Curriculum Intent

In English, we aim to provide pupils with the necessary skills to be able to access and communicate with the wider world beyond school. Students will develop their ability to communicate orally, learning to organise and clarify their speech. Students ability to read will be developed through a variety of reading experiences from non-fiction reports to modern literature; equipping them with the skills necessary to deal with different reading environments. In their writing pupils will be supported to develop their ability to accurately communicate in a variety of forms with increasing clarity. The development of these skills will help pupils to gain qualifications (Functional skills and GCSEs) that will enable the best possible life opportunities for our students.

Pupils with more significant learning needs will be supported to engage in the same topics as their peers as much as possible, having access to sensory and language support to enable access to learning. This will give them the opportunity to feel engaged and a part of the English learning journey and incentivise them to be an active participant in their lessons.

We aim for all pupils to develop fluency in the fundamentals of mathematics, including reasoning and solving problems. Our goal is to support the best possible life chances of our learners by showing them practical uses of maths, in as many contexts as possible. Maths is an essential skill for life and we want our learners to be part of a sustainable workforce by becoming financially literate regardless of their starting point.

Students access literacy and numeracy 4 days a week first thing in the morning. This supports students on consolidating and over-learning basic and functional skills within the literacy and numeracy curriculum. We are able to deliver this remotely as required too, this includes a mixture of direct teaching, group work and online activities.

To create a knowledge of Biology, Physics and Chemistry through practical and knowledge-based learning to imbed pupil’s curiosity and enable them to understand the world around them, how their bodies work and how humans interact with the world and nature. Pupils will be able to develop their scientific enquiry skills and will be encouraged to appreciate and look after the environment around them.

The intent of the Art curriculum at The Mark Way School is to provide all learners with opportunities to explore a range of materials, techniques and processes through studying a wide variety of art by various artists, designers and crafts people. The KS3 curriculum is designed to build upon and extend knowledge and skills gained at the previous key stage and intends to be ambitious whilst meeting the needs of all abilities.

The Art curriculum will aim to deliver high quality education, including during periods of remote working – whether for an individual pupil or many. It will be ensured that all pupils have access to the learning resources and support they need to succeed whilst taking into consideration that materials at home may be limited.

Students with severe learning difficulties will follow an adapted curriculum that is broken down into small steps with an emphasis on repetition, reinforcement and encouragement. Tasks will be offered that practise coordination and encourage communication with a multi-sensory approach to take account of sensory and emotional needs.

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject with a broad theory base. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real life and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. They consider their own and others’ needs, wants and social values.

They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge (core skills) and draw on other curriculum areas such as numeracy & literacy, science, engineering, computing and art.

Pupils learn how to take design risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.

Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop an understanding of its impact on everyday life and the wider world.

High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the individual and the nation.

Pupils with SLD, following the engagement model will be supported to follow the same curriculum with adaptations in response to the individuals’ needs.

We aim to deliver a Food and Nutrition curriculum which is creative and encourages students to take risks. which provides a range of opportunities to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and develop practical cooking skills to be able to feed themselves and others well. They will build an understanding of how food choices affect their health now and throughout their lives and for them to enjoy the satisfaction of preparing healthy, nutritionally well-balanced meals and snacks food for themselves and their families.

We hope to enable students to gain qualifications that facilitate their best options for future vocational opportunities.
For students with severe learning difficulties following the engagement model, activities are adapted to suit the individual child and planning for their learning is in response to their needs and outcomes to inform their next step.

Geography helps students make sense of the human, physical and environmental world of which they live in. We aim at Mark Way to develop contextual knowledge of their locality and of globally significant places as well as develop an understanding the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world.

Students will learn and develop cross-curricular skills such as collecting, analysing data, communicating their findings, interpreting a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams and photographs.

Students with Severe Learning Difficulties will follow an adapted curriculum which allows them to continue topics with their peers whilst emphasising key skills which help with cognitive development, motor skills and general knowledge development.

The GCC Curriculum at Mark Way aims to continually deliver high quality education including during periods of remote learning – whether for an individual pupil or many with students having access to a variety of learning resources which will help support them through their learning.

The aim of teaching History at Mark Way is to develop a coherent understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world through a range of different topics, which have been specifically selected to allow the students a greater understanding of the world they live in. We aim to nurture an environment of enquiry, questioning and evaluating answers they reach or receive, whilst encouraging students to never settling for a shallow and the first answer and instead push for a deeper explanation and understanding.

Students with Severe Learning Difficulties will follow an adapted curriculum which allows them to continue topics with their peers whilst emphasising key skills which help with cognitive development, motor skills and general knowledge development. Tasks created will also encourage communication considering the variety of emotional, social and sensory needs.

The GCC Curriculum at Mark Way aims to continually deliver high quality education including during periods of remote learning – whether for an individual pupil or many with students having access to a variety of learning resources which will help support them through their learning.

In KS3 all pupils are to develop competency and expertise in the in the fundamentals ICT and Computing including “computational thinking” and skills. Our aim is to enable the best possible life chances of our learners by showing them practical uses of ICT and Computing, in as many contexts as possible. We recognise daily use of technology in all its guises and enable students to make safe and informed choices about the ICT they use. Making choices impact on the user as well as others and this is an important concept which students are helped to understand.

We focus on use IT to support the students in other areas of learning such as research skills, recording and software specific skills.

We aim to create a variety of theatrical performances and experiences which develop the very best understanding of theatre in all its forms and stage craft. The Performing arts curriculum intent is to ensure all students develop their social, communicative and creative skills to explore their thoughts and emotions by working with others as well as independently. It also focuses on empowering students through performing to become more confident with their speech and language as well as within themselves. The performing arts curriculum will also develop student’s individuality, allowing them to think and express themselves with confidence. Students will have a wide knowledge of opportunities in the expressive arts industry to contribute positively and creatively to society. We offer the opportunity for students to explore and develop their skills beyond those of performing on stage (e.g. costume design, lighting and sound, props, stage management etc). We encourage collaborating creatively to confidently present students’ ideas for an audience through live performance. We aim to develop pupils’ interpersonal skills and to stimulate their imaginations to explore issues beyond their own experience, in a safe and supportive environment. Students following the engagement model will access this with additional support and adapted resources.

All students in KS4 develop competency and expertise in the fundamentals of Using IT, Problem Solving, Applying Skills and Working with others to find solutions in a range of realistic life-based situations. We aim to provide as many contexts as possible in which students can hone and demonstrate their skills. We recognise that these are transferrable “life skills”, which students will need for all aspects of adult life. As such the Personal Development curriculum is designed to mimic real life situations.

The aim of our careers education is to support students in developing an interest in the workplace and becoming prepared for the world of work. We aim for students to have the opportunity to experience a variety of work places both through day visits with links to the taught curriculum where they can see subject matter applied through to a longer work experience over a period of week at the end of year 11.

Our aim in PSHE is for our students to gain a deeper understanding of all Personal, Social and Health issues. With a strong emphasis on communication skills, we hope to equip our students with the necessary skills and knowledge they need, not only to keep themselves safe, but to also thrive in British society, as well as the world of work.

Learning in Physical Education is underpinned by our School Virtues and the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. From our curriculum, pupils will become physically educated through experiencing a range of activity areas that:

● Develop competence in a range of physical skills and the ability to apply these to a range of activities

● Develop tolerance towards others and teach how to solve problems and conflicts themselves

● Teach students to communicate with others effectively

● Create resilient learners who are confident and equipped to take on different challenges

● Teach students how to show respect to each other and the equipment they use

● Provide leadership opportunities for students to show independence when planning and teaching a range of activities

● Provide competition with themselves and with others including inter-school competitions

● Provide a broad range of activities to inspire students to be active outside of school and lead a healthy, active life

● Teach students social skills both within and outside of the school setting

● Develop foundation level skill areas which increase an awareness of their own body

● Develop spatial awareness, to include their own and others space

● Encourage cognitive development through play and interaction

The purpose of religious education is to support our students to develop a sense of what it means to live a religious or non-religious life. In doing so, religious education promotes the students spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Learning about different faiths, cultures and lifestyles is one of the many elements that the Religious Studies offers. The diversity of the studies covered within the Mark Way curriculum gives our students a chance to develop an understanding of different cultures and an empathy for people from all walks of life, which will help their future life, social skills and relationships.
The Syllabus is created in line with Living Difference IV (2021), the agreed syllabus for religious education in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

Students with Severe Learning Difficulties will follow an adapted curriculum which allows them to continue topics with their peers whilst emphasising key skills which help with cognitive development, motor skills and general knowledge development. Tasks created will also encourage communication considering the variety of emotional, social and sensory needs.

The Religious Studies Curriculum at Mark Way aims to continually deliver high quality education including during periods of remote learning – whether for an individual pupil or many with students having access to a variety of learning resources which will help support them through their learning.

SMSC encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum.

Our aim is to achieve thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through our approaches and teaching and deliver of a broad range of learning opportunities for SMSC;

• To develop students’ self-esteem, self-knowledge and belief in themselves

• Allow them to develop a range of personal values and beliefs based on a sense of curiosity and respect towards their own and beliefs and to explore the spiritual values of others

• Allow students to express and develop themselves in a variety of ways and give them time to reflect on their own experiences

Our Thrive programme supports our young people in developing the skills required to regulate, feel and accept positive self-worth. We want our young people to grow into regulated, calm and confident young people who can socialise successfully and demonstrate our school virtues of communication, resilience, responsibility, courage, organisation, independence, respect and tolerance. We aim to develop young people to have strong mental health and independence to enable them to succeed in life.