Whole School Curriculum Intent

The aim of our curriculum is that it is broad and balanced and offers access to a range of well-chosen, well-staffed and well-resourced subjects. We ensure students have clear opportunities to develop good character, resilience and the skills they will need to function as responsible citizens. While our curriculum is designed to support our students it is also designed to challenge and stretch to ensure they all reach their induvial full potential. Our curriculum is taught by the experts who share their develop and passion for their subject and harness the love of learning and desire to extend their learning beyond the classroom.

Our Curriculum is based on a set of core objectives which are underpinned by the school’s Catholic ethos and three key principles: Spiritual Development, powerful knowledge and enrichment.

Key principle 1: Spiritual Development

Our curriculum:

• Supports students and staff in exploring and developing their faith.

• Takes opportunities to reinforce the Gospel values within teaching and learning, extending the work done in Acts of Worship and Be Inspirational activities.

• Centres on the school’s core values as exemplified in The Becket Way: work hard, be loving and do the right thing.

• Develops students’ understanding of what it means to be a responsible, thoughtful citizen

Key principle 2: Powerful Knowledge

Our curriculum:

• Encourages students to understand that knowledge is a powerful tool that they can use to secure their future.

• Teaches knowledge that is powerful, meaningful and adds to students’ understanding of their world.

• Teaches the knowledge that enables students to access the courses and careers they deserve.

• Supports the development of independence, long term memory/retrieval and retention skills through careful structuring within and between key stages.

• Places knowledge of how students can plan for their futures at the heart of school life.

Key principle 3: Enrichment

Our curriculum:

• Develops students’ understanding of how their choices and learning will improve their futures.

• Develops students’ cultural capital, through carefully selected topics, texts and approaches to subjects.

• Fosters cross-curricular links to enable students to put their learning into context and transfer skills.

• Encourages students to participate in activities outside of the formal classroom learning environment to further enrich their learning experiences.