Curriculum Statement

The fundamental purpose of The Ebbsfleet Academy is to challenge and defy the barriers that constrain the educational progress of our students. The curriculum is the conduit through which that purpose becomes a reality. Out academic curriculum is rooted in the principles of being:

• rich in powerful knowledge
• academically demanding
• building cultural capital

Our academic curriculum is a vehicle for success. It challenges the mind, nurtures the heart and guides the hand.  Each subject area has a curriculum document which identifies the knowledge and skills covered.   The curriculum document for each subject is sequenced so that over the course of KS3 students will know more and be able to demonstrate an increasing number of skills. By the end of KS3 a students will be prepared to transition to KS4 with an understanding of any threshold knowledge necessary to access the GCSE specification.

In practice that means:

1. All students master the basics of literacy and numeracy in Key Stage 3
2. All students are entitled to study an academic core of English, Maths, Science, Humanities and a Modern Foreign Language
3. Vocational courses are offered where appropriate
4. Year 7, 8 and 9 students have a discreet PPE+ lesson each week which covers SRE and Citizenship education
5. All students have the opportunity to participate in a wide-ranging and character building Enrichment programme, which includes community service, international trips, cultural visits, guest speakers and outdoor activities

Further information about the national curriculum can be found here

Please see below to view our curriculum plans. 

View Knowledge Organisers here

---

Key Stage Three Curriculum Assessment

Assessment is an all-encompassing word describing activities which range from high frequency low stakes activities like 1 – 10 tests, single mark questions  and closed questions designed to test the retention of specific information or the application of a single skill, to low frequency high stakes summative assessments like formal written exams, final performance pieces or practical work.  All assessment activities will be designed to utilise spacing and interleaving.  At the Academy Students will be assessed against the descriptors below.

Key Stage Four Curriculum Assessment

Our Key Stage Four students follow the new ‘reformed GCSEs. The key features of reformed GCSEs are that they…

• will be more demanding and contain more challenging content
• will be ‘linear’, so students will take all of their exams at the end of the course
• will be assessed much more through exams than coursework
• will have a new grading scale from 9 to 1, instead of A* to G.

Although the old and new grades do not convert perfectly with each other, the table below will give you a rough indication of the value of the new 9 – 1 grades:

Under the old A* - G grading system, a grade C or above was considered to be a ‘good pass’.   Under the new 9 – 1 grading system, a grade 5 or above will be considered to be a ‘good pass’.

Further guidance about the subject content for each GCSE subject can be found here

Subjects will be expected to complete regular low stakes assessments in lessons and PPEs, the outcomes of which will communicated to students and their parents about how well a student is progressing through the curriculum via report cards. 

Our students are taught in four groups for most subjects.  All students will study Science, Mathematics, English and English Literature at GCSE level.

Most students have selected a further 3 GCSEs or BTECs from a number of option blocks.  Students choose between the following optional subjects:

Key Stage Five Curriculum

We have redesigned our sixth form curriculum to better match what our current Y11 students were asking for, so students learning with us from September 2020 will follow an A-level and vocational based curriculum..

Students are expected to study 3 subjects as well as the EPQ. The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is equivalent to 50% of an A Level. Students are challenged to develop a research project in an area off their interest. This project develops students’ critical thinking, research and independent study skills.

A Levels: 9 Lessons/Fortnight	Vocational: 9 Lessons/Fortnight
Biology Maths Chemistry Psychology History English Literature Law Business	IFS Finance (Level 3) Sport (BTEC Level 3) Art (BTEC Level 3)

Extra Curriculum Provision

We offer a variety of enrichment activities for students to participate in during lunchtimes and after school. These activities have been designed to give students the opportunity to broaden their personal, social, moral, cultural and spiritual development and to undertake extra sport. Examples of activities include archery, sports clubs, art club and mindfulness.

Our Year 11 GCSE students are also asked to attend additional targeted booster sessions from Monday - Thursday.