Our Curriculum Overview
Aims
The aims of the Phoenix Secondary Online curriculum are to:
- Enable pupils to develop knowledge, understand concepts and acquire skills, and be able to choose and apply these in relevant situations.
- Promote a positive attitude towards learning and create an aspirational culture that helps them to aim high.
- Support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
- Equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
- Develop pupils’ independent learning skills and resilience, to equip them for further/higher education and employment.
- Provide a broad and balanced education for all pupils that’s coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge for skills and future learning and employment.
- We want our curriculum to reflect the needs of our students and not necessarily to chance performance measures.
Years 7 and 8 – Lower Secondary
At Phoenix, we deliver the full UK curriculum of core subjects, as well as supplementary subjects, providing an excellent springboard into the next stage of your child’s education. As part of our core KS3 online package, all students in Years 7 and 8 will follow the National Curriculum core subjects of English, Maths, Science In Year 7 and 8, those students who do not study a Modern Foreign Language, instead use the time to develop their skills in literacy and numeracy.
Our core subjects are designed to encourage students to explore and build on their creativity, analytical thinking, independent learning, and teamwork skills.
All students will also take part in the core Pastoral element of the curriculum, including PSHE, Assemblies and Reflect lessons.
Included in this core package at Key Stage 3, is an open selection of 4 additional subjects. Students can choose from:
- French
- PSHE
- Drama & Performance
- French
- Geography
- History
- Music
- Health & Well-being
- STEM – project-based
If students wish to study more than the 7 subjects at KS3, it is also possible to add additional options from this list for an additional fee.
Nowadays, with the brilliance of cutting-edge technology, online learning is now more closely aligned to the in-school learning experience than ever before. Students study the same subjects and topics that are taught in schools across the UK, with the same high standards of teaching too. Students are encouraged to interact with their teachers and classmates, work on group projects and have independent study time too.
Year 9
Students in Year 9 continue to follow all the core subjects –
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- PSHE – which incorporates Relationship and Sex Education and Citizenship.
Students also study 4 Option subjects to study as a foundation for GCSE courses. These are selected during spring term of Year 8 from a range of option choices, mainly from the Humanities curriculum areas.
- Business Studies
- Performing Arts
- French
- Geography
- Psychology
- Health and Social Care
- History
- Sociology
Years 10 and 11
Students begin their GCSE or equivalent courses in earnest in year 10. Students continue to spend a considerable proportion of their curriculum time in their core subjects of:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- PSHE
Students will now spend more hours on their fewer final Option subjects.
Again, there is a thorough programme of information, advice and guidance to help students and their parents/carers during spring term of year 9 to make the best choices about the final option subjects to take through into year 10 to the end of year 11.
PSHE, including elements of Religious, Sex and Relationship Education, and Citizenship continue to be taught through during a discrete one hour lesson each fortnight.
All students will have the opportunity to gain GCSE qualifications in English Language, English Literature and Mathematics.
In Science, students work towards either dual certification in Science knows as Trilogy Combined, which is equivalent to two GCSEs, or triple certification in Physics, Chemistry and Biology known as Separate Sciences, which is 3 GCSEs. Again, students and their parents are advised as to the course which will best suit each student’s abilities and aspirations, the latter of which will occupy one of their option choices.
Subjects and Qualifications
We offer a broad range of subjects so that all students can select those that interest them, play to their strengths, and are relevant to their future study or career aspirations. These include a choice of GCSE and equivalent Vocational qualifications.
Currently the option subjects and qualifications on offer include:
- Business Studies (GCSE)
- Performing Arts (WJEC Vocation Award)
- Psychology (GCSE)
- Geography (GCSE)
- Health and Social Care (OCR Cambridge National)
- History (GCSE)
- Sociology (GCSE)
- French (GCSE)