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Curriculum

At ICC our curriculum is based around four key principles:

  • All students will experience a broad, balanced and rich curriculum

Our curriculum time allows students to cover all areas of the National Curriculum and explore KS4 concepts in more depth than is outlined on exam specifications. Our offer at KS3 is broad and rich; it allows access to a full range of subjects. This is replicated at KS4 and KS5 where a diverse variety of subjects are available for students to pursue.

Our offer at KS4 and KS5 consists of a rich choice of arts, technical and vocational learning alongside traditional academic disciplines. All students are encouraged to follow a language and all students follow at least one Humanities subject beyond Year 8.

Many of our students have a clear idea of subjects which engage them by the middle of Year Eight. We offer choice at this stage to engage our students as partners in their learning, valuing their thinking and improving their outcomes. They can, therefore, spend more time on their five chosen areas of learning by the time they start their KS4 Foundation Year.

A full programme of careers advice and experience of employers through their school life supports their high take up of further study or suitable employment.

  • All students will leave with the levels of literacy and numeracy required for a successful future

The development of reading, writing, oracy and numeracy is a thread that runs through all areas of our school curriculum. Good communication skills are an essential aspect of a successful future, and our curriculum is structured to strongly support their improvement.

Our teachers have a firm grasp of the disciplinary literacy skills that make their subject so unique. Students are given regular opportunities to learn, develop and practice these disciplinary literacy skills enabling them to ‘join the academic club’ of each subject discipline.

  • All students will achieve the best possible outcomes facilitated through a research driven curriculum-design and high expectations

We have the highest possible expectations of students conduct and progress; our mantra of ‘100 for 100’ sets out our expectation that students should commit 100% effort to 100% of their lessons. Our staff strive to support all students, whatever their abilities and strengths, to be successful and ready for the next stage of their development.

The curriculum within subject areas have been designed and sequenced to best promote long-term retention of core knowledge and key skills. Regular, high-quality formative assessment runs through our curriculum; this provides students with clear feedback on how to improve and reach their unique potential. Levels of challenge stretch all students and tasks are effectively modelled and scaffolded to support those most in need.

  • All students will build character and develop culturally, socially, mentally, and physically

We promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of our students and ensure that they are prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We have regular provision for personal, social, health and economic education and for sex and relationship education through RSHE days.

We offer a range of opportunities for students to develop their character, morals and awareness of the world around them. Students regularly engage in opportunities to build their cultural capital in a school of rich diversity.

We allow all students an entitlement to visit cultural centres and gain access to a broad range of physical pursuits to promote a healthy lifestyle. These are all provided at low or no cost. Each subject curriculum gives time for students to develop their understanding of their local community and how displaying modern ‘British Values’ best serves themselves and others around them.