Curriculum Plans 2024-2025
The St Michael’s Curriculum is ambitious, coherently planned and sequenced, going beyond the National Curriculum to offer life enhancing wider curricular opportunities enabling pupils to flourish in body, mind and spirit and experience the joy and ‘hope of life in all its fullness.’ (John 10:10)
God is at the heart of all we do, with the Christian values underpinning our focus on character education and promotion of wellbeing, encouraging our young people to develop resilience, confidence and leadership qualities, leaving our school as independent individuals with high aspirations.
The curriculum is broad, balanced, progressive and challenging. Spacing and interleaving of key concepts in all subjects allows pupils of all abilities to acquire and retain the knowledge they need to succeed in life. Subject components build to composite end points and assessment for learning and feedback enable pupils to recognise progress and identify their next steps in learning.
The Curriculum goes beyond the National Curriculum, academic success and examination attainment, by preparing our young people to contribute significantly to society outside of St Michael’s. Charity and voluntary work provide opportunities for pupils to serve God, thus developing a strong sense of community and an understanding of their place and purpose in the world. The social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of our pupils and the promotion of fundamental British Values are also at the heart of our learning experiences. An extensive array of wider curricular experiences enhance the ‘taught’ curriculum, providing our pupils with moments to grow spiritually and really appreciate the awe and wonder of God’s creation.
The EBacc plays a strong role in our curriculum and encouraged as a pathway for all pupils. However, the Performing Arts, technology and design subjects are also recognised for the important part they play in developing the ‘whole child;’ allowing pupils to grow in confidence and creativity, thus nurturing their talents, celebrating their ‘uniqueness’ and seeing themselves as a valued child of God.
We aim to deliver an outstanding education for our young people, encouraging every individual to ‘be the best they can be’ to flourish in learning environment where the pursuit of excellence based on the highest expectations from and for all, is the norm.
Years 7 - 9
In Year 7 all pupils study; English, Reading, Mathematics, Science, French, Geography, German, History, Religious Education, Technology, Information and Computing, Art, Music, Dance/Drama, Physical Education, Character for Life, Citizenship and Living Education (Personal, Social, Health Education).
Year 8 pupils study the same curriculum as Year 7 except they do not have an explicit Reading lesson or Character for Life lesson and Dance and Drama become separate lessons.
Year 9 pupils study all subjects from Year 8 except the majority opt to study only one language. (Pupils wishing to continue to study both languages do have this opportunity.)
In addition, pupils in Year 9 take part in our Curriculum Enrichment programme (described under ‘Year 9 Curriculum Enrichment’ on the website)
Years 10 and 11
In Years 10 and 11 all pupils continue to study English (Language and Literature), Mathematics, Science (either Combined Science or Separate Sciences), Religious Education, Physical Education (non-exam course), Citizenship and Living Education (PSHE).
They must also study at least one of the following; History, Geography or a Modern Foreign Language. A small number of pupils also attend courses at Preston College, including Automotive Engineering, Child Care and Construction.
In consultation with parents and staff, the options open to pupils in Years 10-11 are:
- Art
- BTEC Performing Arts
- GCSE Business
- Computer Science
- Dance
- Design and Technology
- Food Preparation and Nutrition
- French
- Geography
- History
- BTEC Digital IT
- Music
- NCFE Music Technology
- Physical Education
- Textiles
Religious Education
Parents have the legal right to withdraw their children from Religious Education or collective worship. The Governing Body would be surprised and disappointed if any parent who had accepted a place in this Voluntary Aided Church of England High School were to do so. Any parent who does wish to exercise that right should contact the Headteacher.
Alternatively, please visit the Drop in Clinic.
Further information about the curriculum is shared at Information Evening and Option Evening.
Individual enquiries should be directed to Assistant Headteacher Mr J Allcock:- jallcock@saint-michaels.lancs.sch.uk
Curriculum enquiries: Please contact Deputy Headteacher for Curriculum: Mrs C Hooley - chooley@saint-michaels.lancs.sch.uk