Curriculum
At ICC our curriculum is based around four key principles:
All students will experience a broad, balanced and rich curriculum
Our curriculum time allows students to cover all areas of the National Curriculum and explore KS4 concepts in more depth than is outlined on exam specifications. Our offer at KS3 is broad and rich; it allows access to a full range of subjects. This is replicated at KS4 and KS5 where a diverse variety of subjects are available for students to pursue.
Our offer at KS4 and KS5 consists of a rich choice of arts, technical and vocational learning alongside traditional academic disciplines. All students are encouraged to follow a language and all students follow at least one Humanities subject beyond Year 8.
Many of our students have a clear idea of subjects which engage them by the middle of Year Eight. We offer choice at this stage to engage our students as partners in their learning, valuing their thinking and improving their outcomes. They can, therefore, spend more time on their five chosen areas of learning by the time they start their KS4 Foundation Year.
A full programme of careers advice and experience of employers through their school life supports their high take up of further study or suitable employment.
All students will leave with the levels of literacy and numeracy required for a successful future
The development of reading, writing, oracy and numeracy is a thread that runs through all areas of our school curriculum. Good communication skills are an essential aspect of a successful future, and our curriculum is structured to strongly support their improvement.
Our teachers have a firm grasp of the disciplinary literacy skills that make their subject so unique. Students are given regular opportunities to learn, develop and practice these disciplinary literacy skills enabling them to ‘join the academic club’ of each subject discipline.
All students will achieve the best possible outcomes facilitated through a research driven curriculum-design and high expectations
We have the highest possible expectations of students conduct and progress; our mantra of ‘100 for 100’ sets out our expectation that students should commit 100% effort to 100% of their lessons. Our staff strive to support all students, whatever their abilities and strengths, to be successful and ready for the next stage of their development.
The curriculum within subject areas have been designed and sequenced to best promote long-term retention of core knowledge and key skills. Regular, high-quality formative assessment runs through our curriculum; this provides students with clear feedback on how to improve and reach their unique potential. Levels of challenge stretch all students and tasks are effectively modelled and scaffolded to support those most in need.
All students will build character and develop culturally, socially, mentally, and physically
We promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of our students and ensure that they are prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We have regular provision for personal, social, health and economic education and for sex and relationship education through RSHE days.
We offer a range of opportunities for students to develop their character, morals and awareness of the world around them. Students regularly engage in opportunities to build their cultural capital in a school of rich diversity.
We allow all students an entitlement to visit cultural centres and gain access to a broad range of physical pursuits to promote a healthy lifestyle. These are all provided at low or no cost. Each subject curriculum gives time for students to develop their understanding of their local community and how displaying modern ‘British Values’ best serves themselves and others around them.
Years 7 & 8 - Key Stage 3
All students experience a broad and balanced curriculum ay Key Stage 3 that includes: English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Philosophy & Ethics, Computing, French, Spanish, PE, Design & Technology, Food, Art, Drama, Dance, Music & RSHE (5 whole days a year). During Year 8 students undertake the KS4 Options process to choose which subjects they wish to follow in their KS4 Foundation Year (Year 9) and Year 10 & 11.Years 7 & 8 - Key Stage 3
The subject areas studied and the allocations of session (in a two week cycle) are shown below:
(Where there are two numbers, the first is for year 7 and the second is for year 8.)
Art & Design – 2, 3
Dance & Performing Arts – 3
Design Technology – 2
Drama – 2
Food Technology – 1
English – 9, 9
Geography – 3
History – 3
ICT – 2, 1
MFL – 3
Maths – 8, 7
Music – 1
Physical Education – 3
Religious Studies – 2
Science – 7
Years 9, 10 & 11 - Key Stage 4
All students follow a core curriculum of English Language and English Literature, Mathematics, Science, PE and RSHE (six whole days/per year). A variety of science courses are offered, which include Combined Science and Separate Sciences. All students take the RE short course qualifications during their KS4 Foundation Year. In addition to our core curriculum students make five further option choices from various GCSE and ‘High Value’ vocational qualifications The optional subjects on offer are: Art and Design, Business Studies, Computer Science, Dance, Drama, French, Geography, Health & Social Care, Food, History, ICT, Media Studies, Music, Psychology, Philosophy & Ethics, Spanish and Sport Studies. Our subject offer is expanding year-on-year to ensure students experience the broadest possible curriculum. Students who require additional literacy and/or numeracy support to enable them to access our wider curriculum experience targeted intervention with catch-up specialist staff.Years 9, 10 & 11 - Key Stage 4
The subject areas studied and the allocations of session (in a two week cycle) are shown below:
Art & Design – Option
Dance & Performing Arts – Option
Design Technology – Option
Drama – Option
Food Technology – Option
English – 8
Geography – Option
History – Option
ICT – Option
MFL – Option
Maths – 7
Music – Option
Physical Education – 2
Religious Studies – Option
Science – 8
Sixth Form - Key Stage 5
SIXTH FORM – Key Stage 5 We offer a large range of level 3 subjects covering A level and vocational courses (BTEC). In each subject, students receive nine one-hour lessons per fortnight. Students choose three subjects to study, either all A Levels, all Vocational Level 3 qualifications or a ‘mix and match’ of these. Students continue these courses through Year 13. The Sixth Form course offer is reviewed annually.Sixth Form - Key Stage 5
Please see section below for current Sixth Form offer.
For further information about our curriculum, please contact Mr Conlon, Deputy Headteacher by email dco@ifieldcc.co.uk or call 01293 420500.
Our curriculum complies with our duties in the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 about making the curriculum accessible for those with disabilities or special educational needs.
Sixth Form – Key Stage 5
Current level 3 subjects offered are:
A-Levels
Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, DT: Product Design, Economics (B), English Language, English Literature, Fashion & Textiles, Fine Art, French, Geography, History, Philosophy, Photography, Physics, Psychology, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Certificate in Mathematical Studies (one-year course), Media Studies, Spanish, Sociology
Vocational Level 3
Applied Law (BTEC National Level 3), Applied Science (BTEC National Level 3), Business (BTEC National Level 3), Creative & Performing Arts (RSL Level 3), Food Science & Nutrition (WJEC Level 3), Forensic & Criminal Investigation (BTEC National Level 3), Health and Social Care (OCR Technical Level 3), ICT (OCR Technical Level 3), Music (BTEC National Level 3), Sport (OCR Technical Level 3), Travel & Tourism (BTEC National Level 3)
Level 2 Programme
We offer a Level 2 programme for students resitting English and Maths or wishing to increase their number of GCSEs at grade 4+.
Students choose four Level 2 subjects to study. In each subject, students receive seven (core subjects) or nine one-hour lessons per fortnight. Current Level 2 subjects offered are:
- GCSE English Language
- English (Functional Skills Level 2)
- GCSE Mathematics
- GCSE Combined Science
- Creative & Performing Arts (RSL Level 2)
- IT User Skills (BCS Level 2)
- Photography (GCSE)
- Public Services (BTEC Level 2)
- Sport & Physical Activity (OCR Level 2)
- Travel & Tourism (BTEC Level 2)
*It is a national requirement that all students must re-sit their English and/or Maths GCSE if they do not achieve at least a grade 4 in Year 11.*
Different students have different strengths and different interests. We want to stimulate the students’ interest and ambition so that they are successful in school, seek further study and a fulfilling career. The breadth of choice is to allow as many students as possible to be on courses that stimulate and engage them.
This allows for a wider range of contact times for different subjects. For example if a subject has five hours per fortnight, in a one-week timetable it could only have two hours a week (four hours per fortnight) or three hours per week (six hours per fortnight).
In Key Stage 3 all students study a variety of subjects within the curriculum allowing them to develop their skills from primary school or even discover new interests in some specialised ways. Each student is timetabled into lessons for: English, Maths, Science, Physical Education, Geography, History, Religious Studies, French or Spanish, Computer Science, Art, Design Technology, Dance, Drama, Music, Performing Arts. Having a broad curriculum helps our students to establish good foundations in the core subjects and enables them to have informed choices for their GCSE options for Key Stage 4.
We guide one choice to be History or Geography to establish a strong academic base. There are then four further choices. Every year 8 student has a meeting with their parents and a member of the senior leadership team to ensure they have considered balance in their choices during one of their Progress Review Days.
We feel that students are more engaged in the subjects that they choose. They have a wide choice and so have a broad curriculum. The requirements of the new GCSE subjects include a large amount of knowledge and the extra course time allows for skills development as well as knowledge acquisition. This allows greater depth to the subjects they choose.
All students study French or Spanish in year 7 and 8. Studying languages is then a choice for the parents and students. We encourage, but do not insist on, students studying languages to GCSE. A language is part of the English Baccalaureate which is recommended for most students by the Department for Education.
In Key Stage 4 all students will study the core subjects, English, Maths, Science and have Physical Education. They can choose from Geography or History and four other options. We encourage students to choose a modern foreign language. The four free options can be any combination from below as we provide option blocks to facilitate as many student choices as possible.
Art, Business Studies, Computer Science, Dance, Design Technology, Drama, Food, French, Geography, History, Health and Social Care, Media, Music, Psychology, RE, Spanish, Sport, Triple Science, Travel and Tourism.
Six days of the year the timetable is suspended for all students and staff, so we have the flexibility to deliver RHSE topics in an optimal way. We can allocate the most appropriate staff to the subject matter and have outside speakers and educational trips without disruption to other lessons. We have found this model much more successful and we can ensure all students cover key areas of their wider learning. The days also include some of our futures programme to help guide students with their post 16 choices and entitlement trips to give every student a wider range of experiences beyond the classroom environment.
We believe every students’ learning is enriched by visits to museums, art galleries and universities. Students’ personal development is enhanced through a residential experience in year 7.
We ensure that every student is able to access these experiences at low cost so that there is not a financial barrier to these important learning experiences.
There is a range of courses to suit all abilities. There are traditional academic A Levels in a wide range of subjects, vocational qualifications at level 2 (GCSE equivalent) and level 3 (A level equivalent) and opportunities to re-sit GCSE English and Maths if this is required. Please see our Sixth Form pages for the up to date list of choices.
Interviews are held with Year 11 students to offer advice on both sixth form and external opportunities in the autumn term. Those who wish to apply to sixth form here have a further interview in the spring, and we ensure students have an intended destination through individual support.
