‘An open and outward-reaching team who are positive, supportive and encouraging our pupils to be aspirational’.

Curriculum Aims

• Bringing our subject to life, teaching of and application to the real world
• Open door policy for Sixth Form pupils
• Open door policy for teachers
• Team-working and collaboration
• Outward-reaching to pupils, teachers and other schools
• Positive learning atmosphere
• Extra support offered at all times to all pupils
• Encouragement of staff and pupils to be their best
• Stretch and challenge as standard in lessons across all subjects in the department
• Soft skills – teamwork, leadership, communication, research
• Employability skills – as above + initiative, problem solving, presentation
• Enterprise skills – creativity, risk-taking, innovation, resiliency
• Knowledge and application together, range and depth
• Careers – as above + extra help, guidance, mentoring and range of careers given subject area

Curriculum Intent

Schemes of work

• Schemes of work – all to be completed and in a consistent format
• Not using exam board’s SOW – adapting and matching to the needs of our pupils
• Making reference to specification
• Range of activities for assessment and interesting learning
• Building of up both skills and knowledge over time
• Model to be completed of KS4 and three strands for three different subjects at KS5
• Tweaking of SOW when teaching classes to improve
• Group activities which are not part of the syllabus for both KS4 & KS5
• Individual/pair research for independent learning not on specifications

Learning mapping

• Skills from KS3 pupils should have acquired, build from there in KS4, then split at KS5
• Skills from Year 8 numeracy, literacy, research, planning
• Model to be drawn with map through KS4 then three mapping strands for KS5
• Building of skills and knowledge from Year 9 to 10 to 11
• Scaffolding of exam structure over time
• Building and practising exam technique
• Year 8 activities day to give and introduction to Business
• Topics and adding over KS4 then 5 where applicable, then links across curriculum
• Developing links in subject and with others with depth

SEND/disadvantaged children

• Seating plans adaptation for disabled pupils
• Seating plans consideration for hearing/visual impairment
• Resources adapting, e.g. font size
• Parental communication for needs
• Communication to SEN lead staff
• Working with LSAs
• Revision guide provided for disadvantaged children
• Trips access for disadvantaged children
• Revision opportunities open for all
• Groupings consideration for SEN/disabled children
• One-to-ones offered across the department

Cultural capital

• Opportunities for our pupils – various
• Real life application to the world outside on a daily basis
• Teaching of diversity in lessons and regular reference to it
• Encouraging children to be citizens of the world, e.g. through globalisation/international trade
• Employment advice, especially for Sixth Form pupils on top of normal teaching
• UCAS help with university choices, references and personal statements
• Project management workshop for A-Level Business pupils run by professional
• Group activities throughout both key stages and all subjects
• Twyford Together project with local businesses
• Local businesses visit and coming to Piggott, e.g. chocolate, entrepreneurs, Interserve, Morgan Lovell
• Resources building cultural capital, e.g. videos
• Reference to local, national and international business/economy every day
• Curriculum has stimulating experiences, e.g. personal finance, working skills
• Reading encouragement and lists for wider learning

Curriculum area distinctions

• Teamwork – as a team of teachers and with our pupils
• Open door policy – for Sixth Formers and each other in department, as well as visitors, e.g. PGCE students
• Playing to our strengths, e.g. with timetabling and sharing expertise/tasks, swapping lessons
• Liking our pupils – having care and making the effort with children in the department
• Range of courses on offer, including mix and match
• Openness for pupils – accepting of so many and such a wide range of ability and backgrounds
• Aspirational – constantly encouraging pupils to achieve, e.g. target grade not being a barrier
• Pupils like working in the department, shown by growing numbers and those who stay to KS5
• Results at both GCSE and A-Level/BTEC have regularly been excellent
• One-to-ones with pupils, both scheduled and unscheduled make a big difference
• Revision sessions offered in the mornings and ad hoc to groups
• Examiners in the department – helps with CPD of each other, marking accuracy and teaching
• Consistency – all children get a good teacher with common high expectations in the department
• Calmness across all classrooms with a good atmosphere for learning
• All teachers have a knowledge of all courses in the department, help each other’s pupils
• Outward reaching to other schools, giving them advice, visits to and from

Assessment and feedback

• All teachers follow department marking policy
• Consistent marking and feedback across GCSE, both A-Level subjects and BTEC Level 3
• Personalised marking to each individual child
• Targeted feedback in short points to improve in certain areas/skills
• Peer assessment in use daily and training pupils to be good markers with marking grids
• MRI on all milestone assessments, mock exams, etc.
• Verbal feedback – as a whole class and individual
• Reading of examiner’s reports and using with classes
• Not taking too much time on meetings/admin tasks/marking
• Swapping of lessons/covering each other in department to help out
• Sharing of tasks, e.g. admin, SOW, reports, parents’ evening
• Buying of resources where appropriate to save teacher producing from scratch
• Collaboration between teachers and shared resources

Learning Journey

GCSE Business

A Level Business

 

A Level Economics

BTEC Business