Curriculum Overview

University Academy Long Sutton – Curriculum Overview

Our curriculum is carefully designed, curated and sequenced to provide the breadth and depth of knowledge which covers in full the content of the National Curriculum and goes significantly further adding breadth, depth challenge and wonder. Our pupils learn powerful substantive and disciplinary knowledge which is carefully sequenced and systematically revisited across all key stages to ensure retention and increase depth over time, developing secure schemas of knowledge.

Curriculum Design – the UOLAT Curriculum Cornerstones

Our curriculum is designed and continuously developed within these agreed Curriculum Cornerstones:

The Curriculum is POWERFUL
Pupils acquire and retain knowledge that takes them beyond their own experiences

The curriculum is CONNECTED
Creating schema within and across subjects, with careers and personal development

The curriculum is SEQUENCED
Knowledge is thoughtfully sequenced and deliberately mapped

The curriculum is INFORMED
Embracing research and evidence of how children learn and remember

The curriculum is CONTEXTUAL
Using local values, expertise and experiences to bring the curriculum to life

The UoLAT Curriculum includes three ‘framework’ concepts

The Macro Curriculum – the model of timetabling, including decisions about the subjects taught and the configuration of allocated time. These decisions are made at a Trust level to ensure equitable experiences and enable the sharing of subject-expert schemes and resources.
The UoLAT Curriculum – the substantive and disciplinary knowledge taught within and across subjects.
The Extended Curriculum – the broader learning experiences which develop pupils’ character, leadership, virtues, resilience and personality beyond the taught curriculum. This involves exposure to cultural capital, spiritual and moral awareness, sporting and creative opportunities and deeper personal enrichment beyond that taught within curriculum subjects. These include, but are not limited to, theatre and museum visits, public-speaking or computer-coding competitions and opportunities to represent the school on a regional or national basis, such as the National Mock Court Trial Competition.

The Macro Curriculum (KS3 and KS4)

Across Key stage 3 – Year 7-9 inclusive – pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum meetings all requirements of the National Curriculum (hours per week):

Art (1)
Computing (1)
Design & Technology (2)
RSHE (1)
English (4)
Geography (2)
History (2)
Maths (4)
Music (1)
Physical Education (2)
Religious Studies (1)
Science (3)
French (2)

In Year 10, at the start of KS4 and following a programme of support and guidance, pupils personalise their curriculum and choose three subjects from a range of GCSE and vocational subjects. These are studied in addition to their core curriculum of (hours per fortnight):

Maths (4)
English (4)
Science (4)
Religious studies (1)
Physical Education (2)
RSHE (1)

As one of their options, students must choose from the following subjects (all 3 hours per week):

Geography
History
French

Students can then choose their remaining two options subjects from the list below (all 3 hours per week):

Geography
History
Computer Science
Digital Information Technology
Art
Drama
Music
Design & Technology (Product Design)
Food Preparation & Nutrition
Sport & Coaching
Media Studies
Engineering
Retail Business
Statistics
Performing Arts
Citizenship
Child Development

Whilst the curriculum is broadly referred to in key stage phases (KS3 and KS4), the curriculum is designed as one journey for pupils. Learning is sequenced carefully within and across years, to ensure that students acquire both disciplinary and substantive knowledge. Pupils also engage with a wider curriculum to support their personal, spiritual, moral and cultural development – including an immersive RSHE and RSE programme. This is delivered across the curriculum and through the afternoon tutor programme. The RSHE program follows the statutory guidance for Relationships and Sex Education and Mental Health and Wellbeing which became mandatory in September 2020.

RSHE is at the heart of our inclusive trust ethos and we ensure each area of the RSHE curriculum delivers all aspects of the statutory guidance and reflects our specific needs as a school community. This allows pupils to develop into resilient, informed individuals who positively contribute to their community, to society and modern Britain. The program includes topics such as: bullying, crime, cultural diversity, drug and alcohol education, healthy eating, online safety, road safety awareness, prejudice, social & emotional health, wellbeing, sex & relationships and peer pressure.

For further information on any aspect of the curriculum, please contact the academy via email and your request will be passed to the appropriate member of staff.