Our curriculum is designed to support our school mission statement. We aim to instill an ethic of kindness and support this through a comprehensive PSHE programme alongside regular input through our form tutor time and assemblies. They also promote Fundamental British Values, develop students’ understanding of careers, and promote the development of character. These attributes complement the academic development of students to ensure they become healthy, well-rounded and effective members of society.
We want our students to have the confidence to have high aspirations and to acquire the skills and knowledge for their future challenges. Subsequently our Curriculum is broad, with a 3-year key stage 3 that ensures students will leave school with a balanced understanding across subject areas irrespective of their GCSE and A Level option choices.
Across all subjects our curriculum is knowledge-rich and has been carefully mapped out develop the acquisition of powerful knowledge – knowledge which is systematically developed to explain concepts, predict misconceptions and enable students to embed understanding. This knowledge is not just that prescribed by the national curriculum or by exam boards, but knowledge which allows students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject and foster a full appreciation for each discipline and its importance in the world.
We are acutely aware of both the workplace, apprenticeship and training opportunities across Leeds and the surrounding area. We know that English and Mathematics will be essential for our students to access post-16 opportunities of choice. Across Key Stages the curriculum is underpinned by a strong investment of time in English, Maths, Science, History, Geography and Modern Foreign Languages in Key Stage 3 and 4. This English Baccalaureate suite of subjects, has a beneficial impact on student attainment and on students remaining in A-Level education subsequently.
This is complemented by a diet of subjects such as PE, Music, Drama, Art, RE, Design Technology. Leeds has strong Media, IT and Business sectors and opportunities to provide experience in these areas is provided at GCSE and A-Level with courses in I-Media, Business Studies and IT
Our curriculum is also including a wide and varied extra-curricular enrichment offer through the universally extended day. Access enrichments designed to enable them to apply their learning, understand the applications of their skills, and be successful 21st century citizens in Britain. These further promote personal development of students.
Our curriculum is led by specialists who have carefully and coherently sequenced the curriculum. This allows the embedding of powerful knowledge and concepts so that they interlace and accelerate progression to bring about deep learning. Should you have any further questions please contact Mr Vasey, Deputy Headteacher.
Information regarding our policies for pupils with SEND can be found on our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) page.
In order to implement our curriculum vision, our curriculum teams have carefully mapped the knowledge and skills students are required to master. It is, however, important to us that the Year 7 to 9 curriculum is more than preparation for Key Stage 4.
We give more curriculum time to Humanities and Modern Foreign Languages than many schools as we wish to encourage a high proportion of pupils to pursue the English Baccalaureate pathway beyond Year 9.
Pupils study one Modern Foreign Language, either German or Spanish, throughout Key Stage 3.
Study hours per week
| Subject | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| Art | 1 |
| Drama | 1 |
| Design and Technology | 1 |
| English | 4 |
| Geography | 2 |
| History | 2 |
| IT | 1 |
| Maths | 4 |
| MFL | 2 |
| Music | 1 |
| PE | 2 |
| Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE) | 1 |
| Science | 3 |
PSHE
Throughout all the key stages at Guiseley School subject curriculums are enriched with PSHE strands that help to develop students and raise their self-awareness. PSHE is also delivered twice weekly during form time. The PSHE curriculum has been carefully sequenced and covers key topics such as; careers and next steps, personal and online safety, fundamental British values, healthy lifestyle choices including mental health and wellbeing, sex and relationship education and key aspects of citizenship as well as providing opportunities to extend learning.
Our Key Stage 4 Curriculum is designed so that students can experience a range of opportunities across the curriculum and is taken over two years although Year 9 acts as a bridging year across a number of subjects. All students have access to the EBacc suite but take a mix of GCSE and other Level 2 qualifications so as to experience a mix of learning and assessment styles.
In Key Stage 4, pupils have enhanced time for the core subjects of English, Science and Mathematics as the building blocks for their progression routes. Core curriculum time is given for PE, recognising the importance of health and fitness in our lives. All pupils study Science, and a large proportion of our students choose to a foreign language.
Our curriculum offers flexibility and choice within a guided structure, personalised to meet the needs of the individual as far as resources will allow.
Core curriculum
- English Language and Literature
- Maths
- Science (Combined or Triple)
- PE
Mathematics and English receive four hours of teaching a week in Year 10 and 11, whilst Science delivers both Additional and Triple Science on six hours per week in Year 10 and four hours per week in Year 11.
Students in Year 10 receive two hours of Core PE per week; in Year 11 they receive one hour of Core PE per week.
IT skills are taught across the curriculum, with ICT/Computing groups existing as option cohorts.
Options Subjects
The following subjects were offered as options for 2022. Unless otherwise stated, these subjects were offered as GCSEs:
- Fine Art
- Design Technology Product Design (Materials and Textiles)
- Hospitality and Catering
- Digital Photography
- Drama
- Enterprise and Marketing (Cambridge National)
- Geography
- German
- History
- Computer Studies
- Creative iMedia (Cambridge National)
- Music
- PE
- Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE)
- Spanish
- Sports Studies (Cambridge National)
All options currently receive three hours per week in both Year 10 and Year 11. RE is taught as an option subject in KS4 and through our PSHE programme. These sessions are designed by our Curriculum Leader for RE.
For more information about our Key Stage 5 Curriculum, see the Qualifications and Curriculum page in the Sixth Form section.