At Central Academy, we are proud to offer a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that equips every student with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to thrive both academically and personally. Throughout Key Stages 3 and 4, students study a carefully planned and sequenced curriculum that provides a strong foundation across a wide range of subjects, while fostering curiosity, creativity and a lifelong love of learning.  

As students approach the end of Key Stage 3, they take part in our options process, which allows them to personalise their curriculum for Key Stage 4. With guidance from staff, parents and carers, students select from a diverse range of GCSE and Level 2 BTEC qualifications alongside their core subjects, enabling them to follow pathways that reflect their strengths, interests and future aspirations. This process is designed to ensure that every student is well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment, while maintaining access to a rich and balanced curriculum. 

As part of United Learning our curriculum is based on some key principles: 

• Entitlement: All students have the right to learn what is in the United Learning curriculum and our curriculum at Central Academy offers a breadth of learning to all. 

• Coherence: Taking the National Curriculum as its starting point, our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that powerful knowledge builds term by term and year by year. We make meaningful connections within subjects and between subjects. 

• Mastery: We ensure that foundational knowledge, skills, and concepts are secure before moving on. Students revisit prior learning and apply their understanding in new contexts.  

• Adaptability: The core content – the ‘what’ – of the curriculum is stable, but we bring to life our own local context, and teachers adapt lessons – the ‘how’ – to meet the needs of their classes and our students. 

• Representation: All students see themselves in our curriculum, and our curriculum takes all students beyond their immediate experience. 
• Education with Character: Our curriculum - which includes the taught subject timetable as well as spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, our co-curricular provision, and the ethos and ‘hidden curriculum’ of the school – is intended to spark curiosity and to nourish both the head and the heart. 

Our aim is to ignite within our students the self-belief to meet their full potential. We want students to learn and to enjoy their learning. We want students to think critically, be curious and to ask questions. Most importantly, we want students to achieve and feel proud of their success. 

At Central Academy we follow a thirty-period two-week timetable, Week A and Week B, with 3 x 100-minute lessons each day. This enables us to have a balanced amount of curriculum time for English and Mathematics whilst maintaining the breadth of experience for students across other curriculum areas. 

We pay particular attention to the core skills of English, Mathematics, and STEM; however, we are keen to ensure that students develop the essential skills and qualifications they need to reach their full potential. This means accelerating the more able students and giving extra support to those who need it. Our curriculum meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum and other statutory guidance. We ensure that students are aware of links between different key stages so they can take their knowledge and experience with them from one stage to another. 

Key Stage 3 Curriculum (Years 7 – 9).  

In Key Stage 3 all students follow the same wide range of subjects, before beginning their GCSE and BTEC Level 2 courses in Year 10. The exception to this is our Grammar Stream, who study two languages (French and German) as opposed to just the one.  

Key Stage 3 introduces students to a broad, balanced curriculum. Students study a wide range of core and common curriculum subjects. Through our 3-year Key Stage 3, the curriculum is designed to introduce, develop and prepare students for mastery in a wide range of subjects. Students experience the time and space needed to build a secure understanding of each subject studied over the key stage. We believe this fully prepares students to flourish when studying their chosen option subjects at Key Stage 4. 

Key Stage 3 students also participate in focused reading through our ‘DEAR’ programme (drop everything and read) which runs through tutor time.  This provides students with exposure to wider reading experiences, focusing on fluency and culture whilst promoting a love of reading.  

Supported by United Learning, we have tailored the KS3 curriculum package to the requirements of our students and to fully reflect the students that we teach here at Central Academy. Please see the table on the next page which details a breakdown of curriculum time by subject area. 

How many lessons of each subject will my child be taught in KS3? 

Subject	Number of 100 minute lessons per fortnight
English	5
Maths	5
Science	5
Geography	2
History	2
Design Technology	1
MFL (German OR French)	2
PE (Core)	2
Music	1
PSHE/RSE	1
Drama	1
Art	1
RS	1
Computer Science	1

 

Grammar Stream lesson breakdown  

Our Grammar Stream in each KS3 year group study an enriched curriculum that covers all of the same subjects as other KS3 students, however, subject content is taught in greater depth and at a quicker pace in order to stretch and challenge our most able students. Students in the Grammar stream study both German and French as part of the languages curriculum.  

Subject	Number of 100 minute lessons per fortnight  - Grammar Stream
English	5
Maths	5
Science	4
Geography	2
History	2
Design Technology	1
German and French	3
PE (Core)	2
Music	1
PSHE/RSE	1
Drama	1
Art	1
RS	1
Computer Science	1

 

 

Key Stage 4 Curriculum (Year 10 and 11) 

At the end of Year 9, students make their GCSE options choices for the subjects they will go on to study through Key Stage 4 in Years 10 and 11. We have a clear and robust GCSE options process where students have the opportunity to select their chosen options subjects from the wide range on offer. Our school timetable is built around the ambitions and aims of the students. Students and parents/carers are informed of the GCSE Options process in more detail during the February and March of Year 9. There will be a dedicated Year 9 Parents evening with a focus around looking forwards into KS4, in addition to our GCSE Options evening whereby parents/carers and students are invited in to speak to subject specialists teachers about the GCSE and BTEC Level 2 courses they deliver. This process supports making informed choices where students can go on to be successful. 

In Key Stage 4, students at Central Academy follow a curriculum consisting of a number of core subjects complimented by the suite of options selected by the student.  

How many lessons will my child be taught in KS4? 

Subject	Number of 100 minute lessons per fortnight
English	6
Maths	6
Science	5
Option Block A	3
Option Block B	3
Option Block C	3
Option Block D	3
PE	Key Stage 4 students will access a minimum of 100 minutes of PE per fortnight in line with statutory guidance.

 

Period 4 and intervention. 

In Year 11 of Key Stage 4, we have a whole-school approach to intervention which we call Period 4. All students in Year 11 complete an additional period of study until 15:55pm each day Monday-Thursday. This P4 session will largely be in an identified core subject for which the student requires additional support to achieve their best outcomes.  

The P4 timetable is regularly updated and circulated to students and their parents/carers. Students and their parents/carers are notified of the intervention sessions that they are required to attend and the duration for which these sessions will last.  

Students are also targeted for intervention as part of our extra-curricular package. Students attend directed intervention either in the morning, lunchtime and/or after school during period 4. These targeted sessions support students to extend and master their learning. 

Key Stage 5 Curriculum (The Sixth form, Years 12 and 13). 

Our Key Stage 5 curriculum is ambitious, carefully planned and coherently sequenced to ensure students develop the depth of knowledge, understanding and skills needed for success in higher education, apprenticeships and future employment. Taught by experienced subject specialists, students benefit from expert teaching that inspires academic excellence while preparing them for the next stage of their education and careers. 

Students typically study three A Level or Level 3 BTEC qualifications, allowing them to specialise in subjects that reflect their strengths, interests and future aspirations. Over the two-year programme, students develop increasingly sophisticated subject knowledge, critical thinking, analytical skills and independence, enabling them to master the demands of advanced study. 

The continual development of our Sixth Form curriculum is supported through United Learning's subject networks, specialist subject mentors and the Trust's Teaching and Learning Fundamentals. These quality assurance processes ensure that every curriculum is rigorous, engaging and appropriately challenging, enabling all students to achieve their full potential. 

We offer a broad range of A Level and Level 3 BTEC courses, providing clear progression pathways from Key Stage 4 and ensuring students can pursue a programme of study that supports their ambitions beyond school. 

Across every subject, learning is carefully sequenced so that new knowledge builds upon prior understanding. Teachers use evidence-informed strategies, including regular retrieval practice, deliberate review and opportunities for application, to help students retain knowledge over the long term and make meaningful connections between concepts. This approach ensures that students leave Sixth Form with the knowledge, skills and confidence required for higher education, employment and lifelong learning. 

Independent study is a fundamental aspect of success at Key Stage 5. Students are expected to take increasing ownership of their learning by reviewing class content, completing wider reading, practising examination-style questions and revisiting key knowledge regularly. Teachers provide structured guidance, high-quality resources and regular feedback to support effective independent study, while encouraging students to develop the organisation, resilience and self-discipline that are essential for success at A Level, higher education and beyond. Through these habits, students become confident, independent learners who are well prepared for the demands of university, apprenticeships and the workplace. 

Curriculum Allocation 

Students' timetabled lessons are supplemented by a structured programme of supervised study and independent study, recognising that success at Key Stage 5 extends beyond the classroom. These dedicated study periods provide opportunities for students to consolidate learning, complete wider reading, undertake independent research, practise examination techniques and develop the self-management skills essential for higher education and future employment. 

• Year 12: Students typically study three Level 3 qualifications, receiving five 100-minute taught lessons per subject, per fortnight, supplemented by supervised and independent study sessions. 
  
  
• Year 13: Students typically continue with three Level 3 qualifications, receiving six 100-minute taught lessons per subject, per fortnight, supplemented by supervised and independent study sessions to support the increased demands of their final examination year. 

Parents or other members of the public can find out more about the curriculum by contacting subject leaders using info@rrca.org.uk.

They can also access the relevant awarding body websites to obtain information regarding qualifications.

AQA: http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications

Edexcel: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html

Eduqas: http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/

OCR: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/

RSL: https://www.rslawards.com/

WJEC: http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/