OUR Curriculum Structure

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If students can access courses which are suitable for them, then their motivation, enjoyment and achievement are certain to improve.

At Highcrest, we are fully aware of the impact of our ‘all ability’ intake and have a setting arrangement to challenge the most able whilst maintaining our outstanding support to narrow the gap for those who may find school challenging.

Our setting is not based on banding results but is calculated on pupils’ KS2 results as well as our own internal English, Maths and Science tests that take place during the first two weeks of Year 7.  After initial setting, there is continuous monitoring of student progress that ensures students are always in the appropriate set in each subject, ensuring the correct level of challenge.

We analyse a wide variety of information that enables us to identify any potential barriers to learning within each key stage and through every transition, including those encountered during the primary transition process. We then build a deep and rich curriculum, including personalised pathways, that enable our students to overcome such barriers. If our students are able to access courses, then it will help them to work with enjoyment, resilience, persevere and give them the belief that they can achieve their future ambition. 

Our timetable runs over a fortnightly cycle of five 1-hour periods per day. The allocation of lessons for each subject in each year can be seen below:

If you have any further questions with regards to the subject choices in Year 9, Key Stage 4 or 5, please refer to the Option materials in the relevant sections of the website, or indeed, contact our Vice Principal, Mr Clarke at jclarke@highcrestacademy.org.uk 

Foundation Curriculum Lesson Allocation 2024/2025

Years 7 and 8 (2 Week Timetable)

Students study the full range of National Curriculum Subjects in Year 7 and Year 8. Within the core subjects at KS3 we provide English, Maths and three Sciences taught, separately, including, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

Within languages, we offer both French and Spanish in Year 7 and students will study either French or Spanish in Year 8. Also, some students will be introduced to additional languages as part of a wider personalised curriculum, while a small number of identified students will be removed from languages to study our Key Steps and ASDAN programmes, Year 8 here.  For more information on these alternative provisions please click here.

Other subjects include: Art, Music, Computing, Drama, PE, Food Technology, PSHE, RE, Geography, History and Design Technology

Year 9 (2 Week Timetable)

All National Curriculum subjects are carefully sequenced and planned to meet and, in places, exceed the requirements of the National Curriculum. In Year 9, all students will continue to study the vast majority of subjects of the National Curriculum, following a curriculum based around Core Subjects and options choices.

Within the core subjects in Year 9 we provide English, Maths and three Sciences taught, separately, including, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Students will continue to study either French or Spanish in Year 9 but a small number of identified students will be removed from languages to study Construction here or ASDAN Year 9/10 here.

Creative and Design option subjects include: Art, Drama, Engineering, Food Technology, Music, PE, Resistant Materials, Textiles

New Experiences option subjects include: Business, Child Development, Computer Science, ICT, Psychology, RE, Sociology

GCSE Curriculum Lesson Allocation 2024/2025

Year 10 (2 Week Timetable)

Year 11 (2 Week Timetable)

The GCSEs/equivalent Level 2 qualifications available, include the core subjects: English Language and English Literature, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

Other subjects include: Art, Business, Computer Science, Construction, Creative Technology, Child Development, French, Drama, Engineering, Food Technology, Geography, Hair & Beauty, History, ICT, Music, PE, Psychology, RE, Resistant Materials, Spanish, Sociology and Textiles. These are reviewed and updated every year.

Our Sixth Form Curriculum

Our Sixth Form curriculum caters for a wide range of learners and includes courses at A Level, BTEC Level 3, BTEC Level 2 and GCSE. 

The specific subjects on offer are decided following a survey of the current Year 11 cohort.  This is completed to ensure our curriculum is tailored to both their needs and their requirements. Examples of subjects on offer include: A Level Maths, English, History, Biology, Chemistry, French, Further Maths, Geography, Law, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology and Spanish and at BTEC L3 Health & Social Care, Business, IT, Performing Arts and Sport. We are constantly tailoring and expanding our Sixth Form curriculum to meet the needs of our students. Students who have failed to achieve a grade 4 at English or Maths at GCSE level will have the opportunity to re-take their exam during Year 12. Students will have 10 lessons over the fortnight for each of English and Maths if required.

Our retention rates in the Sixth Form continue to grow year on year with the 2023-2024 cohort being the largest cohort we have ever had at Highcrest, with 110 enrolling in September.  We believe that the continued growth, although because of many factors, it’s primarily a result of a broad curriculum at this key stage.

Our aim is to support all of our students as they progress to apprenticeships, colleges or to university.