Forest gate community school 3

Curriculum and Assessment

Mission Statement

Forest Gate Community School is a learning community where our students have high aspirations. We want our students to grow into well-informed, well-balanced and confident citizens. We also want our students to strive for the best grades for their GCSEs because this will help them to maximise their life chances at college, university and beyond. We aim to provide a disciplined, safe environment where children learn effectively and respect each other.

Curriculum Rationale - Overview

Our curriculum aims to deliver the following outcomes:

a. The best GCSE grades possible for students, given their starting points in Year 7
b. Resilient, confident and responsible citizens
c. A supportive and inclusive environment
d. Positive destinations for our students beyond school
e. Rich learning experiences centred on mastery of knowledge and skills

We provide a high-quality curriculum and ensure they capture the following principles:

  1. The curriculum is content-rich/knowledge-rich. The learning objectives are specific, cumulative, well rounded, preparatory and rigorous
  2. The curriculum is standards-aligned. It is suitable for learners at different stages of their learning journey
  3. The curriculum supports effective, research-based pedagogy such as formative assessment, feedback, and metacognition

Points 1 to 4 below demonstrate how we work to achieve this:

1. Our curriculum sets out to achieve the following aims:

a. Allow students to identify core knowledge and skills to be learned, retained and recalled over time.

  • This is done primarily by covering the KS3-4 programmes of studies between the years 7-11.
  • We make this core knowledge transparent and ensure that it is easily accessible to the students, teachers and parents through the web-based Dynamic Progress Reporting platform (DPR).

b. Carefully identify components of learning and sequence these across different years, which leads to students being able to access composite knowledge later on in their shared journey.

  • Important knowledge which we call ‘key learning objectives’ (KOs) is built on progressively, with increased difficulty, throughout the school years. Our long term plans (LTPs) for different subjects demonstrate how we do this.

c. Have comprehensive mid-term plans that build on the LTPs.

  • Our MTPs are essentially a unit plan, which typically may last between 2 to 6 weeks. 
  • MTPs support teachers with planning their lessons and highlight important considerations such as tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, typical misconceptions associated with a particular topic, and may include other related content from KS3-4 programmes of studies the LTP may not cover.
  • Assessments on MTPs are standardised, a mix of formative and summative.

d. Provide a truly personalised curriculum.

  • This is done through differentiated ‘pathways’ for different groups of learners who join the school with different KS2 outcomes. 
  • Learning can be further personalised for individual students by their class teachers through the DPR ‘Personalised Key Objectives’ tab.

e. Support students with essential skills for memory recall. We help students develop a knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum by:

  • explicitly identifying knowledge and facts students need to be able to recall. 
  • providing homework linked to memory based knowledge and tracking the progress of this through the DPR memory tab.
  • deliberately revisiting previously taught key learning objectives, for example through lesson starters.
  • teaching students how they can train their minds to be able to recall knowledge to consolidate learning.
  • providing frequent low stakes tests for students to demonstrate their ability to recall.

f. Create independent learners who can self-regulate. 

  • One of the ways we do this is through the DPR ‘resources portal’ where teachers upload resources linked to a specific KO. 
  • These resources can be categorised as ‘learning’ or ‘testing’ resources, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning by embracing the processes of ‘diagnosis, therapy and testing’. This is a process students engage with to self diagnose their misconceptions, re-visit and learn the affected components of learning and finally re-assess their understanding until they get it right.

g. Develop ‘examination literacy’, application of knowledge, self-regulation, stamina and resilience amongst other important skills required to be successful in the GCSE exams. 

  • This is typically done in Y11 during ‘exams skills’ sessions which take place after school.

h. Develop behaviour and attitudes reflective of responsible citizens, able to read, write and communicate well, to allow them to play a positive role in British life. 

  • For example, our Big Questions programme develops cultural capital in all our students.
  • Our Social and Cultural Experience (SCE) programme (see model below), broadens our students' experience beyond the KS3/4 programme of study in the following subjects: Music, History, Geography, Art, DT and Drama. It will be delivered every week through assembly for years 7, 8, and 9. The aim is to develop subject fascination.

2. Students study the following National Curriculum subjects at FGCS:

FGCS Curriculum Map June 2022

a. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum. All of our students take GCSE English Language, GCSE English Literature, GCSE RE, GCSE Mathematics and (for most students) GCSE Statistics. Studying GCSE Statistics alongside Mathematics enables our students to understand real-life applications of Maths and Geography. Additionally, all of our students will complete GCSEs in either triple or combined Sciences. 

b. We allow our students three option choices in their GCSEs.

c. The vast majority of our students will choose highly academic subjects which will qualify them to meet the standards required for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), a measure that has been identified to ensure students are prepared for academic careers. We do not believe that this route is suitable for all our students. Some students will choose two options and they are given additional time to improve their literacy and/or numeracy skills which will help them to access the full curriculum.

d. We offer the following subjects as an additional GCSE option choice in year 8: History, Geography, French, Spanish, Business, Computer Science, Art, Drama, Media Studies, Music, Sociology, Design and Technology, Food and BTEC Sports.

e. In year 11, we expect all our students to practise examination skills after school for their different subjects. This is a timely strategy to ensure students develop self-regulation, stamina and resilience among other essential skills required for their GCSEs and beyond.

3. How do we assess and report what our students learn?

We have adopted the following three broad overarching forms of assessment approaches:

Formative assessments in every lesson

Summative assessments - three times a year

Nationally standardised summative assessments

These will be done the following ways for all year groups:

AfL techniques: Teachers deploy various AfL techniques to assess students' understanding of what has been taught. This includes question and answer and formative verbal and written feedback, including ‘live marking’

DPR as a real-time assessment tool: this will facilitate learning collaboration between students, teachers and parents about the extent of students learning against what has been taught

Low-stake quizzes: Regular re-cap quizzes to help students recall previously taught key objectives and memory content. This is done primarily during lesson starters

Homework: Students will be expected to do homework in order to rehearse core knowledge.

Knowledge Maps: To aid recall and focus on tier 2 and 3 vocabulary.

These will be done the following ways for the following year groups:

(Years 7-9) assessing the expanding domain: We will formally assess our students three times a year to help us understand how much learning they are able to successfully recall.

(Years 10-11): all interim assessments are directly linked to GCSE specifications

The results from these tests can be used to further inform the DPR judgements

These include:

  1. GL Pass Tests - All years. A nationally recognised, robust self-evaluation system for the standardised measurement of pupil attitudes
  2. GL Progress Tests - nationally benchmarked Progress Test Series for Maths, English and Science (for Years 7, 8 and 9). They will be used to support our own verdict on student academic progress
  3. National Y11 Reference Test (if selected)
  4. End of KS4 examinations

Please see our summative assessment map by following this link:

Summative Assessment Map

a. Our curriculum sets out a clear, differentiated learning journey for students with different starting points at KS2. For each subject and for each year group, we have carefully identified key learning objectives, which are carefully linked and sequenced to both KS3 and KS4 programmes of study.

b. Students are expected to demonstrate a ‘secured’ understanding in these key learning objectives within the course of a year.

c. Teachers are encouraged to assess students’ learning every lesson through the deployment of various forms of AfL strategies. We also expect our teachers to ‘live mark’ students’ work during lessons.

d. As part of our CST teaching and learning framework, teachers are encouraged to use the DPR when appropriate, as a live tool for assessment for learning during lessons (during independent work or plenary or whenever they check for understanding throughout the lesson).

e. We summatively assess students three times a year. For Years 7-9, the tests are designed by subject leaders to assess the taught key objectives on an expanding domain basis. For years 10-11, we expect students to demonstrate their understanding of complex composite knowledge as reflected in GCSE style questions.

f. Students and parents receive real-time assessment judgements on the extent of student learning through DPR. These judgements tend to change regularly and therefore we encourage parents to login to DPR frequently and have conversations with their child about their progress. During parents’ evening, we provide the child’s DPR in printed form, which reflects the progress made by students at that specific time.

g. For all students, we record and report a judgement on the key learning objectives which we colour code to mean the following: 

N

NOT YET ASSESSED: This means the teacher has not yet assessed the understanding of the learning objective

D

DEVELOPING: This means  the student has shown some understanding of the learning objective

C

CONSOLIDATING: This means  the student has shown good understanding of the learning objective, but they need to practise more to secure their understanding

S

SECURED: This means the student has shown excellent understanding of the learning objective

h. The table below shows what we record and report:

What we collect

What they mean

How we show progress

For which year group?

ATL

Attitude Towards Learning

1 = Outstanding;
2 = Good;
RI = Requires Improvement;
N/A = Not Applicable

All

Self-regulation

The extent to which students organise themselves without intervention from teachers or adults

All

On/Off Track

The professional judgement made by teachers indicating if the student is on/off track against what they are expected to learn

Y=Yes
N=No

Years 7, 8, 9

Grades

Current Grade: This is the grade your child has achieved from a recent test

Projected Grade: This is our best estimate, using the professional judgment of the teacher, of what your child will achieve at the end of KS4 course.  It is based on how well they are progressing at the moment.  

We subdivide grades thus:

7a: highly secure
7b: secure
7c: insecure

Years 10, 11

i. If a child makes the expected progress between Year 7 and Year 11, it will look something like this:

Students’ starting points at KS2, upon entry to FGCS

Allocated pathway(s) for the student

Expected Year 11 GCSE grades

Progress significantly above the expected level of attainment at KS2

X

9

A

7, 8, 9

Progress the same as the expected level of attainment at KS2

B

5, 6

Progress below the expected level of attainment at KS2

C

3,4

Progress significantly below the expected level of attainment at KS2

D

1,2

S

up to 1

4. How we provide careers information, advice and guidance to our students

a. Our Careers and Aspirations Manager runs a drop-in session as well as face-to-face interviews for students about their career needs.

b. All of our Year 11 students receive at least one face-to-face impartial careers information and guidance interview by the careers officer. Students who require additional follow up interviews receive more.

c. We organise a week’s work experience for our Year 10 students and our Year 11 students take part in a careers fair organised by our Careers Information and Guidance Officer. Approximately 25 providers consisting of colleges, sixth forms, universities and apprenticeship providers attend the annual careers fair each year.

d. Our Careers Information and Guidance Officer meets with parents regularly. We offer parents timely information to help students make informed decisions about post-16 education.

e. The Careers Information and Guidance Office promotes careers education learning in the school by working closely with educational providers and employers. Our students regularly visit educational establishments and places of work to broaden their understanding.

f. We also promote ‘employability and university skills’ and deliberately teach our students how to be polite, respectful, organised and confident individuals. 

g. We have a clear programme of studies to support our students to successfully attend prestigious colleges.​

Please contact us if you require any additional information on the curriculum.

Date reviewed: June 2022
Next review date: June 2023
Who by: Shuabur Rahman