Curriculum
Curriculum
What if we designed a School curriculum that enabled everybody to experience the best that has ever been thought, said, written or discovered? This is the idea that our curriculum constructions are based on at UoBSchool.
We plot the entire learning journey from Year 6 to Undergraduate study in a given subject. Pupils are taught by subject specialists who aim to inspire a curiosity and love for the subject, whilst giving pupils solid foundations in each of these curriculum areas.
At UoBSchool, rather than ‘teaching chemistry or languages’ we are thinking about how we are ‘creating chemists and linguists’. Our relationship with the University of Birmingham helps to support this, as we often have visitors from researchers, undergraduates and other professionals from relevant university departments.
Curriculum structure
We have a three year Key Stage 3 from Year 7-9, with a broad and varied curriculum of academic subjects.
In Key Stage 4, from Year 10-11, pupils follow a broadly academic curriculum, and take 8-10 GCSEs.
At Key Stage 5, we aim to provide Sixth Form students with an outstanding education (with a focus on ‘facilitating’ subjects) with which opens up a range of choices between excellent higher education institutions (including Russell Group universities) and employers.
Our curriculum throughout each key stage is underpinned and enhanced through our PLAD, character education and enrichment programmes.
To find out what your child is studying this year, you can download the relevant curriculum outline.
Parents and carers who wish to find out more detail about the curriculum for a particular topic should contact the relevant subject leader via the School’s reception on 0121 726 5000. Parents / carers can also view their child’s homework on Class Charts. To obtain a log in, contact reception.
Assessment and Marking
We use both ‘formative’ and ‘summative’ assessment techniques to support pupil learning and development. These are sometimes thought of as ‘practice’ assessment, that helps you get better, and ‘performance’ assessment, that helps find out how you’re doing.
Formative assessment
Research shows that regular quizzing, practice and testing helps to embed learning. This happens as an integral part of lessons every day, with regular feedback from teachers.
Summative assessment
How well can a pupil reproduce the skills demonstrated in lessons, in formal/exam-style conditions?
We have three points during the School year where we undertake summative assessment, where pupils apply their learning under more formal conditions. This might be tests or tasks, depending on the nature of the subject and are based on the curriculum content covered so far during the year. We also use STAR Assessment tests for reading and maths, which compares pupils’ skills to a national sample of 20000 students of the same age. This allows us to validate and compare our pupils’ attainment nationally.
We also work with a range of schools to undertake moderation to ensure that the standard of work expected is sufficiently aspirational.
If you would like to find out more about the details of the assessment processes, please email us to request our Assessment Policy, or visit the School and ask questions on an Open Evening.
Feedback and Marking
At UoBSchool, we aim to provide feedback that is kind, specific, and helpful. We believe that the thing that makes feedback most effective is building and having trusting relationships.
Examples of feedback and marking include: verbal comments, online quizzes, group feedback, reflection, parent feedback.
Marking
The purpose of marking is so that pupils can get better at what they are doing. We aim to strike a balance between giving effective feedback, and ensuring this is manageable, motivating and meaningful for both staff and students.
We use a variety of types of marking at different times. This includes ‘quality marking’, marking codes, and whole class marking.
In mathematics and English, we aim to quality mark once every three weeks. In other subjects, we aim to quality mark once a half-term.
“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
GCSE Pathways
The pathways process launches in Year 9. Pupils will be introduced to this process, as well as other careers and guidance advice in PLAD. This will be supported by UoBSchool’s Corporate Partners and our partnership with the University of Birmingham.