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Curriculum Overview
Education is the key to social mobility. It does not matter where you come from, you have the same right as anyone to an outstanding quality of education.
Our curriculum at Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich is outstanding for our boys and changes the lives of the students we teach.
We have created a broad, balanced, ambitious and rigorous curriculum which allows all students, through outstanding teaching and learning, to achieve excellent academic outcomes and to become active citizens in our society. For further information about the curriculum please contact Harry Ingham on H.Ingham@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk or 0208 299 5300.
Our curriculum has the EBacc at its core and provides students with the chance to develop and experiment using the full range of National Curriculum subjects, and beyond, in a full three-year Key Stage 3 programme. Our curriculum focuses on students acquiring knowledge and developing skills in stimulating and innovative lessons which are planned with the students' contextual understanding at their heart. This philosophy and the focus on both academic outcomes and personal development provides the students with the 'Master Key' to their future – opening any doors they will come across.
This page contains an overview of the curriculum for each Key Stage. Details of the curriculum for each subject can be viewed on the Subjects pages. Our curriculum policy can be downloaded from the Teaching and Learning page.
Pupils care about their studies and are eager to take advantage of the high-quality teaching available to them." Ofsted, November 2023
Key Stage 3 - Years 7-9
We believe Key Stage 3 is the perfect opportunity for students to experience as many different subjects as possible, whilst maintaining a focus on our core curriculum and their learning of the basics. We operate a three-year KS3 programme of study which gives students lots of opportunity to challenge themselves. This table shows the subjects we currently offer at Key Stage 3:
|
Subject |
Lessons |
|
English |
6 |
|
Maths |
6 |
|
Science |
3 |
|
MFL (Spanish) |
3 |
|
Physical Education |
3 |
|
History |
2 |
|
Geography |
2 |
|
Religious Studies |
1 |
|
ICT and Computing |
1 |
|
Design Technology |
1 |
|
Art |
1 |
|
Music |
1 |
|
Performing Arts |
1 |
| PSHE | 1 |
| DEAR Time (Years 7 & 8) | 1 |
| Citizenship (Year 9) | 1 |
| Wellbeing (Year 7) | 1 |
|
Total Hours |
25.5 |
This Key Stage 3 curriculum covers the entire National Curriculum and beyond with the inclusion of a Performing Arts course.
Citizenship is taught discreetly in Year 9 and across the curriculum through a segmented approach from our PSHE, assemblies and Renaissance Days. It is also embedded throughout every subject with our focus on developing Active Citizens, and especially in Religious Studies where the Year 9 curriculum tackles some of the key issues around human rights and justice for example.
The Key Stage 3 core curriculum has evolved a lot but kept its fundamental values. We try to expose students to as many different subjects as possible so that they are well-informed to choose their options. It provides the building blocks of learning for these subjects and, while it is inextricably linked to developing the knowledge, skills and understanding required for Key Stage 4, it is a stepping stone - part of a learning journey that students take with us. We believe it should be fun, challenging and, most of all, broad. Find out more about Key Stage 3.
The school has a broad and purposeful curriculum. Teachers are passionate experts in their subjects." Ofsted, November 2023
Key Stage 4 - Years 10-11
At Key Stage 4, students have chosen certain subjects to continue to GCSE level, alongside their core subjects. At HBAED all students complete the following courses:
- GCSE English Literature
- GCSE English Language
- GCSE Maths
- GCSE Science (Trilogy Combined Science)
- GCSE History and/or Geography
- BTEC Sport
- GCSE Spanish (Currently roughly 70% entry)
We are passionate that all students should have access to rigorous core subjects. As our curriculum develops, we constantly evolve the range of subjects we offer our students. Currently they will choose one subject from the following options blocks:
|
Option 1 - Humanities |
Option 2 |
Option 3 |
|
Choose either:
|
Choose one from:
|
Choose one from:
|
These options allow students to choose their own pathway. Choices are made after a personalised meeting with a member with the academy leadership team and students are encouraged to take subjects they enjoy, keeping their options open for the future.
We believe that as many students as possible should face the academic rigour of studying a humanities subject. These subjects are also crucial for developing the personal skills and wider understanding of the world we want our students to gain. They are some of the most powerful subjects for building active citizens, it is a huge opportunity for the students to study them. Therefore, we enter all our students to a Humanities option.
All our courses are carefully selected to ensure they are fully accredited and count in the DFE performance tables as well as offering a rigorous and challenging, yet appropriate course. Find out more about Key Stage 4.
Key Stage 5 - Years 12-13
At Key Stage 5 we are part of the highly successful Harris Federation Sixth Form with over 100 students studying at Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich.
Nurturing support
We know that some students struggle to access the broad curriculum we offer so we ensure they are given a specific programme, allowing us to give them the appropriate guidance they need and are able to disband out into a small nurture class to support the delivery of the curriculum.
We are proud that our academy welcomes students of all previous abilities, and we passionately believe that previous learning should not be a barrier to the future. Teachers leading this class are excellent Quality First Teachers, supported by a great SEN team of teaching assistants and other professionals.
Students in this class have extra English and Maths support as well as having opportunities to explore other creative subjects and all students study MFL. All students within these groups are regularly reviewed and changes made where appropriate
In Key Stage 4 this small group again follows a very similar curriculum, having the chance to choose options with all other students.
Co-curriculum
Our curriculum is not just about the academic subjects students study. We believe the co-curriculum is essential in shaping our students into active citizens. This means they will:
- understand Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural ideas about the world we live in
- embrace fundamental British values
- wanting to make a difference and have a say through democracy
- care about the local community and want to give something back
- take responsibility for their actions
- believe in and championing equality and diversity
- understand our rights - freedom of speech, press and religion
- know the nature of justice in the UK
For more information about our Personal Development Curriculum, see our PSHE/RSHE, Careers & Enterprise Education, Extra-Curriclular, SMSC & British Values and our Assembly programme pages.
