Curriculum Intent

As a Church school all we do is underpinned by Scripture, striving to ensure that everyone within our community is supported and encouraged to always give of their best irrespective of their situation or starting point.

To this end the curriculum offered within the school, both inside the classroom, and beyond, is rooted in a desire to bring out the best in all students and help guide and prepare them to be knowledgeable, skilled, hard-working, decent, honest young adults who are well placed to leave the school and make a positive contribution to society. In order to facilitate this the school, through its core values of ‘Accomplishment, Humility and Service’, looks to the development of the individual academically, socially, spiritually and in terms of the strength of their character. Students are encouraged, stretched, challenged and guided to be critical, collaborative and motivated.

At the heart of our curriculum lies an entitlement for all students to be given the opportunity to experience the full range of subjects on offer within the National Curriculum and beyond.  This has never been more relevant than currently with all aspects of what is offered to students appropriately adapted to ensure they develop the skills and knowledge to achieve as well as their predecessors.

All students within Key Stage 3 experience practical subjects and those within the Arts, alongside more traditionally ‘academic’ subjects; students are then encouraged to continue to study as wide and ambitious a range of subjects as possible at Key Stage 4, irrespective of their starting points. The school’s broad ‘A’ Level offer enables all students at Key Stage 5 to study courses and content best suited to their future pathways, alongside the EPQ.  Students within the school are supported in the development of skills which are both substantive and disciplinary; they are helped to understand key concepts, appreciate the disciplinary distinctiveness and understand the real life applications and career pathways of their subjects.  In support of this the school is committed to ensuring all are given access to subject specialist teachers, independent Careers Advice and Guidance and a discrete PSHCE and SRE programme; a wide range of extra and super curricular opportunities is also on offer.

All aspects of the wider school curriculum are designed to foster an understanding in the students of the world around them and a tolerance of and an appreciation for the differences within it within an atmosphere of rigour and challenge.

Resilience, the belief that all are capable of making significant and sustained progress and the development of the appropriate mindset in which to accomplish this is constantly reinforced in all aspects of school life and supported through regular feedback and communication with all appropriate stakeholders. This is embodied in Colossians 3:23:

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart’

All subjects within the school also have an intent statement which is specific to their particular curriculum.

These can be viewed at the beginning of the individual Subject Curriculum Booklets

IMPLEMENTATION

At Hutton the curriculum is split into three key stages, Key Stage 3 – Year 7, 8 & 9, Key Stage 4 – Year 10 & 11 and Key Stage 5 – Year 12 & 13

We have planned and sequenced the curriculum so that pupils cumulatively build skills and knowledge in each subject over time and, with regard to the end of Key Stage 3, specialise only when necessary.

Curriculum Structure

At Key Stage 3, all students study (hours per fortnight): 

 
We adhere to the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum which sets out the programmes of study for all subjects.

When students arrive at Hutton in Year 7 they are taught in mixed ability classes (with the exception of Mathematics). In year 8, using a variety of school based assessments students are placed in a ‘band’ alongside other students of similar aptitude and ability; movement within and between bands is regularly discussed and actioned as appropriate. All students experience the same curricular diet and high expectation of challenge/progress with additional support provided as necessary (for additional detail and information regarding the school’s SEND provision please contact the school and ask for the SEND department).

At Key Stage 4, all pupils study (hours per fortnight): 

For more specific information for each subject offered at Key Stage 4 please refer to the school’s Options Booklet which can be found on the ‘KS4 Curriculum and GCSE Options’ page under the ‘Curriculum’ tab

At Key Stage 5, all students study (hours per fortnight): 

 At Key Stage 5 we specialise in A level provision, currently offering 24 subjects taught in 9 lessons per fortnight. 

Our subject columns are determined upon receipt of applications and we aim to offer as many subject combinations as possible.  Once the columns are decided in March, all applicants receive a copy and are asked to indicate their 3 choices (4 if agreed during the application and interview process). 

Student choices can be changed at any point up to enrolment but the option columns will remain unchanged.

For more specific information for each subject offered at Key Stage 5 please refer to the A Level course guides for each subject on the Sixth Form section of the website.

Details of how we assess students and the calendar for doing so, can be found under the Assessments & Exam Information tab.