Key Stage 4 Curriculum 

All students can follow an academic programme, with work experience opportunities embedded into the curriculum. We aim for all students to develop their core skills of English and Maths and be functional in society when they leave our academy. At the core of the curriculum is personal development and planning for post 16. The curriculum components are explicitly taught via weekly timetabled lessons in PSHE, Food Technology and Futures. Futures includes careers education and finance. We feel that our Futures curriculum will help our students develop vital skills to aid their position in the world when they leave our academy in year 11. PSHE includes; relationships, health & sex education, mental health and wellbeing; tolerance and diversity; and the global community. The academic offer enables students to access core subjects at GCSE level and for some students Level 1 & 2 at Functional Skills English and Maths. We also offer GCSE equivalents and courses at Entry Level for those students who are working at pre GCSE and BTEC Level 1 & 2 in Cooking Skills. Students are able to leave the school with 5 GCSEs, including those in English and Maths and Science.

Our Curriculum Offer

GCSE or Equivalent Curriculum Offer 

English

All students work towards a qualification in English, with the majority of students accessing the full AQA English Language and Literature GCSE. Where a young person cannot access the English GCSE, they will work towards achieving an entry level English qualification or Functional Skills.

CONTENT

The course across KS3 and KS4 is designed to cover Functional Skills Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, Poetry, Pre-C20th texts, Shakespeare, modern prose and drama. Specific texts will be selected from a n age-appropriate catalogue in order to meet the needs of the current cohort.

Pupils study a different unit each half term in order to maintain engagement; however, similar skills are being utilised and, for KS3, this unit is being reinforced through topical study in other subjects. The beginning of every academic year focuses on Literacy, with particular attention to the correct use of capital letters and punctuation, spelling, grammar, vocabulary for effect and different types of sentence structures. This is revisited prior to Functional Skills examinations. Writing for different purposes and audiences is taught as part of the Functional Skills studies but also as a comprehension activity for analysis as part of GCSE English Language.

Throughout the year, pupils will view a range of texts for which they will learn about the importance of context of production and the context of reception. They will develop their understanding of how meaning is conveyed which also supports their own writing.

Extended writing is included as part of the course and pupils are given scope to apply their creativity to a range of text types and audiences.

Maths

As with English, all students work towards a qualification in Maths, with the majority of students accessing the full AQA Maths GCSE. Again, where a young person cannot access the GCSE, they will work towards an entry-level maths qualification and Functional Skills.

CONTENT

All pupils cover the Mathematics National Curriculum and Key Stage 4 pupils work towards a both a GCSE and Functional Skills qualification provided by AQA.

During KS4, students will continue to work towards an appropriate level of mathematical fluency and conceptual understanding by reviewing areas of the curriculum, applying their knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts and building confidence to use a number of mathematical concepts to solve problems.

Science

We offer single Biology to enable students to study a wider range of accredited qualifications within their timetable in our academy. Biology will also provide cross curricular links with our PSD curriculum.

CONTENT

The KS4 biology curriculum is sequenced to allow for scientific ideas to be clearly explained and assessment is used to carefully to check what pupils have learned. This included disciplinary knowledge (knowledge of how to work scientifically) as well as substantive knowledge (established factual knowledge). An important part of the sequencing is allowing time to be built in for questioning to check for recall and understanding.

Art & Design

Students will study towards OCR GCSE Art and Design.

CONTENT

KS4 pupils start off by selecting their own theme, guided by the teacher. This assists with helping pupils remain passionate about the subject and engage with enthusiasm. Pupils will build a portfolio, which will be 60% of the final grade. Year 11 pupils receive an externally set task in January this is 40% of their coursework.

  • Pupils will work individually and creatively to develop personal ideas in response to any given activity/theme/stimulus.
  • Pupils will explore artists and designers from different cultures and historical periods using visual elements to communicate their ideas and feelings.
  • Pupils will experiment with a wide range of media, materials and techniques developing any existing skills and to acquire new skills.

Food - Cooking Skills

The Pearson BTEC Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Home Cooking Skills are suitable for learners to develop:

• knowledge, understanding and confidence to cook meals at home

• an understanding of how to economise when planning a meal

• an ability to transfer skills learned to different recipes

• an ability to inspire others by transferring that knowledge.

Non GCSE Curriculum Offer 

Active Personal Development

Physical activity and education is made available to students on a weekly basis. Physically active sessions take place on sites and some students also have access to sports provision whilst off site in vocational APs. Students are encouraged to be physically active to emphasise the importance on their health and fitness and also to support their mental health and wellbeing as one of the 5 ways to wellbeing. Students complete a number of AQA Unit Awards alongside their active personal development. 

Futures

Futures comprises of 2 elements: careers and finance. All students will have one lesson per week of Futures and they will be able to achieve an ASDAN Short Course in careers and experiencing work and ASDAN Finance.

Derby Pride Academy works with East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) to ensure a stable careers programme that all students can access to enable them to achieve their next steps.

All year groups are targeted for careers education using the Gatsby Benchmarks to enable to students to leave DPA with information, advice, and guidance on a wide range of possibilities after leaving the academy.

Click Here for more information on our Futures programme.

 

PSHE

All students have one discrete PSHE lesson per week. This covers relationships,  health & sex education (RHSE); mental health & wellbeing; tolerance and diversity; substance misuse, online safety and safeguarding. See the LTP for PSHE. There are also cross-curricula and wider curriculum links with keeping students safe and healthy within food technology and other subjects. Accreditation will be through the ASDAN Short course in PSHE. 

Enrichment

It helps provide students with a rounded, culturally rich education through activities that enhance their learning. Enrichment gives students opportunities to try new and varied activities that may not strictly fit into the curriculum, but that develop character, resilience and motivation, and encourage them to pursue wider goals.

It helps to teach life skills that benefit students beyond the classroom, and can develop an appreciation for cultural and community issues, teamwork and social responsibility.

Behaviour & Resilience Mentoring

Students at our academy are encouraged to make better choices and develop behaviours over time that are more socially acceptable. Through our internal Behaviour Learning Practitioners students have the opportunity to learn how to modify their behaviour and realise possible consequences. Students may have weekly 1:1 sessions or group sessions depending on their personal needs.