‘To foster academic and personal development in a caring and challenging environment so each individual can achieve their potential’

Curriculum Principles:

At Newminster Middle School our curriculum is designed with students’ learning, achievement and enjoyment at the centre. Our curriculum has breadth and is designed to be fully accessible and inclusive to all. It aims to equip students with the skills necessary to maximise their success in school now, in their future school career and in their lives beyond. Using our Teaching and Learning model, we aim to ensure all students enjoy learning and flourish as a result of a positive climate for learning, effective planning and teaching for learning and targeted feedback and assessment for learning. 

We aim to ensure that our Curriculum:

• Is broad and balanced;
• Is interesting and engaging;
• Encourages depth of learning as well as breadth;
• Allows for the appropriate support and challenge such that all learners can make excellent progress, regardless of their starting points;
• Builds on previous learning and allows for progression within a subject;
• Creates opportunity for different types of learning e.g. practical, creative etc.;
• Develops skills throughout e.g. literacy and numeracy;
• Develops personal skills of teamwork, independence, resilience etc.
• Incorporates our 9 Core Values (outlined below)
• Supports the development of students spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding

An important feature of our curriculum offer is the extensive personal development and enrichment curriculum we provide and which is designed to engage and enthuse our learners and provide a breadth of opportunity. This offer is designed to enthuse our students in STEM subjects, the Creative Arts and Sport whilst also delivering on:

• PSHE and RSE
• Health and well-being
• Personal safety
• Enterprise
• CEIAG
• Citizenship

Through delivery of our comprehensive personal development curriculum we want all of our students to:

• Learn how to lead safe (including staying safe online), healthy and fulfilling lives 
• Learn how to establish and maintain positive relationships with both their peers and adults
• Be supported with their next stages in education and feel resilient in dealing with the challenges that life may present
• Become responsible young people who make positive and sustained contributions to their community

Accomplished Students:

Our aim is to ensure that our students are accomplished and that they are fully equipped with our core values of:

These core values are threaded through all aspects of our curriculum and are at the heart of all that we do. In essence we want to develop accomplished students through offering a curriculum which is fully inclusive, provides opportunity for all and which provides the level of challenge that allows our young people to do their very best and be well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Curriculum Model:

Our Curriculum Model for KS2 and KS3 is outlined below and operates on a 30 lesson structure, with most lessons being scheduled as double lessons. The models below indicate the lesson allocation each week, with a small number of lessons operating as doubles each fortnight rather than a single lesson each week. This has enabled the delivery of a more comprehensive and challenging curriculum in these curriculum areas e.g. Technology.

KS2 Curriculum:

As our students progress into Year 5, our main priority is to give them the skills that they need as they move forward into the challenge of the upper KS2 curriculum and that they are fully prepared for KS3 and beyond. We want our students to have a joy for learning and to benefit from the access to specialist facilities and teaching that our middle school context provides.

KS3 Curriculum:

We work closely with our partnership middle schools and out feeder High School to plan and deliver a 3 year KS3 curriculum programme in most subjects. This ensures that all students maintain a breadth of study throughout their KS3 education. 

Curriculum Maps:

Teaching and Learning:

Our Teaching and Learning model enables us to adopt a consistent approach whilst also ensuring that staff have the freedom to deliver creative, individual and interesting lessons based on personal expertise and strengths.  

We fully understand that students learn in many different ways and teachers are encouraged to work collaboratively to plan lessons and schemes of work to account for these differences and to maximise attainment for all learners irrespective of their starting points. Teachers are tasked to put all learning into context and ensure all students see how the learning fits into the broader curriculum picture of both the topic and subject.

Curriculum review and development is a constant and ongoing process in school. Curriculum collaboration with First School and High School colleagues, as well as with our sister Middle Schools, ensures continuity in the curriculum offer across both KS2 and KS3 and ensures that students are well prepared for the next phase of their education.

For further information about the Curriculum please contact: 

Your child’s Form Tutor or Year Lead

Curriculum Leaders for each Curriculum Area

Mrs Razzaqi – Assistant Head

Updated: September 2021