Prospectus - Penair School

Curriculum Overview
Every pupil is entitled to a broad, balanced
and meaningful curriculum.
The Key Stage 3 curriculum fully covers the
requirements of the National Curriculum.
In Years 7, 8 and 9 every student takes a
common course which includes balanced science
and a modern foreign language, either French or
German. All students are able to study a second
modern foreign language (Spanish) in Year 9
In Year 7, part of the timetable is devoted to a crosscurricular
approach to learning, called Penair Learning
Power. During these lessons there is an emphasis
on building the Personal Learning and Thinking Skills
across a range of subjects.
In Years 10 and 11, students follow a common core
curriculum including English, English Literature,
Mathematics, Science, ICT, Physical Education,
Religious Education, Citizenship and Personal, Social
and Health Education (PSHE). There is then a further
choice of up to four option courses. These consist of
GCSE courses, vocational courses provided by local
colleges and other nationally recognised pathways.
The programme includes Information, Advice and
Guidance on Careers and Study Skills.
The timetable is organised to allow the academic
groupings in each year considered most appropriate by
each faculty head. In Year 7 this has resulted in mixed
ability teaching for all faculties, except Mathematics.
By the beginning of Year 8, setting continues in
Mathematics but other faculties often continue to teach
in mixed ability groups. By Year 9, Science will have
been set also and MFL have been setted across at
least half year group populations.
A wide variety of teaching methods is employed to suit
the needs of students and the subject matter being
addressed. Learning is supported in every Faculty by
Teacher Assistants.
A Learning Centre enhances the provision, significantly
adding to the success of our inclusion policies.
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“The curriculum is outstanding because of
the ways in which it is matched with pupils’
needs”. (OFSTED 2009)
The School Day
It is essential that students should arrive in time to
attend registration in their tutor room at 8:30am.
Lesson 1 begins promptly at 8:40. The day consists
of 5 x 1 hour periods and the tutorial/assembly time
is at the start of the afternoon session.
8.30 Start of Day
8.30 – 8.40 Registration
8.40 – 9.40 Period 1
9.40 – 10.40 Period 2
10.40 – 11.00 Morning Break
11.00 – 12.00 Period 3
12.00 – 1.00 Period 4
1.00 – 1.45 Lunch
1.45 – 2.05 Afternoon Registration
2.05 – 3.05 Period 5
followed by Assembly or Tutorial
Assemblies are broadly or mainly of a Christian nature
and are associated with a Learning Objective
for the week. Each week a different theme based on
a Social and Emotional Aspect of Learning (SEAL)
is included in tutorial activities. An example of this
would be “We are learning to work together to overcome
difficult situations”.
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