If you wish to find out more or more specific information about our curriculum please visit the Contact Us section of the website and send us a message via the online form. One of our colleagues will then be in touch to discuss your enquiry.
At Bishop Challoner Catholic School, we take pride in developing the whole person, recognising that every pupil is made in the image and likeness of God. Our curriculum reflects our Catholic mission by nurturing pupils spiritually, morally, socially and academically, enabling them to flourish as confident, compassionate and ambitious young people.
Our curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure that all pupils develop the knowledge, skills and character required for success in school and beyond. Using a backwards design approach, each curriculum has been planned around ambitious end points, with learning carefully sequenced so that knowledge, skills and understanding build cumulatively over time. Rather than simply covering content, each subject is designed to help pupils remember more, make meaningful connections and apply their learning with increasing confidence, independence and sophistication.
Our curriculum is underpinned by four key principles:
Ambition for Every Pupil
We believe every pupil is capable of achieving highly. Each subject has clearly defined curriculum end points that set out what pupils should know, understand and be able to do by the end of each year, key stage and qualification. These end points have been informed by the National Curriculum, GCSE and A-Level specifications and, where appropriate, national grade descriptors to ensure that pupils are prepared for success at the next stage of their education.
Knowledge That Builds Over Time
Learning is carefully sequenced so that new knowledge builds upon prior learning. Curriculum maps identify the key knowledge, disciplinary skills and recurring conceptual themes that pupils revisit and deepen throughout their time at Bishop Challoner. This cumulative approach enables pupils to retain learning, make meaningful connections and develop expertise within each subject.
Developing Expertise
Our curriculum focuses not only on what pupils learn, but on what they are able to do with that knowledge. As pupils progress through the curriculum, they develop increasing independence, confidence and sophistication in applying their learning, solving problems, communicating ideas and thinking critically within each discipline. By making expectations explicit, pupils understand what successful performance looks like and how they can continue to improve over time.
Assessment and Reporting
Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning and is designed to support pupils in reaching the ambitious curriculum end points identified within each subject.
Departments use a range of formative and summative assessment strategies to identify what pupils know, understand and can do. Assessment is used to identify misconceptions, inform future teaching and ensure pupils remain on track to achieve the intended curriculum outcomes.
Each curriculum map identifies the expected end points for every year group. Pupil performance against these expectations is reviewed regularly by teachers, Heads of Department and senior leaders to ensure that pupils are making strong progress through the planned curriculum.
All pupils complete Grade Indicator (GI) assessments twice each academic year. These cumulative assessments are carefully designed to assess the knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are expected to have secured at that point in the curriculum. GI assessments are aligned to the curriculum end points for each subject, ensuring that pupils are assessed on the knowledge and disciplinary skills they have developed throughout their learning journey. Outcomes are reported to parents and carers and are used to celebrate achievement, identify strengths, address gaps in learning and inform future teaching, ensuring pupils remain on track to achieve ambitious outcomes.
Parents and carers receive regular updates on their child's progress and are encouraged to play an active role in supporting learning by:
- Monitoring their child's work and progress.
- Supporting the completion of homework and independent study.
- Attending parents' evenings and other meetings to discuss progress.
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Engaging with feedback and guidance provided by the school.
Curriculum Maps
Every subject has a curriculum map which sets out the learning journey pupils will take throughout their time at Bishop Challoner. These maps explain the curriculum intent for each subject, the knowledge and disciplinary skills pupils will develop, and how learning is carefully sequenced to build towards ambitious end points.
Each curriculum map identifies:
- the curriculum intent and ambitious end points for each year group;
- the key knowledge and disciplinary skills pupils will develop;
- how learning builds on prior knowledge and prepares pupils for future learning;
- the recurring conceptual themes that run throughout the curriculum;
- what pupils should know, understand and be able to do by the end of each stage; and
- how assessment supports pupils in achieving the intended curriculum end points.
Our curriculum maps are designed to provide clarity for pupils, parents and staff, ensuring a shared understanding of what is taught, why it is taught and how pupils progressively develop expertise within each subject. Curriculum maps are reviewed regularly by subject leaders and senior leaders to ensure they remain ambitious, coherent and responsive to pupils' needs whilst continuing to prepare pupils successfully for the next stage of their education.
Through an ambitious, carefully sequenced curriculum, Bishop Challoner Catholic School seeks to develop knowledgeable, resilient and compassionate young people who are equipped to flourish academically, contribute positively to society and live out our Catholic mission in the service of others.