Curriculum Overview

Our curriculum is designed to enable our students to achieve their life goals, regardless of starting point, situation or background. We will support and challenge our students so they dare to shine, developing into resilient and respectful young adults. By following our curriculum students will be ready and fully equipped with the personal qualities, skills and knowledge for a happy and successful life full of opportunity. 

Approach to the curriculum

Our intention is that all students make outstanding progress through a well-planned and sequenced curriculum that removes any potential barrier to learning. At Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy, students will:

  • Experience a bespoke broad, deep and knowledge rich seven year curriculum. 
  • Leave us with essential literacy and numeracy skills. 
  • Have high expectations for their achievement and behaviour. 
  • Develop healthy lifestyles – both physically and mentally. 
  • Participate in high quality enterprise and work-related learning. 

Our Curriculum Leaders in each faculty have carefully planned and sequenced a curriculum that builds upon prior learning in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. At the start of Year 7 we use SAT and GL Assessments to determine the current knowledge base of our students. Staff use this information to create engaging and appropriate lessons to allow students to continue to make progress. Core skills of literacy and numeracy as well as SMSC, CEIAG and Fundamental British values are embedded in our curriculum from the ground up.  

Our Key Stage 3 includes Years 7, 8 and 9. Our students study a broad range of subjects to lay the foundations for future study and we choose to deliver over three years to allow a sufficient depth of knowledge to be acquired to be prepared for the rigor of Key Stage 4 and to ensure each student has fulfilled their entitlement of study. Based on the National Curriculum, as a benchmark to surpass, our teachers have developed clear learning journeys in every subject with knowledge and skills mapped out to ensure effective retention of knowledge avoiding the accumulation of misconceptions. Knowledge acquisition is tracked to ensure that each student receives their entitlement of study.

Options are structured in such a way to allow pupils a free choice. We do not limit the ambitions of our students and all are free to choose to study for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of qualifications as well as separate science GCSEs. This ensures equity of delivery, with all pupils having equal access to subjects. The options are designed to stretch and challenge pupils and to meet the demands of the local labour market. Pupils are offered a mixture of practical and academic subjects from all areas of the curriculum. Within the option subjects, the academy offers a range of different accreditation routes including academic and vocational options. This gives every pupil a broad and balanced curriculum, but still offers a flexibility to maximise the outcomes achieved by each individual. This model also maintains the widest possible choice for progression routes Post 16 into our own sixth form.

Student progress into our sixth form into one of four clear pathways: 

  • Academic – to study A-Levels, with the aspiration of future study at university or entry to a Degree Level Apprenticeship. 
  • Vocational – to study BTEC and other internationally recognised qualifications, with the aspiration of future study at university or apprenticeship or job. 
  • Mixed – to study a bespoke combination of A-Levels and Vocational. 
  • Transition – to secure essential knowledge of key stage 4 numeracy and literacy to prepare for the rigor of KS5. 

Students receive support and guidance throughout Key Stage 4 to prepare them for their next steps on Key Stage 5 option choices. The academy places entry criteria (typically a grade 6 at GCSE) to progress onto some academic courses. The vocational pathway is open to all students who achieve 5 or more qualifications in Key Stage 4. Students who do not meet these requirements are welcomed back to continue to study in our Transition Pathway. The Transition Pathway includes new Level 2 qualifications for students to study as well as access to GCSE and Functional Skills English and mathematics which are also open to all pathways at sixth form. All subjects in Sixth Form are taught by subject specialists who have continued the academy’s subject specific learning journeys and sequenced knowledge maps into Years 12 and 13.

Curriculum structure and content

We do not limit the curriculum choices for any of our students. All students receive guidance and are able to freely choose to study all available subjects including the English Baccalaureate (EBacc.)

The academy delivers our curriculum over a two week cycle. There are 25 lessons per week with 5 lessons and one tutorial period each day.  

Throughout Year 7 to 9 students are separated into two broadly equal bands, ‘O’ and ‘B’. O-Band has a top set and in B there is a nurture group. In all other groups students are set by prior attainment in mathematics, languages and science and in more mixed groups for humanities, physical education and the creative curriculum. 

In Year 7 and 8, we facilitate an extra English class to run our Fresh Start literacy catch up curriculum.

The aim of this approach is to up-skill pupils as much as possible in Key Stage 3 to enable them to close the attainment gap and be as prepared as possible with the demands of Key Stage 4.

In Years 7, 8 and 9 students study a curriculum of:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Geography
  • History
  • Spanish/French
  • Physical education (PE)
  • Design and technology (DT)
  • Computing and business
  • Music
  • Art
  • Drama
  • Philosophy and religious education
  • PSHE and careers (delivered through tutor time and a weekly Lessons for Life period) 

In Years 10 and 11, all students study a core curriculum of: 

  • English literature and English language 
  • Mathematics 
  • Combined science (inc. modules in biology, chemistry and physics) 
  • PE (Core PE is based around essential health and fitness and does not lead to a qualification) 
  • Religious education
  • PSHE and careers (delivered through tutor time and a weekly Lessons for Life period) 

Students personalise their curriculum by selecting further optional qualifications to study at Key Stage 4. We do not limit the curriculum choices for any of our students. All students receive guidance and are able to freely choose to study all available subjects including the English baccalaureate (EBacc), which is achieved by completing qualification in English, mathematics, science, history/geography and Spanish. Other options such as separate science GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics are also open to all regardless of prior attainment. 

This year the optional curriculum offered the following subjects:

  • Animal care (BTEC Certificate Level 2)
  • Art (GCSE)   
  • Business Studies (GCSE)
  • Business Studies (BTEC Award Level 1 & 2)
  • Catering (Level 1/2 Certificate)
  • Computing Science (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Dance (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Design Craft (BTEC Award Level 1 & 2)
  • Drama (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Engineering (Level 1/2 Certificate)
  • Film Studies (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)   
  • Geography (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Graphics (Level 1/2 Certificate)
  • Hair & Beauty (VTCT L2 Diploma)
  • History (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • IT (BTEC Award Level 1 & 2)
  • Music (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Philosophy (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)     
  • Photography (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)  
  • Psychology (GCE Advanced Subsidiary)
  • Separate Sciences (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Sociology (GCE Advanced Subsidiary)  
  • Spanish (GCSE 9 – 1 Full Course)
  • Sports Studies (BTEC Award Level 1 & 2)        

In Years 10 and 11, students are placed into two bands of mixed prior attainment, O and B. The banding is used to increase timetabling flexibility to allow the greatest choice of qualification options delivered by subject specialists. 

In Years 12 and 13, we offer a wide range of qualifications that allow our students to progress from their studies at KS4. There is a comprehensive range of A levels on offer and a variety of BTEC qualifications as well as opportunity to resist essential qualifications in mathematics and English. 

We deliver our personal development and wellbeing curriculum to all years through timetabled sessions, tutor periods, assemblies and one off events.  

We offer extensive extracurricular enrichment  each day in which students have the opportunity to engage with academic intervention and support, and to participate in a wide variety of clubs and groups.