Madeley School Curriculum Intent

Our values at the heart

At Madeley School, our curriculum is more than a timetable of lessons — it’s a carefully designed journey shaped by our core values of Pride and Respect, Confidence, Resilience, Aspiration, Positivity, Enjoyment, and Politeness. These values guide what we teach, how we teach it, and the character we help our pupils develop.

What we intend

Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and knowledge-rich. It is deliberately planned and sequenced so that every pupil, whatever their starting point, stays on track with new learning. We design teaching so pupils secure the essentials at the point of first teaching, and we build in purposeful revisiting so knowledge deepens over time.

We therefore prioritise:

· Strong foundations: reading, vocabulary, oracy and mathematics are protected and explicitly taught so pupils can access and succeed in every subject.

· Careful sequencing: each subject answers “Why this? Why now?” with clear end points and step-by-step progression so pupils know more and remember more.

· Inclusion by design: we anticipate barriers and remove them within the curriculum itself, so disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and pupils known to social care access the same ambitious entitlement and achieve highly.

· Teaching for depth: pupils think hard, practise well, and apply knowledge in increasingly complex ways; retrieval and rehearsal are systematic, not token.

· Intelligent assessment: assessment checks understanding, secures long-term learning and informs refinements; it does not create unnecessary workload.

· Character, culture and aspiration: enrichment, employer engagement and high-quality careers education connect learning to life beyond school and build cultural capital.

Keeping pupils on track (what this means in practice)

Our starting point is prevention, not remediation. Lessons are crafted so pupils grasp new learning first time and build confidence through regular retrieval. Where extra help is needed, we respond quickly and proportionately — typically through in-lesson adjustments and short, targeted practice that complements (not replaces) the full curriculum. Access to subjects is not routinely reduced; support is precise, time-limited and designed for swift reintegration.

British values

Across subjects, Personal Development and enrichment, we actively promote British values — democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Pupils learn to debate respectfully, understand rights and responsibilities, and contribute positively to modern Britain.

The difference it makes

By the time they leave Madeley School, pupils are not only well-qualified but well-rounded: confident communicators, resilient learners and respectful young people who live out our core values and are ready to thrive in further education, employment and society.

 

Curriculum Implementation

Our curriculum is carefully designed to balance academic excellence with personal development, offering:

  • A spiral curriculum model, allowing key concepts to be revisited and mastered over time.
  • A strong emphasis on Mathematics and English, with additional time allocated to ensure students have essential literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Adaptations for SEND and disadvantaged students, ensuring high expectations are maintained without limiting access to the full curriculum.
  • Carefully planned interventions and additional challenge, ensuring all students make at least national rates of progress.
  • A focus on depth before breadth, ensuring subject content is thoroughly understood before students move on to more complex concepts.
  • A structured approach to CIAG (Careers, Information, Advice, and Guidance), embedding career pathways within subject areas and providing real-world learning experiences.

Beyond the classroom, our extensive enrichment programme includes:

  • STEM clubs, debate teams, arts and music, sports teams, and business simulations, providing hands-on learning opportunities.
  • Masterclasses and intervention sessions, ensuring all students receive additional support or challenge when needed.

  • Opportunities for residential trips, broadening students' personal and cultural experiences.

  • The Duke of Edinburgh scheme from Bronze, Silver and Gold is available to pupils from Y9.


Personal Development & British Values

Our Personal Development Programme (PD) is central to developing well-rounded, responsible students. Through dedicated lessons and drop-down days, we provide:

  • SRE, Citizenship, Financial Capability, and Mental & Physical Well-being, ensuring students develop the knowledge and resilience to succeed in life.
  • High-quality careers education, offering work experience, employer engagement, and clear guidance on future pathways.
  • A focus on social mobility and cultural capital, ensuring all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to enriching experiences that broaden their horizons.

Curriculum Impact

We measure the success of our curriculum by ensuring:

  • Academic outcomes that exceed national expectations.
  • Closing achievement gaps for disadvantaged and SEND students.
  • All students leave Madeley School well-prepared for further education, training, or employment.

At Madeley School, our curriculum is designed to equip every student with the knowledge, skills, and character to make a meaningful contribution to society, ensuring they leave us as confident, capable, and well-rounded individuals.


Key Stage 3 (Years 7 through 9)

The curriculum includes:

  • English – including English mastery (Yr 7 to Y9)
  • Mathematics – Key Stage 3 is part of the 5-year journey with a focus on mastery
  • Science
  • Spanish 
  • History
  • Geography
  • Religious Education
  • Performing Arts – Drama
  • Music
  • Arts (including the Arts Award)
  • Computing
  • Physical Education (two hours per week)
  • Technology, including Food, Preparation & Nutrition
  • Personal Development - Covering PSHEe, CIAG, Citizenship, SRE, Health and Wellbeing and Study Skills


Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11)

Early in the spring term of Year 9 students will choose their option subjects that they will specialise in to GCSE level, examinable at the end of Year 11.  They will choose 3 Option subjects that they will study for 6 hour long periods across the two week timetable. Ebacc is at the center of our curriculum offer, but we offer a more flexible non-Ebacc route 

All students must study the following:

  • English Languages

  • English Literature

  • Mathematics
  • Science - Combined Trilogy Science or separate Triple Sciences - Biology, Chemistry and Physics

  • History or Geography

  • Spanish (if following Ebacc)

  • Physical Education (three hours per 2 week cycle)
  • Personal Development - Covering PSHEe, CIAG, Citizenship, SRE, Health and Wellbeing and Study Skills and financial capability.


In KS4 Personal Development takes place during form time as well as throughout the year  in deep learning days, when the normal lesson timetable is suspended.  These days allow students to learn in different ways including off site experiences, with external providers and a range of students.  These days cover Staying Safe, British Values, Study Skills, Pathways and work ready skills.

Optional Subjects (at least two of the following):

  • GCSE Spanish 
  • GCSE Drama
  • GCSE Music
  • GCSE Art & Design
  • GCSE Photography
  • GCSE Computer Science
  • GCSE Technology (Fashion Textiles / Product Design (Polymers) / 3D Project design
  • GCSE Physical Education 
  • GCSE Food Nutrition & Preparation
  • Btec Health & Social Care
  • Btec Enterprise