What is our curriculum intention and purpose? 

Our curriculum aims to provide powerful knowledge that prepares our students for the "conversation of mankind," as Oakeshott suggests, whilst promoting our values of Ambition, Respect and Community.  We strive for equality, ensuring all students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to a high-quality education so that all of our students leave ready to enter society and contribute. We emphasise personal development for a safe, happy and respectful environment and actively teach this through our ‘Alsop Lesson’ routines. In terms of community, we are aim to equip our children with the belief that "alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much."

How do we structure our curriculum?

We offer a broad, balanced curriculum that is knowledge-rich and sequenced to help students make sense of their learning. Our three-year Key Stage 3 and guided choices in Year 9 provide access to ambitious courses in KS4 and KS5. Progress is defined as "knowing more and remembering more,” and we carefully structure the core knowledge that students require in each year of their learning journey.

We are committed to addressing literacy throughout our curriculum, addressing challenges exacerbated by Covid-19 with a new reading recovery program, aiming for every student to be fully literate and articulate, able to confidently communicate and make sense of the world.

Why this? Why now? Why have we sequenced our curriculum this way? 

We have subject specialism at the heart of our curriculum and our subject teachers carefully sequence the learning journeys our students will experience across the five years with us and into the next phase of their education. Teachers and leaders have thought carefully about the core and component knowledge that a student needs in each academic year so we can build up the complexity through their journey with us. 

What will you typically see in our lessons? 

In our lessons, you’ll see a clear structure known as the “Alsop Lesson.” Each lesson starts with a "Do now" retrieval activity to help students “know more and remember more” and includes a learning question to outline the core knowledge being taught. We build on prior learning and provide opportunities for guided and independent practice, following Barak Rosenshines’s Principles of Instruction:

  • I phase: Explanation of new material in small steps
  • We phase: Guided practice with prompts and scaffolds
  • You phase: Independent practice with teacher monitoring and feedback

Throughout, teachers check understanding by asking questions (e.g., cold calling) and offering feedback. At the end of each lesson, there is an exit task to assess understanding and address misconceptions for the next lesson.

To assess progress, we use formative assessments, including questioning and low-stakes quizzes, to check knowledge regularly. We focus on “1% improvement every day” to support learning. Summative assessments occur twice a year (mid-year and end-of-year), and data is used to inform parents of progress and identify knowledge gaps.

How do we extend and enrich our curriculum?  

We enrich our curriculum by creating memorable experiences for our students through a vibrant extra-curricular programme. Our vision is to secure the best outcomes and future opportunities for every student. Each subject area incorporates visits, guest speakers and clubs to enhance learning. Our PSHCE programme of study is thoughtfully designed and delivered by form tutors, while form time and assemblies provide opportunities for tutor-led reading and discussions on current affairs, further supporting students' personal development.

For  more details about our curriculum, please contact  our school office at office@ahs.omegamat.co.uk or click here to find details of curriculum overviews for each year group or click here for each subject,