Our Curriculum

The Curriculum and Personal Growth

Our intention at Saint Augustine’s is to promote the personal development of every child. We want to ensure that the intellectual, artistic, spiritual, practical, social and physical gifts of our pupils are nurtured and developed.

At the core of our mission is the desire to bring to our pupils a knowledge and love of Christ and of our Catholic faith, liturgy and traditions, shaping their values and guiding them through every stage of their lives.

Our curriculum enables children to acquire and extend essential skills in literacy, numeracy and communication. Our approach to teaching and learning is intended to stimulate their curiosity, imagination and creativity. Our aim is to develop keen minds in young people who know that their individuality is valued. We also want to ease the disadvantages that some children experience as a result of personal circumstances, learning difficulties or physical disabilities.

The school emphasises the importance of high standards. Maximum success is achieved only though sustained effort and determination to improve. We have effective monitoring systems which regularly assess how pupils are progressing and we regularly share this information with the pupils and their parents.

We want every child at Saint Augustine’s to feel safe, happy and successful. We hope they will leave us feeling they have achieved their aims and with a positive experience of secondary education.

During their time at Saint Augustine’s, we prepare our pupils for when they will live and work with others in adult life. We do this by providing a friendly, disciplined social environment and the support of a caring community. We nurture in them an understanding of rights and responsibilities, respect and tolerance for difference, sensitivity towards the feelings and concerns of others and an active commitment to social justice. We want to show them how to be good citizens who contribute positively towards the wider community.

Alongside their academic progress, pupils are encouraged to develop a range of skills that are highly valued by employers. These include the ability to demonstrate initiative and responsibility, as well as the skills needed for collaborating successfully in teams and groups.

Learning is a lifetime activity. Being able to adapt quickly and positively to changing circumstances is a skill which is essential in the work environment our pupils will be entering.

The Saint Augustine's RC High School Curriculum...

• Is broad and balanced - Students will develop intellectually, creatively, socially and physically. We have an ambitious curriculum for all our pupils, who follow the national curriculum at KS3 up to the end of Year 9. While some subjects bring GCSE topics forward into Key Stage 3 as part of the careful sequencing of topics, the school does not believe that early option choices encourage a broad and rich curriculum experience.
• Is suited to the wide range of needs of our pupils - All students follow courses that are accessible yet suitably challenging to allow them to fulfil their potential. Additional resources will be provided for those pupils who find the curriculum most challenging.
• Provides enjoyment, boosts self-esteem and raises aspirations - The curriculum motivates all students to want to learn and succeed. It allows the God-given variety of gifts and talents to flourish for all pupils. This incorporates a full extra-curricular programme that encourages students to take part in the wider life of the school.
• Promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development - All students will develop as confident young adults, secure in the Catholic faith, who will play an active part in society as well-rounded citizens through the totality of their educational experience. In accordance with the wishes of the Bishops' Conference, Religious Education makes up 10% of curriculum time in each year group (right to withdraw). 
• Encompasses the acquisition of personal, learning and thinking skills - All subjects will emphasise the importance of these skills through cross-curricular activities, developing resilience, independence, curiosity and engagement.
• Emphasises the importance of literacy and numeracy - All students are able to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in Literacy and Numeracy in all subject areas as well as through discrete lessons in English and Maths. All pupils are assessed on their reading ability on entry to the school and additional support is given to pupils who are below the expected level. 
• Prepares young people for the future - All students will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding to achieve as highly as possible at Key Stage 4 which in turn will allow them to access the courses and qualification routes that best suit them. In determining the subjects that make up our Key Stage 4 offer we take into account the Lancashire Skills and Employment Strategic Framework. 

English Baccalaureate - The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is an accountability measure in England which measures the proportion of children who sit GCSEs in English, Maths, Science, a humanity (History OR Geography)  and a language. Alongside Religious Education, these subjects form the heart of our curriculum at Key Stage 3 and provide a solid academic foundation for all pupils. In Key Stage 4 we encourage pupils to consider a broad and balanced curriculum but do not insist that pupils study particular pathways. To ensure a broad provision of creative and technical courses, pupils are not directed to Ebacc qualifications in the options process and all pupils have a free choice of courses in Years 10 and 11.

Special Educational Needs and Disability - Access to the Curriculum

We endeavour to make the school curriculum accessible for all pupils regardless of Special Educatonal Need or disability. More information can be found in the SEND section of our website. 

Assessments

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Subject  Overview

St Augustine's follows the national curriculum set down by the government, but there is much more to what we offer than simply meeting legal requirements. We believe that given the right curriculum and learning opportunities, every young person can succeed and fulfil their potential. 

During the COVID lockdowns school were required to provide remote education for pupils who were (self-) isolating. Now that schools are returning to normal with face to face teaching, there is no requirement for teachers to set work online for pupils who are ill. We would encourage families to do their best to send pupils into school if they are well enough to learn, and if they are not then their recovery should be the priority. Some teachers may set work where it is straightforward to do so, but in many cases it is impossible to replicate the experience of attending a lesson by setting work remotely. If families wish to access some learning activities for pupils who are well enough to learn but not well enough to attend school, then Oak Academy provides resources that can be used in conjunction with the school curriculum overviews that are listed above.

                   Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9)                                     Key 4 (Year 10 and 11)