Curriculum

Welcome to our Curriculum

Welcome to our curriculum at Q3 Academy Great Barr. We are proud to be able to offer a broad and balanced curriculum which provides all students the opportunity to be successful. We focus our curriculum around the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences, Languages, and Humanities), but also provide a creative curriculum through Hori7on (Year 7), Cre8 (Year 8), and 9Teen (Year 9). This creative curriculum allows further opportunity for parental engagement through regular showcase events. These events encourage all students to have the following experiences by the end of Key Stage 3:

• Perform on a musical instrument to an audience;
• Perform in a piece of drama to an audience;
• Design, produce and sell products;
• Cook a meal;
• Have art work displayed in a gallery-style setting.

You will see from our curriculum maps that: Literacy, RSHE, and Wider Opportunities are embedded across our curriculum. We have particularly been focusing on the use of cross-disciplinary reading to support students’ achievements across a wide number of subjects. Disciplinary reading is incorporated into all subject areas to support the development of subject-specific vocabulary. In addition, our Tutor Time reading programme exposes students to range of books across a number of genres to develop comprehension and vocabulary.

Wellbeing is built into our curriculum and named. Wellbeing Active focuses on not only the National Curriculum for PE, but also reinforces healthy lifestyles and the importance of self-care. Wellbeing Inspire (RSHE/PSHE) focuses on the wider aspects of wellbeing related to how we respect ourselves, others, and the world around us.

Careers, Information and Guidance is supported throughout all year groups and we are pleased that 98% of our students go on to further education or employment at post-16. For more information about our careers programme, please click here.

We follow a two-week timetable to provide students with more time across a wider range of subjects. We constantly review our provision to ensure we are providing the best education we can.

An average Key Stage 3 student studies:

An average Key Stage 4 student studies:

Further information about our Pathways/Options process can be found here.

Grouping

Students at Key Stage 3 are taught in mixed ability groups, with the exception of those students who arrive (or demonstrate after they arrive that they are) working well above expected levels, and those who are working significantly below expected levels. Those working significantly below expectations remain in a focused group for primary-style, targeted provision. This has a further focus on literacy and numeracy and is supported by interventions within the SEN department.

At Key Stage 4, students are grouped by ability, which is reviewed and adapted regularly, for English, Mathematics and Science. All other subjects are taught in mixed ability groups.

All groups at Key Stage 5 are mixed ability.

Please refer to our Curriculum Policy for further detail about our offer at Q3 Academy Great Barr.