and Computing. Pupils will be encouraged to take part in session 6 extension activities including vocational opportunities within Sports and Creative Arts and personal development courses such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
KS4 - At Lydiard Park Academy we have always felt the value in pupils taking a broad range of subjects which will give them lots of post 16 opportunities. In key stage 4, all pupils study English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, combined or triple Sciences to GCSE level. In addition, pupils choose three options from a wide range of both vocational and GCSE courses and every child has to include one of the Humanities (History or Geography) subjects. The old system of A* to G has been replaced with a numerical system descending from nine to one (with nine being the highest ‘number’). All specifications now place less emphasis on coursework and more on final exams.
PSHE is delivered by tutors through a ‘rolling’ programme across the timetable so the timing of each session will change each week, with all pupils experiencing PSHE at the same time, allowing for a more cohesive programme.
Lydiard Park Academy not only focuses on developing academic strengths but also character traits, each term has a theme; organisation, communication, leadership, independence, resilience and aspiration these run through the curriculum as well as literacy and numeracy.
All Key Stage 3 pupils work towards a Key Stage 3 Diploma. This is an internal accreditation designed to celebrate personal achievements and prepare pupils for Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Pupils are awarded points three times a year in the following areas:
Attendance
Academic Progress
Attitude and engagement