Intent

Curriculum Intent

At Netherhall Learning Campus, our core value of ‘Success for all’ is at the heart of everything we do. We set high expectations to ensure that every pupil excels across all aspects of Campus life.

Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress and that the curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning.

We want our pupils to leave with knowledge and skills which will not only create excellent life opportunities, but will also prepare them exceptionally well for life beyond the Campus.

At Netherhall Learning Campus, pupils will,

• experience a broad, deep and knowledge rich curriculum;
• be literate and numerate;
• have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement;
• build their character;
• develop their cultural, social, moral, mental and physical development;
• secure foundations for progression.

Pupils experience a broad, deep and knowledge rich curriculum

Our Campus curriculum helps pupils to achieve high standards and make excellent progress. At KS3, the curriculum is broad and pupils learn essential knowledge built around a 'learning journey' to ensure they have a deep understanding across a range of subjects. There are many opportunities built into lessons to secure the need to recall and retrieve previous learning so that knowledge is fully embedded.

Many pupils have a clear idea of subjects they like the most and the least by the middle of Year 8 and offering some choice at this stage engages students as partners in their learning and leads to improved outcomes. We therefore ask students to spend more time on 4 chosen areas of interest in Year 9. These courses are not externally examined; they aim to develop a mastery of the skills required to complete a subject in Key Stage 4. At KS4, the courses are carefully planned to ensure that content is thoroughly revisited and this undoubtedly prepares pupils for external examinations at the end of the course. 

Pupils will be literate and numerate

The development of pupil language and oracy is at the forefront of our curriculum as we understand how vital it is for our pupils to build confidence in communication skills, not only for their time in school but also to prepare them for working life. We ensure pupils have opportunities in all subjects to discuss, challenge and build on other points of view and to develop their formality of language to ensure they can have the confidence to speak to different audiences. Numeracy skills are embedded across the curriculum. Pupils who arrive with below expected maths skills are quickly caught up through expert teaching and incisive intervention. The Campus ensures that pupils are literate and numerate enabling them to flourish, thrive and access the next stage of their education, employment or training. 

Pupils will have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement

The Campus is inclusive and ambitious for all. We have high expectations of all pupils and provide opportunity for pupils to learn what is expected of them morally. Our behaviour policy ensures that pupils learn that actions have consequences and they can accept and appreciate differences between people. Whilst students gain knowledge through KS3 and KS4, we also want them to become learners who are enquiring, enthusiastic, engaged and mannerly. Pupils will develop high expectations of themselves and embed the key principles at the Campus.

Pupils will build their character

At the Campus, we are totally committed to improving the life chances and aspirations of pupils. With a focus on building character and resilience, we ensure pupils have access to a wider curriculum which provides numerous opportunities in sport, creativity, performing, world of work, volunteering and membership. An extensive enrichment program supports the development of pupils into well rounded citizens.

Pupils will develop their cultural, moral, social, mental and physical development

At Netherhall Learning Campus, we pride ourselves on delivering a curriculum which has 'gold standard' SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural). SMSC is championed at the Campus in order to develop pupils as a whole, not just academically, to ensure that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain, pupils are able to envision 'The Bigger Picture' and show that learning is linked to the real world and experiences. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a range of sporting, cultural and charitable activities. Links with local and national business enrich the curriculum offer and help to contextualise learning.

Pupils will secure foundations for progression

It is our intention at the Campus to ensure pupils have secure foundations for progression into further education and apprenticeships. From Year 7, pupils receive careers information with a clear focus on the Gatsby benchmarks and this is supported through drop-down days and a focused careers week. Over the course of 5 years, pupils receive a rigorous and bespoke aspirations program that exposes our pupils to a huge range of voices and experiences.