In Years 7, 8 and 9, we offer a broad and balanced, knowledge-rich curriculum that gives our students a strong academic grounding in preparation for GCSE study. A three-year programme of study helps us to ensure that our students are offered the very best curriculum and experiences. It ensures students have enough time to explore all subject areas deeply enough to equip them with the foundation knowledge that is important for their future and allows for additional content and themes to be explored alongside the key concepts being committed to memory.

Key Stage 3 allocated hours per fortnight

At KS3 students will study a Modern Foreign Language (MFL) for four hours per fortnight. The languages we teach are French and German.

Our lessons are based around continuous low-stakes assessment which gives students the chance to show off what they have learnt. Using simple quizzes at the start and end of lessons, students will be reviewing and developing their knowledge. We use other activities in class to ensure students can use and apply what they have learnt.

Alongside these lessons students are supported to work at home using their termly-issued Knowledge Organisers. Once combined, this knowledge and opportunity gives our students both the cultural capital and the academic underpinning they require to make them exceptional learners at GCSE and beyond.

Information on all of our subjects offered can be found on the curriculum overview  page.

At the end of Year 9 students are able to personalise aspects of their curriculum through the choosing of Options subjects, for their final two years of study at Smithdon High School, that reflect their interests and abilities.

• All students continue to study English, Maths and Science as GCSE subjects until the end of Year 11, comprising two GCSE grades from English - Language and Literature - and two or three grades from Science - with students either completing the double Science Award or qualifying with an independent grade in each area of Science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
• Students then choose additional GCSE subjects for further study. We encourage students towards EBACC with some students taking a compulsory language and all students required to take at least one of Geography or History.
• All students also continue to have weekly core Physical Education lessons for fitness and wellbeing and weekly PSHE lessons delivered through our tutor time ASPIRE programe.

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum builds on the prior learning of the Knowledge Rich Curriculum embedded in Key Stage 3. Lessons are tailored to include knowledge quizzes, deep questioning and regular classroom assessment to monitor and address gaps in learning.

Lessons incorporate a high standard of subject content along with British Values and literary articles. This is aimed at developing the capital and culture of our students, ensuring they are well prepared and able to access a wide range of cultural content.

Current subjects choices at Key Stage 4 (from 2022 onwards) include:

Year 10 and 11 allocated hours per fortnight

Information on all of our subjects offered can be found on the curriculum overview  page.