Leader of Apollo: Mr R Ayres (Associate Assistant Principal)
Apollo is our all-through Year 7 to 11 programme delivered by Apollo tutors. The Apollo programme comprises of a daily Apollo lesson and an Astrea Reads lesson as well as enrichment events and activities planned throughout the year. The Apollo programme is designed to provide scholars with the key knowledge and skills to help them develop personally and professionally. The Apollo programme runs horizontally with scholars based in a year-specific group.
The Apollo programme covers three areas:
- Reading, Vocabulary and Spelling (RVS)
- Personal and Professional Development (PPD) alongside our PSHCE curriculum
- Careers and Financial Education (CFE) alongside our Careers curriculum
Reading, Vocabulary and Spelling (RVS)
The Apollo programme includes one or two reading, vocabulary and spelling (RVS) sessions each week. These sessions are part of our curriculum intention that students:
- Cultivate a love of reading and reading for pleasure.
- Develop their reading (to meet and exceed age-related expectations in accuracy, fluency and comprehension).
- Develop their vocabulary through acquisition and usage of academic words.
- Improve their spelling through acquisition and usage of academic words.
- Develop their cultural capital, particularly through exposure to varied literature. During RVS sessions students are expected to read a book (fiction or non-fiction) or other suitable reading materials which can include anthologies of poetry, plays, novellas, periodicals, journals or academic magazines.
- Students have an Apollo book and folder to complete a reading log and spelling and vocabulary tests.
Personal and Professional Development (PPD)
The Apollo programme supplements our Careers Programme, PSHCE and Safeguarding programmes by providing additional Personal and Professional Development (PPD) sessions. This session is part of our curriculum intention that scholars:
- Explore and develop the eight essential skills needed for success in future education and careers.
- Develop their portfolios of evidence to demonstrate where these eight essential skills have been practised and developed.
Listening | Presenting | Problem Solving | Creativity |
Staying Positive | Aiming High | Leadership | Teamwork |
Careers and Financial Education (CFE)
The Apollo programme includes Careers and Financial Education (CFE) sessions. These sessions are part of our curriculum intention to meet the eight Gatsby Benchmark areas (CEIAG) and the ‘financial and economic’ element of the PSHCE and Citizenship curriculum. These sessions are part of our curriculum intention that scholars:
- Acquire and develop their financial knowledge, skills and attitudes across four key themes: how to manage money; how to be a critical consumer; how to manage risks and emotions associated with money; to understanding the important role money plays in their lives.
- Acquire and develop their careers knowledge, skills and attitudes across key themes including: progression into FE/HE; progression into apprenticeships and traineeships and making positive post-14, 16- and 18- choices.
- Participate in employability and enterprise events and activities.
- Participate in work-related learning (WRL) events and activities; including learning from labour market information (LMI).
The CFE sessions are part of our wider curriculum intention that all scholars participate in a stable careers programme from Year 7 to 13 which includes receiving targeted advice, information and guidance (IAG) from our independent and impartial careers advisors, tailored to personal need and career intentions/aspirations.
Apollo Curriculum Map 2023-24
- Year 7-10 follow a bespoke programme of study linked to the needs of each year group via morning meetings, complimented by assemblies and tutor sessions
- Year 11 Scholars follow an academic programme of study linked to core subjects