CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Formby High School offers a diverse and inspiring curriculum for students across all year groups. We aim to prepare our students for exciting and productive futures in an expanding global society by providing a curriculum which balances academic rigour and knowledge acquisition with creative and enterprising opportunities. Classroom learning is further enhanced by cross-curricular enrichment activities, educational visits and work with visiting practitioners. Students are encouraged to develop independent learning and thinking skills, and follow curriculum pathways that suit their ability, interests and ambition, and ensure they are ready for life beyond school.  The overall intent of the Formby High School curriculum is captured in the infographic below

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The three documents below will allow you to discover more about Formby High School’s curriculum and how it supports the needs and captures the interests of all students.

Curriculum Statement – this outlines the school’s curriculum intent, providing an overview of the purpose of our curriculum, the most important features of the curriculum and how it is delivered in practice.

Curriculum Policy – this provides more detailed information about students’ experience of the curriculum at each Key Stage, including the subjects students study, the Key Stage 3 ‘Discovery Year’, options choices and our Reaching High curriculum provision for some of our students with more complex SEND.

Curriculum Model – this provides a colourful graphic representation of the organisation of the curriculum in each year, demonstrating how the 49 periods per fortnight are allocated to each subject area.

Please click on any of the images below to access the full documents:

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The FHS Curriculum Journey

During their five or seven years at Formby High School, all students will embark on an exciting and engaging curriculum journey from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 and, for those students who remain with us for their Sixth Form study, through to Key Stage 5.  At different points on this journey, students have the opportunity to make choices about some of the subjects they study, enabling them to experiment, providing depth and breadth of learning, and pursue subjects of particular interest.

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KEY STAGE 3

The Key Stage 3 curriculum is taught to students in Years 7, 8 and 9 and they cover the breadth of the National Curriculum in all subjects, following a broad curriculum that prioritises developing the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to provide the necessary foundations for success at GCSE and life beyond school.

Key Stage 3 provides opportunities for all students to engage, learn well and progress.  Children are taught subject content that is stimulating and challenging, allowing them to accumulate a rich body of essential knowledge.  Children build on the work completed at primary school, whilst enhancing and refining essential skills and knowledge.  Teaching establishes a word-rich culture, promoting vocabulary development, high levels of literacy and an interest in reading.  Students are also encouraged to explore the big picture around the topics they study, making connections within and between subjects and to the wider world, demonstrating a real spirit for enquiry and ‘cultural capital’.

During Key Stage 3, students follow the National Curriculum.  In keeping with the school’s emphasis on creative arts, further breadth is added to the curriculum offer through the delivery of discrete Drama lessons in Years 7 and 8 and the opportunity to learn Dance through the Physical Education curriculum across Years 7, 8 and 9.  The full list of subjects that students study at Key Stage 3 is set out in the table below:

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In Year 9, in addition to following the National Curriculum subjects, students have the opportunity to choose one ‘enrichment’ subject, adding a small degree of choice, further breadth and the chance to purpose a interest that will enable the development of a wider set of skills.  The enrichment options available to students are outlined in the list below:

• Drama
• Environmental Science
• French
• Higher Project Qualification
• Sports Leadership

In Years 7, 8 and 9 students follow a two week timetable comprising 49 lessons which is organised as per the following table:

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During 2021-22, students in Year 9 follow a slightly different curriculum to the one set out above, reflecting the ‘discovery’ choices they made in Year 8.  From 2022-23, students in Year 9 will follow the curriculum model explained above.

A small number of students with complex special educational needs follow the more accessible and nurturing Reaching High curriculum which focuses on embedding their knowledge, skills and understanding of important concepts in English and Mathematics, providing them with essential foundations to access other subjects across the curriculum.  The Reaching High curriculum is delivered in a small group setting by specialist teachers and teaching assistants, and provides the opportunity to learn essential life, living and employability skills in addition to embedding literacy and numeracy.

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KEY STAGE 4

At Key Stage Four (Years 10 and 11), all students follow a core curriculum of English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Science (including the option to study Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate GCSE subjects), Religious Studies, RESPECT and Careers. They choose to follow one of our specialist pathways, incorporating GCSEs and vocational qualifications. In addition to the core curriculum, students make GCSE options choices during Year 9 and are currently able to select from the range of courses outlined below. All GCSE examinations are taken at the end of Year 11 with the exception of Religious Studies which is completed in Year 10, providing students with a vital experience in one subject prior to taking the bulk of their GCSE examinations the following year.

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The Key Stage 4 curriculum is organised into pathways, with students being advised as to the most suitable pathway for them to follow.  Again, students follow a two week timetable comprising 49 periods with time being distributed between subjects as per the second diagram below.

Click here to find out more about the Options process and to access the Year 9 Options Guide.

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KEY STAGE 5

At Key Stage Five (Years 12 and 13) students have the opportunity to follow one of four pathways. These are outlined in the first image below. Typically, students will follow a three course pathway (A Level, VTQ or a combination of both). Those who have a very high attainment at GCSE and who demonstrate the academic potential and capacity to cope with a more academically demanding curriculum will be able to select four A Level courses and will study all four subjects during Years 12 and 13.

Students will also participate in our Enrichment Programme which offers a wide range of additional accredited qualifications and practical activities, including Extended Project Qualification, Arts Award Gold, Tomorrow’s Teachers, Level 3 Core Mathematics and more!

• Click here for more information about our Key Stage Five Curriculum

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Our Governors

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 Chair of Governors

Mrs Fiona Grieveson (Community Governor)

Vice Chair of Governors

Mr Myles Duckworth (Parent Governor)

Ex-Officio Governor

Mr Dominic Mackenzie (Headteacher)

Community Governors

Mr Neil Adshead

Miss Kate McDonnell

Mrs Katie Smith

Parent Governors

Mrs Isabel Jordan

Mrs Martine Lucas

Miss Cathleen McNamara

Co-opted Governors

Prof Colin Adams

Mr Stuart Jones

Staff Governors

Mrs Ashleigh Harrison-Forsyth

Clerk to Governors

Mrs Lucy Forster

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Contact Us

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Direct Telephone:

01704 835650

Email:

clerktogovernors@formbyhighschool.com

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Key Documents

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• Governing Body Register of Interests
• Governor Meeting Attendance 2020/21
• Governor Meeting Attendance 2019/20
• Annual Report to Parents 2019/20
• Annual Report to Parents 2018/19
• Annual Report to Parents 2017/18
• Annual Report to Parents 2016/17
• Annual Report to Parents 2015/16
• Annual Report to Parents 2014/15