Curriculum

Evolve Academy provides education for students with SEMH needs, and students who have experienced difficulties with their learning and behaviour in mainstream school. Our students have an EHC Plan, or are at risk of being permanently excluded or have been permanently excluded. Many of our learners have a history of disruptive education in mainstream schools with frequent fixed term exclusions. The curriculum at the Academy is devised to encompass everything that a student might experience, from their arrival in the morning right through to the end of the day. We expect our curriculum to be broad, balanced and have clear progression pathways in subject knowledge and skills, to be filled with rich first-hand purposeful experiences and to be flexible and responsive to individual needs and interests.

Curriculum statement

The secondary curriculum at Evolve Academy is devised to encompass everything that a student might experience, from their arrival in the morning right through to the end of the day. We expect our curriculum to be broad, balanced and have clear progression pathways in subject knowledge and skills, to be filled with rich first-hand purposeful experiences and to be flexible and responsive to individual needs and interests.

To this end, we offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications from Entry Level 3- Level 2.

We believe that there is a qualification to suit everyone, and do our very best to support our students to gain qualifications that interest and challenge them, suit their learning style and will give them the qualifications that they need to make the next step in their educational career.

Religious Studies is not taught as a discrete subject but social, moral, and spiritual issues are explored through our mandatory PSHE curriculum, our Personal Development curriculum, and our Pastoral programme.

Curriculum Aims

To make learning an enjoyable experience, enabling students to achieve their full potential, and gain the qualifications to allow them to successfully make the next step in their educational career.
To re-engage students with learning and build their confidence and self-esteem so that they see themselves as students that can be successful.
To develop their skills in communication, literacy, numeracy and decision-making so that they can function in adult life
To prepare them for the world of work and independent living and to take their place as active citizens in the UK

Underpinning principles

We seek to deliver a curriculum that:

Is motivating and enjoyable and engages students in learning
Is challenging and aspirational
Is broad and balanced
Encourages students to take responsibility for their learning and behaviour and is based upon mutual respect.
Provides opportunities for accreditation
Provides students with opportunities to develop their skills and interests
Supports post-16 progression into further education, employment or training
Is personalised and individualised and recognises progress and celebrates achievement
Provides opportunities for students to “make good choices” and builds self-esteem
Prepares students for life beyond school both in their personal and working lives
Supports students to ‘be healthy’, ‘stay safe’, and ‘make a positive contribution’.
Promotes students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and enables them to become active citizens.
Is accessible to all students

The Informal and Formal Curriculum

We believe that the informal curriculum plays a very important role in supporting our students’ personal and social development. We offer a range of experiences across the Academy, trips, visits and visitors to enrich the formal curriculum. We work with partner agencies to offer football, boxing and music..

At Key Stage 3 the formal curriculum includes English, maths, ICT, Science, Food, PE, RSHE (including sex and relationships education)

At Key Stage 4 students study English, Maths, ICT, RSHE, Equality and Diversity, Science, PE. Programmes of study lead to appropriate nationally recognised accreditation such as GCSE, iGCSE, functional skills and level 1 and 2 award/certificates.

The courses available to pupils in Key Stage 4 are as follows:

GCSE English AQA
GCSE Mathematics Edexcel
Functional skills level 1 and 2 English
Functional skills level 1 and 2 Maths
Open Award L2 Science
Functional skills level 1 and 2 ICT
NCFE level 2 certificate in Sport and Fitness
NCFE L2 Equality and Diversity
NCFE L2 RSHE

Our Primary curriculum is designed to mirror that of a mainstream school as much as possible in order to enable a smooth transition from either an AP to a mainstream school, or to enable a smooth transition from an SEMH primary to a mainstream secondary school if suitable.

Curriculum Offer Websites & Further Information

GCSE (9-1) English Language

AQA | Subjects | English | GCSE

GCSE (9-1) English Literature

AQA | English | GCSE | English Literature

Functional Skills English (Edexcel)

Edexcel Functional Skills in English | Pearson qualifications

GCSE (9-1) Maths

Maths GCSE | Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (2015) | Pearson qualifications

Functional Skills Maths (Edexcel)

Edexcel Functional Skills in Mathematics | Pearson qualifications

Functional Skills English (Edexcel)