Curriculum Intent

'All pupils who finished Year 11 found a place in further education, employment or training' - Ofsted

Mary Astell Academy intends to “prepare its pupils for success in a changing world”. To ensure that this aspiration is accessible to all pupils, irrespective of their educational background and circumstances, our curriculum has been created and structured to provide a broad and balanced range of subjects and experiences, far exceeding the statutory requirement.  Our challenging and relevant curriculum delivers the knowledge-rich learning and skills-rich opportunities required for success, and which will prepare our pupils for their future choices.

In order to deliver this:

• The staff at Mary Astell have devised an ambitious curriculum with the highest expectations for all pupils. This is supported by the delivery of high quality educational experiences both in and beyond the classroom, and is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all our pupils
• There is a high degree of curriculum personalisation through which pupils are afforded the appropriate time to learn and are provided with the right conditions to learn

In addition to fulfilling our pupils’ academic needs, we also seek to:

• Ensure our pupils develop a knowledge and understanding of British Values and the implications for life in modern day Britain
• Ensure that through their learning pupils grow their spiritual, moral, social and cultural capital knowledge, and develop positive attitudes in their relationships with others, which will help them thrive in their future lives

All adults ensure that a strong pastoral ethos is provided, which seeks to nurture and support our pupils who come from a very wide variety of backgrounds which have, and in many cases continue, to present obstacles to success. We have the highest expectations, hopes and ambitions for all our pupils; they are valued and respected learners.

We strive for all pupils to learn from the culture of respect, through the fair and honest way in which they are treated by staff, and then to emulate those shared values and practices with their peers, adults in school and in the wider world. It is expected that pupils behave safely and responsibly, endeavouring to show tolerance and respect for others and their lifestyles, regardless of culture, faith or tradition. Relationships between pupils and adults are built over time, through a high level of engagement and a targeted and professional approach to our pastoral duty. We strive to develop those in our care into resilient, self-regulating, independent young people who have the highest of aspirations for themselves. This, and other elements of, our Character Curriculum form an essential and fundamental part of our holistic programme. Our pupils should be proud of their numerous achievements and will want to progress to make significant contributions in the wider community, as young adults themselves.

Further to the explanation of our curriculum’s overarching structure, in each area there is a clear subject specific rationale as to why particular content is included and why it is sequenced in a particular order.

Our curriculum is seen as necessarily dynamic and evolving, seeking to consist of all that develops individual pupil’s academic, personal and social understanding. As such, it is particularly ambitious and seeks to reflect interests, drive aspirations and secure destinations of choice for our pupils.

Ambition is the key to success – ambitious standards, delivered by ambitious teachers and support staff, leads to ambitious achievement by our pupils.