Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to provide young people with the core knowledge and cultural capital needed both for further academic study, while enabling them to develop as citizens and engage effectively in the world beyond school.
Programmes of study are designed to be balanced and rigorous, in order to maximise students’ knowledge, as well as their cognitive and personal development. We continually work to provide coherence within and across subjects, while also mapping the curriculum vertically from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4.
Everything students learn in school, alongside the taught curriculum, is seen as part of the whole curriculum. This includes the approach to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as the extra-curricular provision, which provides a significant ‘hidden curriculum’.
Our curriculum objectives are to develop our pupils holistically, so that that by the time they leave in Year 11, they are well developed global citizens with leadership skills, who are ready to make a contribution to society.
Biology
We offer the AQA GCSE Biology syllabus and new specifications which provides range of lessons from Human biology, Plant biology and Environmental studies.
In Business, students will learn the importance of Business and People, Marketing, Production and Finance and the impact of the external environment on a business. They will develop their technical, numeracy and literacy skills. They will learn subject terminology and be able to identify different types of business organisations. More...
Chemistry
The topics taught for paper 1 include: Atomic structure and the periodic table; Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter; Quantitative chemistry, Chemical changes; and Energy changes, the rate and extent of chemical change; Organic chemistry; Chemical analysis, Chemistry of the atmosphere; and Using resources.
Computer Science
Computer science is more than just gaming and working with computers. It is developing skills to solve problems; it is allowing you to exploit your creativity; it is helping you strengthen your analytical thinking skills; it is preparing for the future.
EAL
In EAL, it’s all about enabling learners to become proficient communicators in English, both in the everyday and academic spheres. Interactive activities are used to hone speaking, writing, reading and listening skills, empowering learners to deal with real situations and meaningful tasks. Our learners are inspired to become life-long lovers of the English language and language learning in general.
Year 7-9 English
The main goal of this curriculum is to guide students in the acquisition of solid technical accuracy in English language, emphasising the good use of grammar, coherence, and creativity.
GCSE English
English language focuses on developing core literacy skills: reading and writing for both fiction and non-fiction. Students will develop the ability to use and explore language in different contexts and for different purposes and audiences. It also includes some analysis of literary and media texts. Students will have opportunities to write creatively and demonstrate their ability to discuss different topics and make formal presentations. More...
GCSE English Literature
The curriculum, in English Literature aims to create, build and sustain a love of books: novels, plays and poetry, in students. Students will develop the ability to analyse plot, characters, themes, language and structural devices and context. They will study old and modern texts, learn subject terminology, make comparisons between literary works and develop their ability to identify literary terms and state their effects on the reader. More...
French
Geography
We strive to develop an understanding of patterns and responses in the physical and human environments, climate change and the sustainability of our planet, appreciate the fragility of our planet, and recognise their individual and collective roles as stewards.
Year 7-9 History
Pupils are trained in the skills needed in the study of history, learning to analyse effects from causes as they investigate periods, characters and events from the past.
GCSE History
The subject is packed with fascinating themes, ideas and concepts, from William the Conqueror’s audacious assault on England, culminating in the epic Battle Hastings; the philandering and murderous instincts of Henry VIII; the Gunpowder Plot, directly leading to the Popish Recusants Act in 1605; to the Night of Long Knives under Nazi dictatorship.
Horticulture
At Stanborough, we have four operational greenhouses and we also do open field cultivation of crops such as tomatoes, beans, spinach, beetroot and radishes. The school garden has helped students to develop a greater respect for food by showing them what it takes to grow and harvest even one vegetable. It encourages parent and community involvement as many parents and people around the community buy the fresh organic produce from the school garden.
Humanities
We seek to support English learning for our Full Immersion Experience (FIE) students. In this class, we explore British History, Culture and Values. This promotes an understanding of the British people, our cultural diversity and how we relate with the rest of the world.
Physics
The Physics topics we teach are: Forces, Energy, Waves, Electricity, Magnetism and Electromagnetism, Particle Model of Matter, Radioactivity, and Space Physics.
Food technology is a distinct and compulsory subject in Year 7-9 at Stanborough School. Its aim is to ensure that all students understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. More...