Curriculum
The Inspiring Curriculum at Pool Academy
All students benefit from a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give them the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. The curriculum links to the core values of the academy (aspiration, belonging and respect) and the entitlement and enrichment opportunities that our students deserve. Subject curricula are carefully sequenced from ambitious end points ensuring students’ learning builds on what came before, guaranteeing that transition from Key Stage 2 is seamless and enabling our students to take advantage of opportunities, responsibilities and experiences in later life. The curriculum is broad and balanced, promoting character and the personal, social, physical, spiritual, moral, and cultural development of our students, preparing them for the next stage in their lives. Teaching and Learning cycles are underpinned with knowledge organisers and formal assessment points are planned to assess what students know, understand and can do. After each cycle leaders evaluate teaching and its impact on learning, ensuring that the curriculum is constantly improving for the benefit of all students.
Our Five Year Journey at Pool Academy
With a dedicated member of staff who oversees transition from primary settings and Year 7, we are able to capitalise on prior knowledge through a well-structured transition programme.
The Year 7 curriculum is where we aim to establish a strong skill set of positive work habits in our students, so that they can be successful as they move through the academy, be confident in what they can achieve, and prepared as young people to enter the next stage of their education.
In Year 8 we want our students to be inquisitive learners about the wider picture: to feel confident in approaching the unknown and applying their wider knowledge. It sees a strong focus on supporting our students to build their resilience and independence so that they feel confident to rise to the challenge of their futures and the world of work beyond.
Year 9 is a time that focuses on ensuring students develop, embed and master the skills and knowledge that they have learnt and how they can transfer their knowledge and skills, to apply them later in school.
The goal of the Year 10 and 11 curriculums is to encourage and support every learner to achieve their personal ambitions, experience academic success and enter life beyond the academy as balanced decent young people.
Further information on the curriculum can be obtained from Mr Roberts (dro@poolacademy.co.uk).
“Fostering creativity in children is as important as any other part of the school curriculum because it feeds the soul.
A daily dose of creativity helps children imagine a better world and then create it.”
