Ercall Wood Academy Curriculum
At Ercall Wood Academy evidence based educational research informs the design and structure of our curriculum so that we can best support all our student’s needs. Our students experience a highly personalised, challenging curriculum, rich in variety and diversity, yet underpinned by our whole academy traditional values.
Empower Respect Aspire
Our curriculum is broad and balanced and is designed to help to address social injustice by empowering all our students with the essential knowledge – the facts, skills, experiences and habits that are commonly possessed by successful citizens. This essential knowledge enables all our students to positively contribute to their community and the wider world. No child will be disadvantaged by our curriculum.
Our curriculum aims to engender equality and mutual respect in all our students. This is reflected in the respect they have for their community and the environment in which they are an integral part.
Our curriculum aims to unlock the potential of all our students and has high aspirations for everyone, regardless of their ability, gender, race, or background. We will instil a drive in them to aspire to excellence, to become the very best that they can be, thereby preparing them for success in life.
The key principles of our curriculum
- To provide an ambitious curriculum for all students which develops the necessary range of essential knowledge for learning, life and work so that they are equipped for the next steps in their journey.
- To incorporate regular practice to strengthen memory and maximise cognitive learning to enable all students to succeed academically and socially.
- To inspire our students to succeed through the challenge and enjoyment of learning outside of the classroom by providing a wealth of extra-curricular clubs and experiences to further equip students with the essential knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
Enrichment Opportunities
We believe that opportunities to bring the curriculum to life should be integral. We passionately believe that our students should sample a wealth of exciting new experiences to broaden their horizons, open doors of opportunity, provide hope and aspiration for all, regardless of their circumstances. Our enrichment activities aim to further equip students with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
Curriculum structure
Our academy curriculum model provides the overview of the curriculum subjects and their time allocation at key stage three and key stage four. This also includes the rationale for group setting.
Each subject has a specific curriculum map which outlines the intent, implementation, and impact of each individual subject. This includes our co-curriculum offer, designed to maximise participation and practice beyond the classroom.
Each subject has mapped their lesson sequences across each key stage. The sequencing documents specify the essential knowledge, vocabulary, and possible misconceptions for every lesson. Assessment is incorporated within the sequencing and used to inform interventions to support all students in achieving success.
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Principles of great teaching at Ercall Wood Academy
Teachers at Ercall Wood Academy are the expert in the classroom. Rosenshines Principles of Instruction underpin all pedagogy and professional learning in the academy.
“Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.” (Professor Dylan Wiliam)
- Teachers understand their curriculum and how it is learnt.
- Teachers must have a deep understanding of the essential knowledge they are delivering, including the sequencing of that essential knowledge, the vocabulary, and possible misconceptions within the curriculum.
- Assessments measure students’ ability to understand, retain, and recall the essential knowledge they have been taught.
- Teachers promote a positive learning environment centred on the academy values of Empower, Respect, and Aspire.
- Teachers are fair in their responses to students. They ensure that sanctions and rewards are consistent and appropriate.
- Teachers work hard to build positive relationships with the students and understand their individual needs.
- Teachers manage time and resources effectively in the classroom.
- Teachers ensure that purposeful, clear routines are explicitly taught and reinforced to maximise learning by following the Ercall Wood Classroom
- Teachers present the knowledge, activities, and interactions to maximise student learning.
- Teachers present new knowledge using small steps.
- Teachers provide models to support explanation of new knowledge.
- Teachers provide scaffolding and support for difficult tasks.
- Teachers use questioning to elicit student thinking and check understanding.
- Teachers respond appropriately to feedback from students about their thinking.
- Teachers provide students with actionable feedback to guide their learning.
- Teachers reinforce and embed learning by regularly reviewing and revisiting to improve student retrieval and retention of knowledge.
- Teachers enable students to progress appropriately from guided to independent learning through deliberate practice.
Assessment
Assessment at Ercall Wood Academy measures students’ ability to understand, retain and recall the essential curriculum knowledge that they have been taught. Summative assessments, that have been mapped to our curriculums, alongside regular formative assessment allows teachers to identify what students know and don’t know. The monitoring of student learning helps to provide feedback that can be used by teachers to improve their teaching whilst also identifying gaps in student knowledge so that ultimately those gaps can be closed.