Curriculum Offer
Key Stage 3
At key stage 3, we offer Literacy and Numeracy as core subjects, alongside an enrichment programme tailored to the needs of the learners. Our enrichment programme will be enhanced through external agency partnerships such as Health Services in Schools, Brook and The Hive. As part of our enrichment offer, we focus on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC) and Careers Information and Guidance (CIAG) elements of the curriculum, including opportunities for work related learning.
Key Stage 4
At Key stage four we firmly believe our staff at IMPACT Northwest have the knowledge and skills to align the learners back to making positive progress towards meeting their target grades. The Curriculum has depth to support the knowledge and understanding of the learners. This package caters for those learners that may be unable to integrate with other learners during the school day, whilst benefiting from smaller one to one sessions.
During key stage 4 most pupils work towards national qualifications – usually GCSEs but functional skills and ASDAN are also on offer to compliment the suite of subjects studied.
Our curriculum supports a broad, rich, and. relevant curriculum. It is a personalised and balanced offer that caters for learners, whether their talents are physical, technical, academic and/or artistic. Our curriculum is ambitious and provides challenge for all pupils, of all abilities, in all years.
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Mathematics / Numeracy
Having a good level of numeracy is essential if children are to make the best of all the opportunities available to them, both whilst at school and in their future lives.
At IMPACT Northwest we believe that Mathematics is essential to everyday life and all forms of employment. That is why our programme is designed to develop confidence and skills to solve every day real-life mathematical problems. Our experienced maths tutors aim to develop pupils’ numeracy skills so that they become fluent in the fundamental skills of mathematics. Our mathematical content in the key stage 3 and key stage 4 programmes of study covers the full range of material contained in the GCSE Mathematics qualification.
We believe there are 3 essential factors needed in order for a child to become fully numerate:
1) The belief that they can be, and are good at Maths.
2) The belief that Maths is relevant for their everyday life.
3) Excellent tutoring, tutoring that recognises and meets the needs of every student.
“Numeracy is a life skill. Being numerate goes beyond simply ‘doing sums’; it means having the confidence and competence to use numbers and think mathematically in everyday life…”
English / Literacy
The KS3 and KS4 English curriculum at IMPACT Northwest reflects the high aspirations we have for all of our learners. Our schemes of work are designed to transfer the love and passion for English that our tutors have, to our learners. Learners will study a range of texts that vary in form and genre, which is aimed to offer a first-class education that is rich in knowledge and skills. Schemes of work are designed to develop the skills required across all exam boards, to ensure our learners do not miss key learning that is relevant to them. In English, we aim to deliver provocative and thought-provoking topics. Learners will be taught how to write like authors, think like critics and speak like rhetoricians.
“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations—something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.” —Katherine Patterson
“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” —Victor Hugo
“There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.” —May Ellen Chase
Enrichment
Our Enrichment programme is designed to give our learners culturally rich experiences. These experiences involve regular visits to museums, galleries, local points of interest and student led activities including fundraising for local charities. The enrichment programme aims to broaden our curriculum offer and enhance the learning in the classroom by helping our learners to make connections with education and wider society
The outcomes our enrichment programme works towards achieving are:
- Enhancing social and emotional wellbeing
- Developing each child’s confidence and social skills
- Building self-esteem
- Encouraging children to interact and make new friends
- Seeking enjoyment through trying new and exciting things
Careers
This package of support aims to bring together the learner, the school and external agencies to support the career aspirations of the learners. To analyse the skills of the learners and what they will need in the future to secure their next step. To provide information and guidance on chosen career paths and finally to link them with a careers officer to ensure they do not become NEET.
Every learner should and will gain access to guidance and understand the importance of choosing the right career path for themselves. IMPACT offer substantial opportunities for Cultural capital to widen the horizons for learners.
IMPACT support schools in providing it’s learners based at IMPACT with the opportunity to implement the Gatsby Benchmarks.
The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from careers and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each student.
- Linking curriculum learning to careers.
- Encounters with employers and employees.
- Experiences of workplaces.
- Encounters with further and higher education.
- Personal guidance
Every school must ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access all pupils in year 8 to year 13 for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. When learners attend IMPACT we ensure they do not miss out.
Intent Statement
IMPACT Northwest’s key stage 3 curriculum is taught in sufficient depth and breadth, in line with the National Curriculum, and that all pupils, including disadvantaged students and those with SEND, are receiving a curriculum diet that will give them, not only a love of learning, but the knowledge, cultural capital, and skills to succeed in life.
