KS4

Curriculum Intent

Ambitious| Academic| Kind| Honest| Family

Buxton School is an all-through school in East London providing inclusive education all the way from Nursery to Year 11.  Our all-through tailored curriculum represents our unique family of pupils. Our school community is enriched with a variety of ethnicities, languages and religions and our curriculum reflects and respects this wonderful diversity. ​

Our curriculum challenges our pupils to consider the world around them from more than one perspective. We aim to inspire ambition, develop personal empowerment, build resilience and stimulate creative and critical thinking. Furthermore, we strive to develop cultural knowledge and provoke pupils to have a curiosity about the world that they live in, to successfully prepare and equip them for the future.

Our curriculum provides the following for our pupils: 

1. A broad and balanced curriculum which reflects the changing world.
2. Strong GCSE results for all pupils – all pupils will perform to the best of their ability
3. Ambitious, empowered, and resilient young people.
4. Life learners with clear pathways in place after they leave Buxton School through our Career’s Programme.
5. A love for learning which builds on cultural knowledge and provokes learners to have a curiosity about the world in which they live in.
6. A curriculum which respects and reflects the different backgrounds and experiences of our pupils.

Curriculum Offer

• We operate a two-week timetable in the Secondary Phase.
• Each week, there are 28, 55-minute lessons for Years 7-9 (Key Stage 3).
• Each week, there are also 28, 55-minute lessons for Years 10-11 (Key Stage 4).
• Tutor time is from 8.30am-8.55am every morning for all. 
• The attendance register is taken electronically at 8.35am and attendance at Tutor time is compulsory for all students.
• Tutor time is an essential part of our PSHCE and RSE programme and we dedicate a good proportion of our mornings to getting our pupils ready for their day. 
• In all Year groups there are mixed ability tutor groups.

• Year 11 students have 3 additional intervention sessions during the week.
• There are a range of enrichment clubs for all year groups, such as Debate Mate, Chess Club, DT and Food Clubs, Music and Drama, Coding club alongside our comprehensive sports offer. 
• PSHCE/RSE for all students will be delivered through two PSHCE lesson once a week called PSHE.
• Homework is set for all students using our digital platform Satchelone.  Homework is used to rehearse core knowledge.  We also offer a Homework Club, after school for those who need this space.

GCSE OPTIONS 2023.pdf

Key Stage 3

All students follow a three-year Key Stage 3 programme and a two-year Key Stage 4 GCSE programme.  Students choose their GCSE option subjects in March of Year 9.

Further information about this process and subjects on offer are on our website.

Key Stage 4

In Years 10 and 11, Key Stage 4 students study their examination courses leading to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

Students study a range of different courses which meet the needs of those who prefer to learn in different ways.

In Years 10 and 11, all students study a ‘Core’ Curriculum (32 lessons over 2 weeks) plus 4 ‘Option’ Subjects (24 lessons over 2 weeks).

During Key Stage 4, our pupils’ study English Language, Literature, Maths, Science, Religious Studies, PE and choose a further 4 Subjects.  This is apart from a very small number of pupils who will follow a supported pathway.

We offer several subjects at KS4, and this includes:

Key Stage 3 Assessment  

At KS3 our assessment does not use GCSE grades we use qualitative professional judgements.  Each pupil is provided a threshold based on Key Stage 2 Data or In-house data (if no KS2 data is available). Feedback is an essential tool at Buxton and teachers focus on providing students with feedback to help students improve their work and make progress.  Assessments are made holistically by looking at a range of evidence which includes their work in class, tests extended writing, class discussions, group, practical work, and performance before determining their rate of progress. 

Students are assessed at the end of every module (unit/topic) and formally reported on two-three times a year and given a progress rating from the five statements (listed on the page 4).

Reporting

For all pupils, we record and report a judgment on the key learning objectives for each threshold.   A tracking report will share the following information: