Secondary Curriculum
Curriculum Design
Hollinwood Academy’s whole curriculum is shaped by the school vision, which aims to enable all children and young people, regardless of background, ability, or additional needs, to flourish and become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. These values are woven throughout our curriculum, ensuring that every aspect of our teaching and learning fosters a positive and empowering environment.
Our secondary curriculum is designed to provide a seamless progression of skills and knowledge across all subjects, allowing children and young people to build a solid foundation of learning and develop transferable skills. We follow the 2014 National Curriculum in England, ensuring that our children and young people receive a high-quality education that meets national standards.
Our curriculum is dynamic and aspirational, providing rich and varied learning experiences that are relevant, engaging, and purposeful for our children and young people. We believe that every child deserves a broad and balanced education that allows them to develop academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.
Throughout the Secondary stage, our children and young people are split into three discrete pathways:
- Thrive
- Inspire
- DiscoverCurriculum Pathways
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 4
Our Curriculum
Secondary-Subjects (ID 1004)
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English
English
At Hollinwood Academy, we want all of our children and young people to achieve success, whatever their starting points and however small the steps.
The study of English is the foundation for successful learning across the curriculum, as children and young people develop communication skills which help them understand the world around them through a variety of activities designed to develop their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills.
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Maths
Maths
At Hollinwood Academy, we teach maths creatively, incorporating the use of concrete manipulatives to help our young people understand abstract concepts and apply them to their learning.
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Science
Science
Our aim in the secondary science department is to build on the good practice of the science curriculum taught in primary at Hollinwood Academy. We do this by offering a ‘hands on’, challenging, and dynamic 5-year science curriculum, across Key stage 3 and 4.
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RSE & SMSC
RSE & SMSC
The aim of the Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum is to provide young people at Hollinwood Academy with the knowledge, understanding, and skills they need to make informed decisions, promote healthy relationships, and navigate the challenges of adolescence and adulthood confidently. This curriculum reflects our school's commitment to promoting equality, respect, and diversity, and aims to prepare our young people to contribute positively to society.
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Employability & Careers
Employability & Careers
Rebecca Jones is the school’s named Careers Leader and her email contact is:
rebecca.jones@newbridgegroup.org
Vicky is the school’s Independent Careers Advisor and her contact details are:
vickymcmanus@positive-steps.org.uk
The Government’s careers strategy aims to make sure that all young people in secondary education get a programme of advice and guidance that is stable, structured and delivered by individuals with the right skills and experience.
At Key stage 3 & 4 careers forms part of the school curriculum and is taught as a discrete lesson to all pupils, through their Preparation for Adulthood lessons.
Pupils at Key Stage 4 have opportunities for tailored work experience placements and vocational opportunities build on our effective careers programme.
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Art
Art
Art at Hollinwood Academy is about ensuring every child and young person can join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and recreational activities. Children and young people are engaged and inspired by a challenging curriculum where they gain knowledge about the work of great artists and how art and design reflect and shape our history and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. These inform their own exploration of themes relevant to their interests and life experiences.
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Food Preparation and Nutrition
Food Preparation and Nutrition
The main intent of the Food Preparation and Nutrition curriculum is to introduce young people to the concept of understanding what we eat and how it impacts our bodies. This subject focuses on both theoretical knowledge and practical cooking skills, aiming to develop a comprehensive understanding of nutrition, food provenance, and the working characteristics of food materials.
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History
History
At Hollinwood Academy, history is delivered as an immersive approach for all young people, designed to give them an understanding of the world locally, nationally, and globally, both past and present. Our aim is to develop an inquiring approach to learning and the world around them.
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Geography
Geography
At Hollinwood, Geography is delivered as an immersive approach for all young people, designed to provide them with an understanding of the world locally, nationally, and globally, both past and present. Our aim is for all young people to develop an inquiring approach to learning and the world around them.
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Computing
Computing
At Hollinwood Academy in our computing curriculum we aim to:
- teach pupils computational thinking, ICT and computer science through a balanced curriculum designed to appeal to all genders.
- develop a deep understanding by delivering a spiral curriculum where topics are revisited in subsequent years with the opportunity to build on knowledge and skills previously developed.
- provide opportunities during each year to enable pupils to extend their learning in a variety of contexts and to develop links between the theoretical and practical elements of the course.
- support pupils to become safe users of technology and the internet.
- provide a curriculum that aims to push students to reach their full learning potential, whilst remaining personalised to meet each student individual learning, social and emotional needs as well as their interests.
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Music
Music
Music at Hollinwood Academy aims to cultivate children and young people’s appreciation for various genres of music and encourage them to explore the sounds that surround them. Our inclusive curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of all learners, with fully differentiated schemes of work that engage children and young people at all levels.
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Spanish
Spanish
At Hollinwood Academy, we believe that learning a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils. It not only helps pupils to develop their communication skills, but it also strengthens grammatical knowledge, along with other key skills such as reading, writing and listening that pupils learn in their own language.
In addition, learning a foreign language allows our children to access more equal opportunities and gives a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand other cultures as well as their own.
Learning a foreign language, particularly for children who are neurodiverse, has been shown to have many benefits such as strengthening memory and helping pupils to improve their executive functioning skills, which includes helping their organisational skills.
All the teaching of MFL is done in a multi sensory way, using lots of repetition to build up confidence in the language for our learners.
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Outdoor Education
Outdoor Education
At Hollinwood Academy we understand the importance of community access and ensure that all students no matter their individual pathway have the opportunity, confidence and appropriate support to access their local community safely within our exciting Outdoor Education curriculum offer. Students have the opportunity to access their local community on a weekly basis.
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PE
PE
At Hollinwood Academy, our vision aims to provide all children with a broad, high quality and relevant physical education. Through a well-structured and progressive school curriculum we enable all children to develop and challenge their knowledge, skill and understanding. It is essential that children develop an understanding of the benefits of exercise and make connections between physical health and positive mental health with the vision that children will continue to adopt a healthy lifestyle into their adult life.
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Photography
Photography
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Personal Well-Being and Growth
Personal Well-Being and Growth
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Graphic Communication
Graphic Communication
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Health and Social Care
Health and Social Care
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EHCP Lessons
EHCP Lessons
