Curriculum Overview

Academic and Pastoral Excellence through our Curriculum

At Ormiston Latimer Academy, we offer a curriculum that is as broad and balanced as possible in a nurturing and caring environment. This enables us to prepare learners for a return to mainstream without compromising on potential outcomes for those who complete their education here. 

Our curriculum has also been developed to best prepare our learners for entry into employment, education, or training, whether that be at the end of Year 11 or in the future. The range of accreditation from GCSEs and Vocational courses to Functional Skills and Entry Levels ensures that we can cater to all of our learners.  

Intent

Our Intent is to offer a broad curriculum that provides an element of choice underpinned by a strong core. This enables us to prepare learners for a return to mainstream without compromising on potential outcomes for those who complete their examinations here at Ormiston Latimer Academy. We aim to provide an offer that allows all learners to experience a breadth of subjects, which are delivered through tailored approaches and which develop pro-social behaviours. Our intent is to allow learners to achieve formal qualifications at Key Stage 4 and be fully prepared for their post-16 destinations.

Our enrichment offer allows learners to enjoy, achieve, and participate in activities that will aid their emotional and mental wellbeing as well as develop their cultural capital outside the core and options offer. Our timetable is structured so that it provides opportunities for whole-school literacy, numeracy, and pastoral intervention time.

Our intent, therefore, is to offer as broad a range of qualifications as possible whilst best meeting the individual needs of the learner.

Our curriculum is personalized to learners’ needs and identifies gaps in previous learning whilst reinforcing behaviour for learning. We offer a mixture of traditional GCSE subjects and vocational options that allow learners the chance to gain qualifications in subjects that they are engaged in.

At Key Stage 3, our intent is to provide a curriculum that identifies gaps in previous learning and to re-engage children in subjects that are delivered in an accessible way. We aim to reintegrate learners in both Key Stages, where it is possible and appropriate. Our Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum core offer is reflective of the curriculum taught in the majority of RBKC Schools, so that when our learners are reintegrated, they are not totally disadvantaged by being educated out of a mainstream setting for a period. This is also in line with our high expectations and allows more opportunities at post-16 transition.

In both Key Stages 3 and 4, Careers education remains a key feature. Additionally, Year 11s are allocated an Academic Mentor where post-16 options are discussed and learners partake in a range of activities as delivered by partner agencies.

Implementation

Our curriculum implementation is predicated on the induction periods where baseline data is assessed via the completion of New Group Reading and Spelling Tests (NGRT/NGST), Cognitive Ability Test(CATS), as well as progress tests in English, Maths, and Science (PTE/PTM/PTS). 

If learners score low or if teachers identify concerns in learning, they will be referred for Speech and Language, and Communication Needs assessment (SPLCNA). Learners will also complete a Pupil Attitude to School and Self (PASS) assessment. This data is then used to identify any barriers to learning or specific needs that they have, so planned intervention and support can be put in place, ensuring that every learner is given the opportunity to reach their full potential. In all classes, differentiated learning activities are used to stretch and challenge whilst further scaffolding lesson content to support learners who need it.

Assessment and feedback are frequent and provide specific “next steps” so learners are fully aware of what they need to do to improve. Inclusion and SEN in the curriculum are planned carefully and specifically to match learners’ needs. Additional specialist advice may be sought, eg, Educational Psychologist (EP) and Speech and Language, when appropriate, and, when necessary, technology and/or interventions with identified teachers and LSPs will be used to support the learner. Our curriculum is palpable in every part of the school day, during both structured and unstructured times. The day begins in the same way for all groups, which includes breakfast and soft landings. This allows all learners to be ready to engage in the formal curriculum and provides opportunities for staff to have conversations, address concerns, and prepare learners for the day ahead.

The implementation of the curriculum for each group is available in the table provided. It shows our specialist approach using a mixture of formal lessons and unstructured opportunities to ensure all learners can achieve success.

Impact

The anticipated impact of our curriculum is evidenced by our academic achievement and the improvement in soft skills that our learners develop. This can be seen in a range of ways, such as through behavioural patterns and changes, PASS surveys, reintegration, and post-16 destinations. We measure impact through core subject progress 3 times a year by benchmarking learners against the national picture through the use of GL assessments at Key Stage 3, and past GCSE papers at Key Stage 4. Subject teachers regularly formatively monitor engagement, progress, and gaps in learning through internal data systems and PupilProgress, as well as qualitative pastoral reviews.

Intent

Many of our learners have been unable to experience success within a mainstream model. Learners sometimes arrive in crisis and require a mixture of academic and pastoral support alongside the curriculum we deliver. We have some learners present with needs that were unable to be met by previous schools and require specialist support. Due to significant barriers faced, such as poor attendance, SEND needs, and/or declining behaviours for learning, our approach to personal development focuses on engaging all learners in education, whether through internal or external means, to provide them with lifelong skills.

Implementation

The teaching and pastoral teams play a huge part in the nurture, health, and well-being of our learners. We are dedicated to supporting our learners and their families through in-school support and working closely with outside agencies. All learners receive two periods of PSHE aimed at ensuring all participants are equipped with the skills and knowledge to be successful in the wider world and to keep themselves safe.

In addition, the new Strengthening Minds pastoral offer provides reflective, fun, and meaningful activities in units such as Developing Self-Esteem, Positive Behaviour and Emotional Wellbeing, Positive Communication and Pupil Empowerment, to name a few.

Over the course of the year, we plan intervention lessons and assemblies that relate to relevant issues that learners may encounter in their everyday lives, where we may also utilize community partners. Staff will participate in the delivery of ‘Drop Down’ days spread throughout the academic year to focus on various topics and issues.

SMSC objectives are covered mainly in the PSHE and Pastoral curriculum and mapped across other subject areas and enrichment activities.  Learning guides (tutors) lead weekly reflection sessions with their tutees in addition to the daily morning registration period. Where required, learners are allocated 1:1 mentoring.

Our aim is to ensure that all learners re-engage in education and learning through a nurturing and highly engaging curriculum by staff who are trained to work with those who have SEMH needs.

Impact

Impact is measured through learner attitudes to school (data collected via survey) as well as behaviour and attendance progress against achievement data recorded during structured and unstructured time. Other factors considered include a reduction in exclusions. Reintegration rates for our learners are good, with a number of our learners returning to mainstream schools.

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