Curriculum Overview

The staff at Walton-le-Dale High School are committed to ensuring that our young people flourish to be the very best that they can be in all aspects of their lives. We will provide our students with a thirsty for knowledge, inspiring them to be life-long learners and to ‘learn for life’. Our wider personal development curriculum provision is founded upon key character virtues: ambition, respect, focus, civility, empathy and reflection.  In fostering these virtues within our students, we believe that students will have the strength of character to succeed in all aspects of 21st century life. Our students will be nurtured and inspired to work hard, to be inquisitive and intellectually curious.

Our curriculum offering is underpinned by a series of interconnected golden threads; these threads are prevalent across all subject areas and they provide depth of learning as well as advanced personal development at Walton le Dale. We want our students to ASPIRE and to truly learn for life. The golden threads of our curriculum are: reading, careers opportunities, co-curricular opportunities and opportunities to enhance cultural capital.

We believe that, while knowledge is important, it is not the only aspect of education that we consider. Throughout all subjects and aspects of their school life we want our students to develop a set of skills, qualities and attitudes that will not only help them to succeed in their studies but help them to become responsible citizens and to be successful in all aspects of their future life. Our curriculum design will be underpinned by a sound and shared understanding of key core body of knowledge; in addition, students will be taught how to apply this knowledge within their different disciplines.

Throughout all subjects and aspects of their school life we want our students to develop a set of skills, qualities and attitudes that will not only help them to succeed in their studies but help them to become responsible citizens and to be successful in all aspects of their future life, as our motto states we are “Learning for Life”. We want our students to ASPIRE:

We are committed to a curriculum which allows our students choice through their education with us, and to open doors to new opportunities as they prepare to leave. In order to achieve this every student at Walton-le-Dale High School will:

• Study a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Study a rigorous academic curriculum.
• Have the opportunity to explore topics related to their Personal, Social and Health Education.
• Receive Sex and Relationship education.
• Have the opportunity to develop a range of skills in all subjects.
• Have the opportunity for work experience.
• Have the opportunity to participate in physical recreational activities.
• Have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities.
• Have the opportunity to participate in enrichment days.
• Have the opportunity to meet employers.
• Have the opportunity to visit colleges.
• Receive high quality careers advice.
• Have an individual mentor at KS4.

In practical term’s this means that:

• We have high aspirations of our young people.
• We are constantly reviewing our curriculum and provision of extra-curricular activities to ensure inclusion for all students.

In years 7 – 9 students are taught in mixed ability classes for the following subjects History, Geography, Religious Studies, Technology, Computing, Drama, Art, Music and PE.

Maths, English, Science and Modern Foreign Languages (French and & German) are taught within ability sets.

We place a strong emphasis on basic skills in literacy, numeracy and the use of Computing competences. However, we also know that to prepare students for their GCSE exams, and for later life, we need to develop other skills such as thinking, teamwork, problem solving, working independently and decision making. We want to ensure that our students develop those personal qualities, which provide firm foundations for their later life and will enable them to develop their self-esteem and creativity.

We want our students to be curious about the world in which we live and therefore our curriculum is broad and balanced to allow all students to study a wide range of subjects including the Arts, Humanities and Technologies alongside the core of English, Maths, Science and Physical Education so that they are able to make informed choices at the end of KS3.

We want our students to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing the “whole child” intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually.

Students will receive 1 period of PSHEE & RSE per week. The curriculum equips students with relevant and meaningful content, which is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. With an ever changing society, we aim to provide our students with a strong understanding of the diverse world around them and support them in playing a positive role in contributing to the school and the wider community.

“Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.”

Secretary of State