Seniors Curriculum
Senior School Curriculum
In the Senior School we aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which prepares our pupils well for each next stage of study and for future careers. The details of our curriculum for each keystage can be found below.
For further details, including information about how we teach PSHCE, British Values, how we develop the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural awareness of our pupils and our Careers programme, please see our Curriculum Policy, which can be found here:
The Polam Hall KS3 Curriculum
All our lessons are 50 minutes long.
| Subject | Lessons per wk | Set/Mixed ability | Other information |
| English | 4 (5 in Y7) | Set | |
| Maths | 5 (4 in Y8 and Y9) | Set | Teaching for GCSE Maths begins in Y9 |
| Science | 3 (6 in Y9) | Mixed | Teaching for GCSE Science begins in Y9 |
| French | 2 | Mixed | |
| German | 2 | Mixed | Taught in Y8 and Y9 only |
| History | 2 | Mixed | |
| Geography | 2 | Mixed | |
| Art | 1 | Mixed | Rotation with F Tech and Enterprise in Y8 |
| Food Tech | 1 (2 in Y7) | Mixed | Rotation with Art and Enterprise in Y8 |
| Enterprise | 1 (Y8 and Y9 only) | Mixed | Rotation with Art and F Tech in Y8
Rotation with Computing and PSHCE in Y9 |
| PE | 2 | Mixed | |
| Computing | 1 | Mixed | |
| Music | 1 | Mixed | |
| Drama | 1 | Mixed | |
| RE | 1 | Mixed | |
| PSHCE | 1 | Mixed | Rotation with Computing and Enterprise in Y9 |
The Polam Hall KS4 Curriculum
The following compulsory GCSE subjects are taken by all our pupils:
| Subject | Lessons per wk | Set/Mixed ability | Other information |
| English | 4 in Y10/5 in Y11 | Set | All pupils take English Language and English Literature |
| Maths | 4 | Set | The GCSE course for Maths begins in Y9 |
| Science | 6 | Set | The GCSE courses for Science begin in Y9 |
| RE | 1 | Mixed | |
| PSHCE | 1 | Mixed | |
| PE | 1 | Mixed |
Pupils can then select from the following option subjects:
- Art
- Business Studies
- CACHE
- Drama
- Food Technology
- French
- Geography
- German
- History
- Music
- Physical Education
- Triple Science
Option subjects have three 50 minute lessons per week. Some option subjects will be taught in sets and others in mixed ability groups, depending on the number of pupils and demands of the subject.
Curriculum content and assessment:
All our subject teachers have defined the core skills and core knowledge which each year groups will be taught. We have also developed age related expectations for KS3, against which pupils are assessed. At GCSE and A Level pupils are assessed against the criteria for the specification and qualification. As an all-through school we are able to assess and track our pupils throughout their school careers. The following diagrams show how our assessment system works:
For further, subject specific information about curriculum content and assessment, please use the subject tabs on the Senior School menu.