Our Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact

Quality of Education Statement

Strive, Succeed, Surpass

Philosophy

At Caterham High School we place students at the heart of our school with a real moral imperative to change and enhance their life chances enabling them to be successful and to shine in school and beyond. We strive to see our care, development and teaching of our students through their ‘own eyes’- with this shaping everything that we do.

We believe that an aspirational approach to the curriculum and learning is fundamental and central to everything we do, underpinning our aims, ethos and vision. We expect all staff to deliver high quality lessons daily, where all students are fully supported, engaged and challenged whilst achieving their potential. We aim to promote a culture of a passion for learning so that students are enthusiastic, inquisitive, resilient and life-long learners.

Through our curriculum design, we strive to empower students so that they can succeed and make excellent progress in their learning, achieve excellent outcomes and become well-skilled and equipped for future life, aspiring to be the best they can be. We aim to enthuse students so that they can surpass their expectations and become well-rounded citizens of local, national and global communities growing in self-esteem and confidence.

We believe in, and invest in, our teachers so that they can become experts of their subject, who can inspire and teach to very high standards based on real knowledge of individual pupils and their different paces of learning. We share good practice in teaching and learning across all curriculum areas and evaluate and reflect on our practice.

Objectives of Policy

This policy exists to clarify best practice and the expectations the school has for staff and students to ensure that all our students learn well in every aspect of school life.

Curriculum Mission Statement

It is our mission to provide an inclusive curriculum, which aims to raise aspirations and equip students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to ensure they are prepared for the next stage of education, employment and adult life. The curriculum is designed using an understanding of excellent subject and pedagogical knowledge so that students can make outstanding progress. It is designed to equip students to have the cultural capital to be successful in life, appreciating human creativity and achievement.

We are unrelenting in our reshaping of the curriculum offer, to ensure it is responsive to the context of our diverse, multi-cultural community being responsive to the characteristics of an East London demographic. We ensure a breadth of study and ambition for all learners, looking to overcome the barriers and challenges that may cause some children’s lives to be socially disadvantaged. 

Our ‘Curriculum 21’ programme of development is critical to ensuring that the curriculum is taught and assessed, using pedagogical subject expertise with a clear focus on the sequencing of learning to ensure that knowledge and skills are mastered (the science of learning).

Teaching is designed to ensure the experience of all learners is engaging and creates a passion for the subjects being taught. It is based on high quality and well-planned strategies that lead to every individual being fully supported and challenged to meet their potential.

Regular formative low stakes ‘assessment for learning’ takes place throughout lessons to address misconceptions and aid planning of the ‘next steps’, while summative assessments are designed to moderate and support judgements. The importance of recap and review, the development of oracy and extended writing and a greater understanding of metacognition are fundamental to the school’s implementation of our inclusive Curriculum 21.

The ‘Caterham Way’ underpins the ethos, behaviours and attitudes to learning. Enriching the pastoral curriculum supports the learning process and aids personalised and collective personal development.  The school’s new ‘Caterham Way’ captures the values and culture of the school.

Our students will have an enriched experience that develops their knowledge, skills and attributes to become well-rounded individuals who are prepared for the next stage of life and are equipped to be positive citizens, with an understanding of how their culture is an important part of their development and experiences.

Our students will achieve outcomes beyond those expected, so as to enhance their academic aspirations and ensure they have high quality opportunities. Our ambition is that all students will flourish and thrive as a consequence of our curriculum, teaching, enrichment and pastoral care.

Students who face social challenges will thrive in our inclusive culture and all students will be proud of their school community.