Secondary Curriculum
Curriculum
The curriculum at Oakgrove School reflects our view that all students should have a broad and balanced education. We believe that the programme at Oakgrove School builds effectively upon progress at the primary stage and is suitably challenging for all students. Specialist teachers ensure that all national curriculum subjects are covered and that links between, and across, subjects are carefully explored. We believe that students come to school to learn and that the learning experience should be exciting and enjoyable with each student working to the full limit of their abilities.
An important part of our work are our cross curricular links with connections made across the different subjects to ensure that the curriculum is experienced as an organised whole rather than a series of separate subjects being taught independently. We incorporate the latest research into teaching and learning into all of our work.
All subjects identify opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness within their programmes of study and there is a strong focus on literacy and numeracy across the curriculum, not just in English and Mathematics.
Our PSHE programme is a carefully sequenced and comprehensive course covering health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. Through PSHE students increase their personal awareness and resilience, as well as developing an understanding of Life in Modern Britain and Citizenship. In addition, PSHE at Oakgrove provides opportunities for Careers Education information, advice and guidance to ensure that students are able to make informed choices. The school’s assembly programme is closely interwoven with the themes covered in PSHE lessons.
Targets for Learning (TfL)
Targets for learning has been an integral part of life at Oakgrove since the school opened in 2005. In its current form, students across the school are supported in reviewing their academic and Attitude for Learning (AfL) data across all their subjects at regular intervals across the year.
Students, with the support of their tutor/mentor decide which areas of their academic life that they need to focus on in particular over the short term to boost their chances of success. Targets can be specific or more generic dependent on what targets the student chooses. These targets are then recorded and their class teachers will be able to see the chosen subjects to focus on and support the students further.
Targets for learning has always been a powerful way of discussing and setting targets for the student, by the student. The students can regularly review their progress towards their targets and when appropriate, they can set new targets to ensure further progress.
Whole School English and Maths
English and Maths expertise is essential to all students across the age and ability range, in order for them to effectively access the curriculum and make progress in all subjects.
English and Maths skills are embedded in lesson planning, delivery of content, exam preparation and feedback to students, ensuring that standards of literacy and numeracy are consistently high in all areas.
The Directors of English and Maths take an overview of the application of these skills in all subject areas, which are monitored through regular lessons visits and work scrutinies conducted by Subject Leaders. They liaise with a range of staff to establish good practice and provide training where necessary.
Tutor Reading Programme
The school has a weekly tutor reading programme for Years 7 to 10, with a focus on reading for pleasure. Each tutor group is read to and the students follow in a copy of the book. The programme introduces students to a range of texts across the year in a shared reading experience.
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Kind of Spark, Elle McNicoll | Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah | Looking for JJ, Anne Cassidy | The Girls I've Been, Tess Sharpe |
| The Memory Cage, Ruth Eastham | Dare to be You, Matthew Syed | This Book Kills, Ravena Guron | They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera |
| You are a Champion, Marcus Rashford | Stay Where You Are and Then Leave, John Boyne | It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime, Trevor Noah | It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime, Trevor Noah |
| I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery, Rhian Tracey | Needle, Patrice Lawrence | Where the World Turns Wild, Nicola Penfold | The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair, Hannah Foley |
| Peril on the Atlantic, A. M. Howell | The Disconnect, Keren David | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon | The Giver, Lois Lowry |
| Safiyyah’s War, Hiba Noor Khan | Girl, Missing, Sophie McKenzie | The Soup Movement, Ben Davis | Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds |
| A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle | The Final Year, Matt Goodfellow | Heroes, Robert Cormier | |
| Crossing the Line, Tia Fisher |
| Year 11 - Books | Year 11 - Extracts from: |
|---|---|
| Crossing the Line, Tia Fisher | Here I Stand - Stories That Speak For Freedom |
| Moonrise, Sarah Crossan | Part Of A Story That Started Before Me: Poems About Black British History |
| The Disconnect, Keren David | So Here I Am - Speeches By Great Women To Empower And Inspire |
| You Can Change The World - Everyday Teen Heroes Making A Difference Everywhere | |
| The Best British Travel Writing Of The Twentieth Century | |
| Roar - A Celebration Of Great Sporting Women | |
| Release Your Inner Drive - Everything You Need To Know About How To Get Good At Stuff | |
| Ten Twisty Tales | |
| A Taste Of Darkness | |
| Blackout |
Social, Moral, Spiritual, Cultural (SMSC)
Oakgrove School is committed to developing the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of students and adults.
We have a dedicated policy on this important aspect of the school’s work and all subject areas contribute towards it.
In brief, Spiritual development is the development of the non-material element of the human being which animates and sustains us. It is about a sense of identity, self-worth, personal insight, meaning and purpose.
Moral development is about the building of a framework of moral values which regulate behaviour. It is also about gaining an understanding of a range of views and the reasons for this range and developing opinions about different views.
Social development is about students working effectively with each other and adults and participating successfully in a multi-racial, multicultural society.
Cultural development is about students understanding their own culture and other cultures and contributing positively to living in a multi-racial, modern, democratic society.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities are identified and emphasised throughout the school’s curricular and extra-curricular activities and provision and impact are carefully monitored.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Policy
Equality and British Values
Oakgrove School believes that diversity is something which should be celebrated. A combination of staff and students are members of the Diversity Committee, which is supported by Governor Carol Howells and led by an Assistant Headteacher.
Celebrations and educational events take place throughout the year to promote equality and to teach about the various aspects of life in Modern Britain. Oakgrove School complies fully with the Equality Act (2010) and school policies incorporate the relevant public sector equality objectives.
British Values underpin Oakgrove School’s practices, both in the classroom and the wider community. Throughout the curriculum and our assembly programme, the school explores concepts of spirituality and respect. This develops student’s knowledge, understanding and tolerance of other beliefs.
Morals, values and ethical dilemmas are explored through PSHE lessons and students are encouraged to consider their opinions and develop their reasoning and debating skills. Oakgrove recognises that it is part of the school’s role to challenge extremist views and safeguard students against radicalisation. The school believes that educating both staff and students is a powerful weapon against this.
PSHE including Relationships and Sex Education
As part of the Secondary curriculum, students study Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education to equip them with essential life skills, promote their wellbeing and prepare them for the challenges of modern life. PSHE fosters emotional literacy, resilience and an understanding of key social issues, ensuring that students develop into informed and responsible citizens.Â
A crucial component of PSHE is Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) which is a statutory requirement in England, as set out by the Department of Education in September 2020 (for further information follow this link). As a school, we have thought carefully about when the students study the different elements of RSE and we use high quality, age appropriate resources from Life Lessons and the PSHE Association, as well as drawing on the expertise of external agencies. Â
The school’s PSHE curriculum maps clearly identify the lesson content which covers Sex Education themes. Parents/carers have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the Sex Education content delivered as part of statutory RSE (further details on the process for this can be found in the school's RSE policy). When a request is made, we always invite the parent/carer into school to discuss this further. If a student is excused from some, or all, of the Sex Education content, the school will ensure that they receive appropriate, purposeful education during the period of withdrawal. There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education.Â
We regularly review our PSHE curriculum to ensure it remains relevant and up-to-date for all of our students. Through our reviews, we gather feedback from both teachers and students. We update our resources and refine our teaching approaches to address the evolving needs of young people today. We also work with parents/carers to ensure that our students have all the support and guidance that they need at present and to prepare them for the future.
If you wish to discuss the Secondary RSE content or the wider PSHE curriculum, please contact the school’s PSHE Coordinator.
Key Stage 3 Overview
Across all subjects at Oakgrove School we follow an All-through curriculum. Years 7-9 students follow traditional subjects in a broad curriculum. The KS3 elements of the curriculum build on the skills and knowledge delivered at primary school and offer a foundation for progression to our Key Stage 4 courses.Â
During each year of KS3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) we collect data on your child at three different points, from all of their teachers, to share with you. Each year we hold an annual online Parents’ Evening for all students. Parents/carers will also receive two Interim Reports and one Annual Report at appropriate times throughout the academic year. These report on a students Engagement and their Attainment within each subject.Â
Engagement Result:
This covers all aspects of a student's engagement within each subject area. The teacher will award a descriptor based on their attitude in lessons and in any independent work outside of lessons. We have high expectations at Oakgrove and so we expect all students to be doing the following:
- Arriving on time and with the correct equipment
- Engaging with tasks set, including contributing, as appropriate, to class discussions and/or group/pair work
- Completing homework on time and in a way that reflects their ability within the subject
- Behaving in a way that does not distract themselves or others from the lesson
Your child will be assessed against our expectations and will be awarded one of the following descriptors for each subject:
- Beyond - they are doing everything we would expect and in some areas or lessons they are going beyond our expectations of students
- Expected - they are meeting our high expectations in all (or the vast majority of) lessons
- Concerning - in some areas or in some lessons they are not meeting our expectations - please refer to the ParentApp each week for any codes received, as these will be clearly linked to a particular subject and give you an indication of the areas your child should be focussing on
Students in Year 7
Attainment Result:
Each subject has clear descriptions of what they expect a student to be able to do. These descriptions can be found below.
- WTS is awarded if a student is working towards the expected standard for their year group. Class teachers adapt work as appropriate to enable all students to access it.
- EXS is awarded if a student is working at the expected standard within the subject. This means they can complete most of the statements outlined.
- GDS is awarded if a student is working at greater depth. This means they can complete the majority of the statements outlined and are working towards some of the standards expected of a student in the year above.
Please be aware that a student’s level of attainment is based on their teacher’s best fit professional judgement. This is an overall picture of their level of attainment in the subject and is not the result of one particular piece of work or test.
At the end of Year 9 your child’s attainment results will give you an indication of the grade they should be achieving in their GCSEs. A student with an attainment of EXS would be expected to progress to a grade 4+ in that subject by the end of KS4. A student with an attainment of GDS would be expected to progress to a grade 7+ in that subject by the end of KS4. These are broad indications only, as subjects at KS4 are assessed differently to KS3 courses and progress can therefore vary. You will have an opportunity to discuss your child’s progression to GCSE and other Level 2 courses with subject teachers when your child is in Year 9.
For our PSHE Curriculum Map, please refer to the Personal Development section below.Â
Students in Year 8 and 9
Each subject has produced a five tier assessment scale against which students’ knowledge and skills will be measured. Â
The links below provide information on the content taught in each subject, alongside the assessment criteria.
For more information about how our tiers work, please watch this short video.
Oakgrove Key Stage 4 Options Process
Options for KS4 are chosen in the spring of Year 9.
Key Stage 4
Core Curriculum
- English Language and Literature
- Mathematics
- Double Science
- Geography or History
- French/Spanish
- PSHE
- Core PE
Students then choose additional options from an extensive list, which includes:
- Art
- Business Studies
- Economics
- Drama
- Music
- Music Tech
- Film Studies
- Media Studies
- Geography
- History
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Creative iMedia
- Design Technology
- Food Preparation & Nutrition
- Photography
- Child Development
- Sport
- Dance
- Triple Science
Key Stage 5
The Sixth Form opened in September 2009, with new state-of-the-art purpose built facilities. It offers a wide range of courses and qualifications. There are over 25 level 3 courses, almost all of which are A level courses or BTEC level 3 courses. Additionally, it offers the opportunity to re-sit GCSE English and Maths.
There is an exciting enrichment, sports and community action programme. This includes accredited volunteering awards, Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh, Student Voice, trips and visits, house events and careers and further education preparation. Most sixth formers go on to university.
The school meets the Department of Education 16 to 19 study programme, requirements in the following ways:
- All 16 to 19 students are given the opportunity to take a study programme which reflects their prior attainment, education and career goals.
- All study programmes include substantial academic or applied and technical qualifications and non-qualification activity, including work experience.
- All students who do not hold a GCSE graded 9-5 in English or Maths are required to work towards the achievement of these qualifications.
- Study programmes are focused on progression to the next level of education, a traineeship or apprenticeship, or other employment.
- All study programmes include non-qualification activity, such as tutorials, work experience, personal or study skills, and support in choosing options to ensure progression into employment and higher education preferences.
Find further information about the Oakgrove Sixth Form under the relevant tab above.
For more information about the Sixth Form curriculum at Oakgrove please contact the Subject Leader if it is a subject specific query or Mr J Adamson if it is a more general enquiry.
