Curriculum Intent

We are extremely proud of the ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum we offer to all of our learners. We are committed to providing children with the best life chances possible, irrespective of their background or starting point. We deliver a powerful knowledge-rich curriculum to our learners with the view to their development as global citizens able to make a positive contribution in the local and wider communities of the future.

What is a knowledge-rich curriculum?

A knowledge-rich curriculum at Washwood Heath Academy;

• places powerful and rich knowledge at the heart of the curriculum
• has carefully chosen content
• embraces diversity and develops character
• is organised in a coherent way, ensuring it builds knowledge and skills from year to year
• is cumulative, constructing firm foundations from which children can build conceptual understanding and skills over time
• is coherent and ensures that teaching does not jump from topic to topic, but enables children to develop knowledge and skills, foster curiosity and ignite a love of learning
• is an entitlement for every child, regardless of their background
• it equips learners with the cultural capital they need to succeed in life by introducing them to ‘the best that has been though and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement’.

1. Intent: Why do we teach what we teach?

The Washwood Heath Academy curriculum is knowledge-rich and as broad as possible for as long as possible. Learners are able to study a strong academic core of subjects, such as those offered by the EBacc, as well as a range of vocational and technical subjects. By providing a rigorous, academic curriculum that is rich in carefully sequenced knowledge, our aim is to develop learners who have limitless aspirations and are equipped to be successful in any path they choose. The Academy’s curriculum is aligned with research and current thinking and is a responsive and challenging curriculum with sufficient flexibility to meet the needs of all of our learners and ensure they are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Learners can expect to receive feedback which enables them to grow, develop resilience and reach the highest standards. They can expect to be challenged and encouraged to be independent and take risks in their learning. Enrichment opportunities are built in to our curriculum to allow our learners to experience and participate in a broad range of cultural pursuits, engendering in them an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.

Washwood Heath Academy’s Curriculum Principles

We believe our curriculum should:

• Be broad, balanced and appropriate and remain as broad as possible for as long as possible regardless of demographic or starting point.
• Be coherent and sequential so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught, to secure strong student outcomes.
• Allow all learners to develop their potential, achieve and experience success.
• Be informed by evidence, theory and research e.g. utilising cognitive science strategies to help students retain and recall knowledge to allow future learning.
• Acknowledge our contextual needs by giving high priority to increasing learners’ mastery of functional literacy, vocabulary and numeracy to maximise learners’ opportunities for future learning and employment.
• Ensure effective transition at all key stages; from pre-school to Reception, Y2 to Y3, Y6 to Y7, Y9 to Y10 and Y11 to Y12.
• Provide opportunities to develop SMSC, Character, Careers and Equality/Diversity education.
• Enable learners to keep safe, and to know about options available to them to enjoy healthy lifestyles, relationships, experience of the world of work and play a full part in society by learning what it means to be a British citizen.
• Make explicit links to future career pathways alongside a programme of advice and guidance based on the Gatsby benchmarks to prepare students for life and work.
• Provide opportunities for learning outside the classroom; increasing cultural capital, raising aspirations and increasing students’ appreciation of subjects beyond just examination content.
• Meet statutory National Curriculum expectations

The curriculum is thoughtfully constructed to reflect the Academy’s local context and to incorporate what informed leaders firmly believe should be taught, in what order, whilst reflecting upon what learners remember and how they remember it. This allows learners to make meaningful connections and gain an understanding of how our world is connected. The curriculum provides opportunities through all subjects and for all ages to be exposed to the diverse world in which we live, to explore and develop character and help learners to act ethically, with compassion, empathy and with a sense of citizenship. Exposing learners to a rich and varied range of experiences in turn raises the cultural capital for all.

Washwood Heath Academy’s Curriculum Construction Principles

• Our curriculum is structured in a logical and chronologically appropriate manner.
• Leaders carefully plan to ensure that appropriate knowledge and skills build upon what has been taught previously and are carefully developed before application into more challenging and complex situations, appropriate to the different curricular end points.
• Our understanding of cognitive psychology is used to maximise potential learning gains. For example, opportunities to regularly revisit knowledge are carefully planned to allow the best opportunities to improve student retention and recall.

Addressing the Impact of Covid

The Washwood Heath ‘Back on Track’ curriculum has an intense focus on literacy, oracy and numeracy with the intention of addressing lost learning during the pandemic.

Our curriculum is an all-through curriculum covering all phases from our Primary to our Sixth Form. The Primary phase’s curriculum is evolving and the Primary team is working hard towards developing a full knowledge-rich curriculum with collaborative work between all phases of our Academy and other Academies within the Trust. For more information on the Primary curriculum, please see the Primary Intent in the Primary Section.