The Governing Body
The Governing Body will monitor the effectiveness of this policy and hold the Principal to account for its implementation.
The Governing Body will also ensure that:
- A robust framework is in place for setting curriculum priorities and aspirational targets.
- The school is complying with its funding agreement and teaching a "broad and balanced curriculum" which includes English, Maths, and Science, and enough teaching time is provided for students to cover the requirements of the funding agreement.
- Proper provision is made for students with different abilities and needs, including children with special educational needs (SEND).
- All courses provided for students below the age of 19 that lead to qualifications, such as GCSEs and A-levels, are approved qualifications.
- The school implements the relevant statutory assessment arrangements and adheres to exam boards’ conditions and criteria.
- They participate actively in decision-making about the breadth and balance of the curriculum.
- Students from year 8 onwards are provided with independent, impartial careers guidance.
Principal
The Principal is responsible for ensuring that this policy is adhered to, and that:
- All required elements of the curriculum, and those subjects which the school chooses to offer, have aims and objectives which reflect the aims of the school and indicate how the needs of individual students will be met.
- The amount of time provided for teaching the required elements of the curriculum is adequate and is reviewed by the governing board.
- Where appropriate, the individual needs of some students are met by permanent or temporary disapplication from all or part of the National Curriculum in order to support them to gain wider life skills.
- Requests to withdraw children from curriculum subjects, where appropriate, are managed.
- The school’s procedures for assessment meet all legal requirements.
- The governing board is fully involved in decision-making processes that relate to the breadth and balance of the curriculum.
- Proper provision is in place for students with different abilities and needs, including children with SEND and curriculum provision is discussed and reviewed annually with leadership.
Other Roles and Responsibilities
Other staff will ensure that the school curriculum is implemented in accordance with this policy. Roles and responsibilities are monitored and quality assured, including processes for curriculum review.
Leadership Team
- High levels of accountability for all staff.
- Quality Assure methods to check what students know, can do and understand so that the right work is taught/informs teaching (assessment).
- Check the implementation of the curriculum through progress checks, book looks quality assurance procedures.
- Monitor and challenge departments to ensure that all groups of students can access the curriculum.
- A programme of lesson learning walks and observations by the senior and extended leadership team.
- Student interviews at specified moments throughout the year.
- Regular calendared ‘work reviews’ of students’ work based on curriculum intent documents and assessment maps.
- Annual surveys of parent and student views on the Academy.
- Curriculum Area Department Profiles to be carried out by the Leadership Team.
- Create opportunities to share identified good practice (staff meetings, INSET days, twilight sessions, Trust collaboration).
- Ensure that there is access to resources for parents/carers to support their child’s learning, and that information about the curriculum is shared with families on a regular basis.
Subject Leaders
- Carry out a curriculum area self-evaluation using the standard SEF pro-forma.
- Ensure that review of curriculum plans takes into account students’ views.
- Have full awareness and up-to-date knowledge of curriculum developments, changes and opportunities in their subject area.
- Ensure all staff have the adequate subject knowledge.
- Articulate ‘unique selling points’ and intentions of curriculum plans and what makes learning their subjects’ special at Abbey Grange Academy.
Teachers
- Base the content of lessons on agreed curriculum plans.
- Reflect on the content and effectiveness of their lessons on a regular basis.
- Plan engaging and inspiring lessons that generate curiosity amongst the students.
- Provide the opportunity for students to reflect upon curriculum plans.
- Ensure that criteria for key assessment tasks are shared with students.
Students
- Assist in the development of the curriculum through questionnaires, the student council and interviews with different student groups.
Parents and Carers
- Complete questionnaires.
- Parent Council feedback.
- Form an active partnership with the Academy in promoting their child’s learning.
- Where appropriate, attend twilight courses run by the Academy designed to assist parents in supporting their child’s learning, for example, ‘Moving On Evenings.’