Belong School Devon’s Curriculum
Curriculum Intent
The core purpose of our curriculum intent is to enable all our students to become thriving, successful adults in a modern world.
Our curriculum encompasses all that we say, teach and learn in the school; it defines the experience of our students and the environment in which they learn. It pervades all aspects of life at school including, importantly, the school’s ethos and environment and its partnerships with parents/carers and the wider community.
Provision of a rich, inclusive learning environment where every learner is empowered to progress and achieve is fundamental to the curriculum intent at Belong School Devon.
The curriculum is the whole learning experience offered by the school. How students learn is as important as what they learn. Students are learning all the time and it is our responsibility to optimise learning opportunities throughout the school day.
Learn
….to enjoy education, make progress and achieve their full potential
Grow
…. to be confident individuals who can live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
Thrive
… as responsible citizens who seek to make a positive contribution to society
Curriculum Design and Delivery
Our Curriculum Model has two aspects. The curriculum model is designed to be balanced, challenging and relevant. It is also innovative and personalised, built around students’ individual needs and based on their ability and potential and ensures that all statutory curriculum guidance is delivered to all students.
Each student has timetabled lessons and a bespoke individualised curriculum consisting of our core curriculum and including of a wide range of additional activities. These activities and experiences are created and organised based around an individual’s specific EHCP needs and areas for development.
Learning starts as soon as the student arrives at the school site or a Learning Outside the Classroom (LOTC) facility. Formal timetabled lessons take place in a range of subjects for all students in groups or individually. Mealtimes and social times contribute towards development of communication, social and interaction skills as well as the wider curriculum.
1
Core Offer Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4
2
Extended Curriculum Key Stage 3
3
Specialist Specific Curriculum Key stage 4
4
Additional Offer Key stage 3 and 4
5
KS4 Core Offer Subject Pathways
Relationship and Sex Education
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) is taught within the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Biological aspects of RSE are taught within the science curriculum, and other aspects are included in religious education (RE) at KS3.
RSE is also a core part of our provision, tailored to meet the need of the individual and forms an essential part of their learning. Students also receive stand-alone sex education sessions delivered by a trained health professional.
RSE focuses on giving young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds including Families, respectful relationships (including friendships), online content and media, being safe and Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health.
All areas of learning are taught within the context of family life taking care to ensure that there is no stigmatisation of children based on their home circumstances (families can include single parent families, LGBT parents, families headed by grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents/carers amongst other structures) along with reflecting sensitively that some children may have a different structure of support around them (for example: looked after children or young carers).
To find out more about Belong School Devon’s approach to RSE, please see our Relationship and Sex Education policy using the link below.
Key to our curriculum is our
Learning Outside the Classroom
Balanced curriculum to support student wellbeing
At Belong School Devon we use our relational approach to enable students to be emotionally ready to learn. The proactive teaching and coaching of the skills and capacities fundamental to wellbeing underpins every aspect of our curriculum.
Wellbeing Development
Wellbeing development is the over-arching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum. These key areas are designed to encompass the statutory components of PSHE- RSE and SMSC. All staff work to create an environment and opportunities for our students to be creative, to develop risk awareness, to acquire an understanding and sense of belonging and community, to be independent and plan for the future and to develop good mental and physical wellbeing.
Sequenced, integrated curriculum
Wellbeing development will be taught through a combination of specific sequenced lessons and providing discreet learning experiences that ensure students are all provided with opportunities to develop these key areas.
Curriculum offer summary
Our curriculum offer and a summary of qualifications can be found below
KS3 Academic curriculum offer
Results 2022/23
Our year 11s achieved some fantastic results across a range of subjects