Curriculum Information

"...teaching is inspiring and students are keen to learn." (Ofsted)

At the Wavell School we have a broad, balanced, inclusive and differentiated curriculum that caters for all students. It has been designed to provide students with a wide range of knowledge and skills in order to help them aspire to reach the highest possible standards across all areas and become highly successful citizens in a 21st century world. The delivery of the curriculum is such that it is related to the student’s interests, needs and experience wherever possible and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, other statutory requirements and relevant school policies.

Our curriculum helps students to:

• Develop lively and enquiring minds
• Communicate effectively through speech and in their writing
• Develop resilience and an appreciation that success comes through effort
• Understand how they learn and help them to become independent learners
• Focus on learning essential life skills, including those of literacy, and numeracy
• Express themselves creatively and appreciate the creativity of others
• Develop problem- solving skills
• Develop their personal, learning and thinking skills
• Appreciate British Values and develop an understanding of their role in today’s society
• Gain a strong suite of qualifications in order to take them into post-16 education or training

Key Stage 3

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is a 3 year programme.

The number of lessons for many of the subjects varies in each year in order to maximise transition from Key Stage 2 and their progress in key areas throughout Key Stage 3. Please click here for further details.

Year 9 is a transition year from Key Stage 3 to GCSEs and many subjects start to prepare students for their GCSE, either by teaching material directly related to the Specification or developing a greater understanding of the key concepts and skills required for the GCSE examinations. This is particularly the case in English, Mathematics and Science.

Key Stage 4

Students follow different pathways depending upon their ability and their aspirations. This allows for a different emphasis in the make-up of the subjects taught and the balance between GCSE and non-GCSE courses. A small number of students will do fewer GCSEs to allow time for additional Maths and English lessons or for 1:1 tuition. A few students may also be offered a course at a local FE college or work placement as part of their curriculum offer.

The Key Stage 4 Curriculum spans Years 10 and 11.  All students follow a core curriculum, which consists of:

English Language & English Literature
Mathematics
Science (Combined Science or Separate Sciences of Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE), including Relationships and Sex Education
Physical Education

In addition to this, students can opt to study up to four subjects from a range of options. The subjects on offer are constantly reviewed in the light of new initiatives and it must not be assumed that all subjects listed below will be offered during the next options choice.

Courses currently being studied are:

GCSE Art and Design (AQA)
Cambridge National in Child Development (OCR)
GCSE Computer Science (OCR)
Cambridge National in Creative iMedia (OCR)
GCSE Dance (AQA)
GCSE Drama (AQA)
GCSE Design and Technology (specialism choices of Paper and Board; Timber-based materials; Textiles-based materials) (Pearson Edexcel)
Cambridge National in Engineering Programmable Systems(OCR)
GCSE English Language (AQA)
GCSE English Literature (AQA)
GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (AQA)
GCSE French (AQA)
GCSE Geography (AQA)
GCSE German (AQA)
Cambridge National in Health & Social Care (OCR)
GCSE History (Pearson Edexcel)
Cambridge National in Information Technologies (OCR)
GCSE Mathematics (Pearson Edexcel)
GCSE Music (Eduqas) 
GCSE PE
GCSE Photography (AQA)
GCSE Religious Studies (AQA)
GCSE Combined Science (AQA)
GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics (AQA)
GCSE Sociology (AQA)
GCSE Spanish (AQA)