Our Curriculum

At Astrea Academy Woodfields, we are ambitious for our curriculum to be academically rigorous, carefully constructed by subject specialists and sequenced in a way that ensures systematic teaching and mastery. It should introduce scholars to scholarship and powerful knowledge, that places them in a strong position to lead successful lives beyond school, to question and debate the world around them, making them intellectually curious and tenacious, preparing them for citizenship in a democratic society.

Through engagement with their subject specialism and their subject communities, teachers understand the distinct nature of their subjects and can engage with evidence-based research through the subject lens, so that a subject-specific pedagogic approach can be adopted and used effectively. We do not narrow the curriculum for any scholar. Instead, we ensure that all scholars receive their entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum, including a generous allocation of Art, Drama and Music as distinct specialisms at Key Stage 3.

We work to ensure that our curriculum is coherent and builds learning over time. We ensure that our scholars have embedded opportunities to connect current learning to both past and future, which enables our scholars to build this core knowledge at Key Stage 3, with the opportunity to specialise at Key Stage 4.

Within our curriculum, we ensure that we develop literacy, communication and numeracy skills. This places at the centre of the curriculum plans the need to make our scholars ready for a fulfilling and successful life in the future, tackling head on any socio-economic disadvantage.

Our Personal Development curriculum enables students to make informed choices about being safe and staying healthy. This is supported by access to a well-planned PE curriculum. British Values are interwoven through Personal Development and throughout the frameworks of the relevant subject areas. The Personal Development curriculum builds character and cultural capital, considering specifically the local contexts and needs of our students, whilst requiring them to appreciate and respect other cultures.

We provide excellent careers information, advice and guidance and have a dedicated member of staff to support students at crucial points in deciding their next steps.

Literacy:

We use Apollo (Tutor Time) and curriculum development to prioritise high quality reading for all scholars. Scholars are introduced to high quality texts, which they engage with in the best way. The academy aligns with Astrea Reads, aiming for all scholars to read 10,000 words a day through the reading session and through the bookletised curriculum. All schemes of work throughout the academy consider challenging reading texts and the development of vocabulary through a Reciprocal Reading Approach. This is supported by the Fresh Start (Ruth Miskin) programme, which helps some of our weakest readers to read.

Key Stage 3

Our students follow a broad and balanced, traditional 3-year KS3 curriculum which is firmly based on the knowledge needed in each subject. The curriculum meets NC requirements and is enriched in all areas. Our lessons are 1 hour, with 5 lessons per day.

We assess students on entry to the academy using GL assessment data. This enables us to stream scholars into ability groups, allowing for the right provision to be in place for curriculum delivery.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4