Whole School Curriculum

Please click here for our Curriculum Policy

Wade Deacon is a place where potential is discovered, nurtured, developed and fulfilled.

Our Curriculum Aims

All staff at Wade Deacon High School are committed to providing a high quality, ambitious and inclusive curriculum that enhances the life of every student. We are passionate about providing exceptional opportunities (both inside and outside of the classroom) that help to enrich students academically, culturally, morally and socially.

Our curriculum aims to inspire and challenge all learners. It builds on the knowledge, skills and experiences developed in the primary phase and enables students to deepen their understanding of a broad range of subjects. We aim to provide opportunities for all students to fulfil their potential, setting ambitious goals and developing their capacity to be successful life-long learners, as well as building their cultural capital through a breadth of dynamic curricular, cross curricular and extracurricular opportunities.

At Wade Deacon, every child matters. We pride ourselves on the provision of personalised learning to support every student. Therefore, we provide a variety of curriculum pathways to suit their abilities, talents and needs wherever possible.

Wade Deacon High School is committed to:

• providing the core skills, knowledge and understanding that are required for the 21st century
• developing a sense of social and moral responsibility; encouraging students to be respectful of others, mindful of their role in their community, in society and in the global environment
• providing a broad curriculum that support students’ learning and progression into further and higher education, training or employment
• ensuring students enjoy their time in school and develop the cultural capital they need to succeed in life
• providing every child, regardless of their social background, race, nationality, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, with a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow
• developing students’ independent learning skills and resilience
• embedding fundamental British values and social, moral, spiritual and cultural purpose

We insist on a curriculum that removes the notion of disadvantage, encourages resilience, provides equity and equality of opportunity and instils independence and aspiration in our students, so they can become hard working, respectful, tolerant and compassionate citizens who are ready to make a difference.

Curriculum Structure

Foundation Years (Key Stage 3: Years 7, 8 and 9) 

Our Foundation Stage is designed to teach students the skills that are crucial, not just for excellent grades, but also for their development as learners. Students will be prepared, academically and socially, during this time to enable them to achieve their potential in their GCSE years. We aim to build the skills of literacy, numeracy, interpretation, deduction, analysis and evaluation to create learners who are independent and who can approach their studies with sophistication, creativity and originality.

From Year 7, students will access one of two different curriculum pathways based on their prior attainment but all will follow a 'traditional' academic curriculum. The mainstream KS3 curriculum prepares students for the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) and includes: English, Mathematics, Science, a modern foreign language, History and Geography, as well as creative and practical subjects including Design Technology, Food and Nutrition, Computer Science, PE, Art, Music and Drama.

Students who enter Year 7 with significantly below average literacy and numeracy skills will follow the ‘Pathway Curriculum', with the majority of activity focusing on developing core knowledge skills to bring them to a level where they can access a broad and appropriate curriculum in KS4. These students are taught a theme-based curriculum that includes Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Humanities and functional language skills, as well as other core subjects such as ICT, PE, Art, DT, Drama and Music.

Key Stage 4: Years 10 and 11  

• all students can have the opportunity to achieve the Ebacc
• students can select a curriculum that provides a range of choices and opportunities for post-16 study
• we can provide a vocational and career-focused pathway, incorporating technical courses and a personalised curriculum
• there is an opportunity to support some students with extra Mathematics, English and Personal Development lessons