Our Curriculum

Our aim at Aspire is simple – we want to provide the best possible education for our students. We will help every individual to achieve their goals, dreams and ambitions.

Our curriculum is devised in such a way that it enables students to build up a rich body of knowledge over time. It reflects the pupil’s and school’s local context and helps students become confident individuals with the academic skills, intellectual habits, qualities of character and leadership traits that they need to succeed today and in tomorrow's world. 

We provide students with a broad curriculum experience and support them so that they become resilient and successful in all aspects of their learning.

The school’s ASPIRE values are at the heart of our curriculum provision. Threaded through our curriculum are the ‘seven pillars of character’. These pillars are integral to the ASPIRE values. Each value is ‘taught’ and ‘caught’. 

 

Our key curriculum values

Academic skills

Students will develop the necessary study habits, learning strategies, personal organisation, and time management skills they need to help them master their learning. Without mastery, they will not fulfil their potential.

Intellectual habits

So that they fulfil their potential, we encourage students to develop fierce concentration through sustained attention. Thoroughness, accuracy, meaningful reflection and critical analytical thinking are taught skills at our school.

Successful citizens

To serve and become successful civic contributors we help our students become socially aware; develop a strong moral conscience and become effective communicators. Our students need a suite of academic qualifications as well as being digitally literate, capable of analytical and critical thinking and self-motivated.

Character and leadership traits

Character development is ‘taught and caught’ through lessons and by constant modelling of our ‘seven pillars of character’. These are held together using the acronym ‘ASPIRE’. 


Our key curriculum aims

  • A well sequenced, well-planned curriculum that provides breadth, then depth and helps students acquire new knowledge and develop new skills

  • A strong academic core of subjects, including English and mathematics that ensures students have the important knowledge they need to be successful citizens of the future

  • To make sure that students have a wide range of opportunities to read so that they can acquire a deeper understanding of the subjects they are studying

  • To provide meaningful careers education in all subject areas that helps students reflect on their ambitions, interests, strengths, and abilities and ensures that they transition successfully from school to further education, training, or employment. 

  • To promote additional opportunities across a range of areas such as sport, performance, and the arts. 

  • To ensure pupils have access to a vocational curriculum to ensure a smooth transition onto the next stage of their education or employment.

For more information about our curriculum, please contact the Executive Principal, Mr O'Hagan.

Subjects followed by students in key stage 3 (Years 7 to 9)

The curriculum includes:

  • English

  • Maths

  • Science

  • Humanities

  • Food and catering

  • ICT

  • Physical education

  • Enrichment - this includes personal development, citizenship and cadets

  • Behaviours

Subjects followed by students in key stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)

Core Curriculum

  • English GCSE

  • Mathematics GCSE

  • Science GCSE

  • Entry-level English

  • Entry-level mathematics

  • Entry-level science

  • NCFE business and enterprise

  • NCFE sport

  • NCFE health and social care

  • ASDAN hair and beauty