The curriculum at Hawarden High School reflects the demands of the National Curriculum and is designed to provide all students with a broad, balanced and relevant education. We strive to make the curriculum meet the needs of all of our students in order for them to foster of a love of learning; showing initiative an resilience and are enthused to become lifelong learners. Our aim is to provide an education that enables our students to develop the qualities and skills that they need to be successful at school and beyond.

All of the subjects which are taught in Hawarden High School are organised into areas; this grouping has been found to be helpful to the organisation within a large school. Each curriculum area is led by and grouped into seven curriculum experienced Curriculum Leader. Within each area there may be several different subjects, each of which is led by their own Head of Department.

The faculties are:

Communications – This includes English Language, English Literature and Media Studies.

Community and Services to People – including the National Baccalaureate Qualification, Careers / Work Related Education, Environmental Education, Psychology, Sociolgy, Health and Social Care, Politics, Law and Public Services.

Creative and Performing Arts – This includes Art, Drama, Music and Physical Education.

Cymru, Ewrop a’r Byd – This includes Languages (French, German, Spanish and Welsh), Geography, History and Religious Education.

Mathematics– Including Numeracy

Science – This includes Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Technical and Vocational – This includes Design and Technology, Information Technology, Business Studies and Computer Science.

The curriculum is principally delivered through 25 one hour lessons during each week, although these are supplemented by focus events for all year groups when the timetable is suspended for one or more days. A range of teaching and engagement strategies are employed throughout the curriculum. Students are grouped to maximise learning. For some subjects, students are grouped by ability; in other subjects students are taught in mixed ability groups.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM – KEY STAGE 3

This Key Stage covers Years 7, 8 and 9 and a common curriculum is delivered across all three years with the exception of Languages, when pupils will study a variation of the 3 languages of French, German and Spanish. They will choose to specialise in one of these languages in Year 9.

Subjects Studied at key Stage 3:

• Art
• Computing (Y9 only)
• DiCE (Y9 Only)
• Drama
• English
• Geography
• History
• ICT
• Mathematics
• Modern Foreign Languages (French, German or Spanish)
• Music
• PE
• Reading (Y7 only)
• Religious Education
• Resilience (Y8 only)
• Science
• Technology
• Welsh

We place particular emphasis upon pupils’ skill development across the curriculum and particularly within the ‘core’ subjects of English, mathematics and science, each of which is taught for 3 hours each week. Pupils’ development of literacy, numeracy and digital competency skills are developed across the schemes of learning, across the majority of curriculum areas.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM – KEY STAGE 4

In Years 10 and 11 we are aiming to broaden the options for our students; all of whom have statutory curriculum provision in:

• English (Language and Literature)

• Science

• Mathematics – Numeracy

• Physical Education

• Religious Education

• Welsh, Personal, Social and Health Education

• Careers and the World of Work Education

• Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification.

English and mathematics are taught for 4 hours a week for all students. All students will study Science for 6 hours in year 10, where they then may be put forward to study for the 3 separate science qualifications in Year 11.

The options choice system offers a wide range of choices, drawn from the Communications, Creative and Performing Arts, Humanities, Languages and Technical and Vocational Faculties, which allow students to select other subjects of their choice to enable many to achieve the equivalent of 11 GCSE passes. These include:

• Art and Design

• Business Studies

• Business

• Computer Science

• Drama

• Engineering

• Food and Nutrition

• French

• Geography

• German

• Health and Social Care and Childcare

• ICT

• Media Studies

• Music

• Physical Education

• Product Design

• Public Services

• Religious Education

• Spanish

In collaboration with other centres, pupils may also choose from a range of vocational courses, including Professional Cookery, Construction, Workplace Engineering and Salon Services. Some students may benefit from additional vocational qualifications. Full details will be provided as part of the Key Stage 4 induction programme.