Crown Woods Curriculum

Academic Mentoring and Support

The tutor’s main role is to monitor the academic performance of their group and to ensure that students are working to the best of their ability across the whole curriculum. The tutor’s work is overseen by the Year Learning Manager (Head of Year) and the Academic Mentor (assistant to the Year Learning Manager). Together they work to ensure that each student is focusing on school work, completing homework and is happy in school. You will receive an annual Progress Check and a full written report. Details of these are shown in the school calendar which parents/carers receive in September.

Student Groupings

Student teaching groups are organised according to their ability. Registration groups reflect the teaching group in which the student spends most lessons. The most able students will join the Express Stream and will be taught together across the week as a distinct group. By the end of Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9) we expect Express Stream students to be achieving at least at Level 6 of the National Curriculum.

Other students are grouped according to their ability and need in individual subjects and for these students we have similar high expectations. Our aim is that all students who join Crown Woods will learn quickly and make as much progress as possible. Teachers’ lessons are planned to focus on the needs of individuals and groups of students, with in-class support provided to help those students with the greatest needs.

Students who join Year 7 with particularly low levels of attainment in English and Maths at Key Stage 2 are given additional time for these subjects during Year 7. This enables them to improve quickly in these crucial subject areas.

Students follow the national curriculum in Years 7 to 11 with French as the modern foreign language, begun in Year 7. In addition, Drama is taught to all students across Key Stage 3 and students have the opportunity to begin study of
a second language (currently Spanish) as they move through the school.

At Key stage 4 (Years 10 & 11) students follow a core curriculum in English, Maths, Science. RE (Religious Education), ICT (Information Communication Technology) and PE (Physical Education). They also select four other GCSE or vocational GCSE courses from a list of 17. Full details are shown later in this prospectus.

Facilities

Each subject area has its own teaching facilities. There are 22 computer suites across the school each with up to 30 work stations, many with a digital projector. Drama has three specialist studios, and Art four studios and a dark room
for photography. P.E. has five gyms, including one equipped for dance lessons, and Design Technology has 10 specialist work shops. The school is a safe and secure site.