Art and Design lessons at Chelveston Road School endeavour to provide students with the opportunity to explore, create and experiment in a developmental, yet relaxed, environment.
Students will attend the well-resourced Art room for one lesson per week with staff across the school accessing art activities throughout the curriculum as well.
We are always interested in making students aware of where our ideas for pieces of art might come from and learning about the history of art and artists in a fun way. Students are continually encouraged to communicate their feelings about their own artwork and that of others in a positive, productive and informative manner.
Key Stage 3 activities include:
Year 7
- Exploration of the Primary and Secondary colours using different mediums
- Drawing, shading and watercolour techniques are worked on through the study of ‘Natural Forms’
- Transferring the look of fabric: Tie and Dye/Batik
- Simple printing and pattern techniques are discovered
Year 8
- Drawing, shading and watercolour techniques are built upon through close studies and individual design
- Collage, 3D design and clay work
- Appliqué
- Press printing method and experimentation
Year 9
- Lino printing method and experimentation.
- Silk Painting
- Digital photography using computer software.
- Watercolour embroidery
- Art Appreciation using a range of mediums.
What is our Curriculum for Life?
Our bespoke Curriculum for Life aims to prepare our students to face challenges in their adult lives. This is integral in enabling students to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. All of our students to play a positive role in contributing to the life of the school and the wider community.
At Chelveston Road School, Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), Careers Guidance (CEIAG) Life Skills and Social, Moral, Spiritual, Cultural Education (SMSC) and SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) programmes weave together to promote our school’s overarching aims.
These, alongside all other opportunities to develop our young people holistically, are under the umbrella of ‘Curriculum for Life’.
Curriculum Intent
To enable our students to lead a fulfilling and substantially independent life, we ensure that they have opportunities to develop functional skills for living.
Our Curriculum for Life includes a range of opportunities to develop transferrable life skills both on and off site. There is a strong emphasis on working in partnership with families to ensure the transition of skills in school, at home and in their future lives.
All of our student access at least one lesson of PSHE and LIFE skills each week. There is a key focus to each topic or area taught and these are integrated across the day, in addition to discrete sessions. All units of work enable student to:
- Distinguish between right and wrong; Articulate their own attitudes and values
- Take responsibility for their own actions
- Recognise the moral dimension to a situation
- Understand the long and short term consequences of their actions for themselves and others
- Develop for themselves a set of socially acceptable values and principles and set guidelines to govern behaviour
- Recognise their values and attitudes may change over time
- Behave consistently in accordance with their principles
To achieve this we:
- Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
- Prepare students for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
- Help students develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
- Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships
- Teach students the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies
Curriculum Implementation
PSHE (including RSE)
PSHE is taught with due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life. At Chelveston Road School, the PSHE units of work within our Curriculum for Life are fully compliant with the statutory status.
Every year group follows a PSHE Education Curriculum Map.
The areas covered are: Protective Behaviours; Restorative Approaches; Health and wellbeing; Relationships; The Wider World; Careers
Key Stage 3
Year 7 Map Content
Protective Behaviours; This is me; Resolving Conflict-Introduction to RA; Similarities and difference; Are you a good citizen?; Rules, the laws and you; Ant-bullying; This is me; Annual Review process; Peer pressure-how to recognise it; Coping with feelings; Coping with changes; Alcohol facts; Body changes; Personal hygiene; What is work?; Keeping safe/support services; Motivation; What is work?; Birth and growth; Drugs-facts/decisions/influences; Core values/influences; About me/spending and needs; Transition-looking forward/goal setting
Year 8 Map Content
What sort of person am I?; Being Healthy; Personal strengths; Personal qualities; Family matters; Communities and lifestyle; Rules and rule breaking; Prejudice; What work do I want; Enterprise; Smoking; Cancer and cancer treatments; Equality, including legislation; Positive and negative relationships; Growing and changing; Perceptions of relationships; Consent; Health and well-being in relationships; Places of work; Employability skills; Finance: Protective Behaviours; Groups and gangs; Peer pressure; Risky behaviour; Planning for the future-aspirations.
Year 9 Map Content
Recognising personal strengths; First-aid; Job studies; RA; Skills and qualities necessary for work; Communication in relationships; Relationship types; British Culture; Skills and qualities; Core values; Human rights; Planning for the future; Learning styles; Preparing for careers guidance; safety online /data protection; Impact of sex in the media; Protecting reputations; Body image/media impact; Unhealthy coping strategies; Roles and responsibilities; Relationship expectations; Readiness for sex/okay to delay; Contraception; Influences; Careers; Substance misuse; Risky behaviour; Legal/illegal drugs; Finance; Informed choices; Gambling
Key Stage 4
Year 10 Map Content
Mental Health; Personal strengths; Managing emotions and feelings; Internet safety and harms; Discrimination; Social media distortion; Personal safety; Health and prevention; First Aid; Families; Freedom and coercion; Parenting skills; Impact of relationships ending; Respect in relationships; Discrimination/harassment/prejudice and bigotry.
Year 11 Map Content
Mental Health; Manage risks associated with cosmetic and aesthetic procedures; Harassment and stalking; Internet safety and harms; Healthy Eating; Drugs, alcohol and tobacco; Social media distortion; Personal safety; Health and prevention-including self- examination; First Aid; Families; Exploitation, bullying, harassment and control in relationships; Parenting skills; Impact of relationships ending; Respect in relationships; Unhealthy or abusive relationships (including the unacceptability of both emotional and physical abuse or violence including ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage and rape); Awareness of County Lines and Prevent.
LIFE Skills
Life skills lessons are taught discretely in all Key Stages. They further develop skills learned in PSHE, as well as softer skills essential for independent living.
As well as discrete PHSE and LIFE skills lessons, students have opportunities to access: visitors; school nurse; work experience; college taster courses; enterprise and outdoor learning.
LIFE Skills KS4
Skills across units are met during individual work placements, college, and enterprise. Units are covered through PHSE/CEIAG/Life skills sessions. Students can access bespoke AQA units during KS4.
LIFE Skills KS5
The curriculum at KS5 is LIFE skills led. Students also have the opportunity to access bespoke AQA units during KS5. They have wonderful opportunities to transfer their skills to real life settings; in previous years we have supported a local Sweet Shop.
Cross Curricular Links
The nature of the subject ensures that there are plentiful links with other subjects that offer the students a chance to further develop key skills and understanding in a wider range of contexts. E.g.
Maths
- shopping
- working in a café-taking orders, calculating money
Science
- diseases-treatment
- drug use/prevention/addiction
- health and well-being
- birth and growth
English
- literacy and language skills,
- development of speaking and listening skills e.g. café work,
- reading social sight/signs
Geography
- Transport and travel
Curriculum Impact
The Curriculum for Life is essential to all students’ present and future pathways and is fundamental in preparing young people for life. Students leave Chelveston Road School more able to:
- Access the highest level of independence as possible
- Manage health issues, including mental health.
- Be sensitive, tolerant and respectful of others
- Value everyone equally
- Be active, responsible citizens in a democratic society
- Appreciate human achievements and aspirations
- Show independence and economic awareness
- Demonstrate emotional intelligence and resilience for life
- Understand how to maintain personal safeguarding
- Prepare themselves for further education, training and employment
At Chelveston Road School, in line with Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) outcomes, we believe that young people with SEND should have equal life chances as they move into adulthood.
This should include paid employment and higher education, housing options and independent living, good health, friends, relationships, community inclusion and choice and control over their lives and support.
At CRS, our Careers programme is a major contribution in preparing our students for opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of life. Our careers programme, alongside our PSHE and Life Skills programme, form part of our ‘Curriculum for Life’ which supports students to make decisions and manage transitions as learners and workers. It is vital that all of our students have the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices.
We offer a range of opportunities and experiences that enable our students to start to build their own future pathways, incorporating the development of life skills, social and emotional development and independent living skills. Our CEIAG programme embeds careers, enterprise skills and work-related learning across the curriculum.
We are committed to supporting and equipping students, their parents and carers, our staff and governing body with the necessary information to embed a strong understanding of careers at CRS that will help them to prepare for their future.
The below documents set out how Chelveston Road School will meet the requirements of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
CRS KS3 CEIAG Programme of study Matrix
Computing
Students have access to one Computing lesson each week in the Computer suite which is equipped with the latest up-to-date computers and an interactive Smart board. Students are given their own login to access the network and are provided with their own email accounts. They are encouraged to be responsible users of the network and the equipment throughout the school.
Computing skills are used in every curriculum subject throughout the school. Should class teachers wish to use ICT as part of their lessons, whether for research, creating documents or accessing educational applications, we have a booking system for accessing the computer room when it is not being used to deliver a discrete computing lesson.
There is also a set of computers in the Learning Resource Centre that can be accessed by classes as well as by students in certain lunch breaks. We are also fortunate to have a well-equipped sensory room which can be used throughout all curriculum areas to help bring topics alive and give students a memorable experience, helping to engage them in their learning.
Students are encouraged to peer and self-assess their work so they are aware of the levels they are working at. They have a tracking system saved in their own documents, allowing them to view where they are working at and what they need to do to progress.
OSHL
We aim to provide a number of lunchtime and after school clubs and these focus on developing cross-curricular skills and are for recreational use by students.
Curriculum
Computing is divided into three strands: Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Computer Science. All year groups cover these three strands throughout the year to aim to provide a broad and balanced Computing curriculum.
E-Safety
The importance of being safe online is taught through the computing curriculum as well as throughout the
KS3 Topics
Year 7
- Familiarisation of the School Network, introduction and evaluation of software available.
- Creating a presentation including digital photography and research on the internet.
- Coding - Creating simple games.
- What is a database? Inserting graphs and creating clear databases.
- Logo - Giving commands to an onscreen turtle.
- Online safety and emails.
Year 8
- Word processing skills, online safety and emails.
- Logo Programming - Using commands and repeat commands to control a device.
- Databases - Using a sort and filter tool to extract information. Creating a graph.
- Coding - Creating games using conditional commands.
- Modelling - Changing variables within a spreadsheet.
- Online safety and digital photography.
Year 9
- Online safety, research via the internet and use of a range of software. To learn about the effects of Cyberbullying and how to deal with it.
- Coding - Creating an animation.
- Editing photographs and creating special effects.
- Databases - Creating and interrogating, creating pie charts and using the sort/ filter tools.
- Programming - Following onscreen instructions to create a moving toy using motors and sensors.
- Online safety and uses of Word. Writing letters, creating and editing tables, SmartArt charts.
Cooking and Nutrition
Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that will enable students to feed themselves and others, affordable meals now and later in life. Students learn to apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. They are taught to the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes and to understand where food comes from.
Key Stage 3 Topics
Year 7
Students investigate healthy lifestyle foods, what constitutes a balanced and healthy diet, vegetables, other cultures’ dishes and self- sufficiency.
Year 8
Students will learn about staple foods, seasonal food, food around the world and how to use small electrical equipment.
Year 9
Students will learn about the main food groups, such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats in food, vegetarian alternatives, cooking for others and production methods.
Design Technology
We aim to make Design and Technology an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, students design and make products that solve real and relevant problems. Embedded in all areas is the importance of Health and Safety which forms an integral part of each lesson.
Product Design
The students experience a broad range of technical and practical skills needed to perform everyday tasks confidently. They learn to use this knowledge along with applying maths, science, engineering, computing and art skills to design and make a range of useful products. We have a number of links with local industry, which provide additional resources for use within the school, and opportunities to see real-world design and manufacturing in action.
Key Stage 3 Topics
Year 7
Students learn to use the tools, machines and equipment safely. Students are introduced to a range of materials and learn a variety of ways in which to cut, shape and join them. Examples of products they can make include: pencil holders, calendars, wheeled wooden toys and bug hotels.
Year 8
Students start to focus more on Design Criteria and use different materials and production techniques such as heat-forming acrylic (plastic). Some of the products they create include colour-changing thermometers, acrylic key fobs, steady hand game, funky bird boxes and kites.
Year 9
The students investigate structures and movement, through levers and pivots, to build toys with moving components and rubber-band powered vehicles. Other projects may include key racks, mobile phone holders and storage boxes, and the use of CAD/CAM to cut and engrave their products. Electronics is introduced through basic circuits and prototyping.
English
At Chelveston Road School we will enjoy communicating in a variety of ways, developing skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing so that we can participate in employment and society.
Modern texts, ‘e’ books, DVD’s, and further interactive resources are used throughout the school to enhance the curriculum, help with research and motivate students whilst raising levels of literacy. These resources support students to develop skills for life in a fun, practical and kinaesthetic way.
When students enter Key Stage 4 they will focus on building functional literacy skills that will prepare them for post 16 and beyond.
There are whole school events and incentives to learn such as English awards, World Book Day celebrations and competitions. Students also have daily access to library clubs to enthuse a school wide love of reading. Interventions such as Kinetic letters and Dyslexia programmes are also used to support targeted students.
Students have the opportunity to complete learning at home, through the use of Key stage homework tasks and home-school reading books.
Key Stage 3 Topics
Year 7
Instructional texts, stories with familiar/traditional settings, information texts and media, Shakespeare’s world, poetry and extended stories. Students have the opportunity to take part in class based drama to enhance their studies, have weekly spelling tests and access to interactive reading programmes to develop their reading and comprehension skills.
Year 8
Modern texts, instruction texts, stories from different cultures, poetry –forms and techniques and stories by significant authors. Students have the opportunity to take part in class based drama to enhance their studies, have weekly spelling tests and access to interactive reading programmes to develop their reading and comprehension skills.
Year 9
Contemporary texts- The boy at the back of the class, media, newspapers and magazines, Shakespeare’s plays, poetry and non-fiction texts. Students have the opportunity to take part in class based drama to enhance their studies, have weekly spelling tests and access to interactive reading programmes to develop their reading and comprehension skills.
Key Stage 4
Students will study Shakespeare, media and persuasive texts, poetry, contemporary novels and functional skills and preparation for transition. At Key stage 4 students have the opportunity to work towards the English Entry Level qualification and tasks from the AQA Unit Award Scheme.
Expressive Arts
Creativity and expression are at the heart of our Expressive Arts Curriculum. Students will have access to a range of extra-curricular activities to enhance their learning as well opportunities to take part in projects as a result of FMAT’s partnership with Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust.
Music Overview
Music is an integral part of life at Chelveston Road School. It is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way students feel, think and act. Music enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development and promotes students’ spiritual, cultural and social development. The learning of music develops an awareness and appreciation of musical traditions, from the past and present, in a variety of cultures and societies. This helps students understand themselves and relate to others, forging important links between the home, school and wider world. It encourages active involvement in different forms of music making, both individual and communal, developing a sense of group identity and togetherness. It also increases self-discipline and creativity, aesthetic sensitivity and fulfilment.
Key Stage 3
Students receive one lesson of Music each week. The Music curriculum is based on the three areas of; listening and appraising, performing (solo and ensemble) and composing. Students learn about a range of styles of Music; they sing, learn how to play traditional instruments and also develop their Music Technology skills.
Key Stage 3 Topics
Year 7
- Elements of Music
- Keyboard Skills
- Rhythm
- Ukulele
- Hip Hop
- Steel Pans
Year 8
- Stomp
- The Blues
- Reggae
- Music and Media
- Electric Guitar
- African Drumming
Year 9
- Dance Music
- Audio Editing
- Keyboard Skills
- Band Skills
- Samba
Geography
Geography is concerned with the study of places, the human and physical processes which shape them and the people that live in them. It helps students to make sense of their surroundings and the wider world.
Why is Geography a valuable element of Chelveston Road’s curriculum?
Geography can enhance a child’s education by:
- Securing their locational knowledge and understanding of spatial relations
- Developing a knowledge and understanding of current events, from local to global
- Explaining geographical patterns and processes, both physical and human
- Enabling well informed judgements about environments and by supporting an understanding of sustainable development
- Addressing the complexity of human and physical environments
- Making connections between natural, economic, social, political and technological systems
- Developing the skill of visual literacy – interpreting maps, graphs, diagrams, aerial photographs and satellite images
- Providing opportunities through fieldwork for the first-hand investigations of places, environments and human behaviour
- Providing a meaningful context for developing transferable skills – literacy, numeracy, ICT, problem solving, team work, thinking skills and enquiry
- Preparing children for the world of work with their skills of analysis and synthesis
- Stimulating an interest in, and a wonder, of the world around us
- Giving real purpose for using new technologies such as Geographic Information Systems
- Empowering all young people to become active global citizens
- Helping students to understand that there may be more than one way of tackling specific real life problems
The content of the Geography taught at our academy is covered by the following study units in
Key Stage 3
- Settlements
- Exploring the UK Water and the Weather
- The Industrial World
- Feeding the People
- Coastal Processes
- Hazardous Environments
- Population and Development
History
At Chelveston Road we discover the fun in being an historian. This means we become a bit like detectives – using evidence to find out what happened and why. This is not an easy job. We must be able to recognise evidence, decide how useful it is and come to conclusions based on what we have found out.
We do this in lots of ways: By using historical sources; by inviting historians into school; by touching real artefacts; by using the internet to research our topics and by accessing theatre groups to develop our knowledge and understanding. Mostly we learn that history can be fun!
We develop our skills through our programmes of study, which are:
Year 7
The Roman Empire, Medieval Realms, Castles and Cathedrals
Year 8
The Great War, The North American Indians, The Making of the United Kingdom
Year 9
Britain 1750-1900, Women and Children at Work/Slavery, The Second World War
Mathematics
At Chelveston Road School we believe every child has the right to an outstanding education enabling them to become numerate citizens, tackling problems and finance in the home and workplace with confidence and to the best of their ability.
Maths is an essential part of everyday life. We aim to help our students become fluent in basic number skills, be able to tackle problems with confidence and be able to reason mathematically.
Students are taught in class groups in Key Stage 3. Lessons may be delivered to whole groups where new concepts are covered or in small groups/individually in order to give additional support when necessary.
We understand that students have different learning styles and have adapted the curriculum to enable pupils to get the best from lessons whether they prefer to learn: visually, logically, aurally, verbally or physically.
At Chelveston Road School, the aim of our teaching and learning, is that students will become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, be able to reason mathematically and solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems and persevering in seeking solutions. The aim for Chelveston Road School is to provide an exciting, interesting and challenging curriculum which is accessible by all our learners.
Key Stage 3 Topic
Students study Number, Geometry and Measures, and Statistics topics (some may also study Algebra).
Real-life and functional Maths is used and applied throughout Maths lessons, and across areas of the curriculum and as part of the school day.
We aim to support cross-curricular skills:
- to encourage language development
- to aid the development of literacy; overcoming the reading barrier to enable all learners
to work systematically and solve problems
- to maintain motivation and engage students with multiple learning styles by using music, art and science to make maths fun and meaningful with cross-curricular projects
- to develop ICT skills
- to work collaboratively and cooperatively with others, in pairs and groups.
Physical Education
At Chelveston Road School we recognise the important effect Physical Education can have on the child as a whole. The PE lessons we deliver not only aim to develop students’ physical skills but also important elements like social skills, creativity and understanding of health and fitness. Developing a child’s self-esteem and confidence through participation in PE and Sport, and creating a positive learning environment for them is an underlying theme within our Physical Education delivery.
Key Stage 3 Activities
All students have three PE lessons a week, one of which is a fitness lesson in our fitness suite.
Students will participate in a range of different sports throughout their time in Key Stage 3, these will include sports such as:-
- Unihock
- Korfball
- Handball
- Football
- Boccia
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Rounders
- Athletics
- Gymnastics
Extra-curricular Activities
Chelveston Road School offers after school sports clubs every week, where students can participate in a range of different sports and activities.
Attending after school sports clubs is a great opportunity for students to socialise with a variety of students from different year groups and classes, as well as further developing their fundamental and sports specific skills.
Competitions
We feel that participating in sports competitions and fixtures against other schools is a valuable experience for our students. Once the Covid 19 Pandemic allows us to do so again safely, we will pursue opportunities for our students to participate in competitions against other schools.
Religious Education
In Ethics lessons, students learn about Christian beliefs and religious rituals for approximately 50% of the school year. The remainder of their lessons are focused on other religions and associated rituals.
Key Stage 3 Topics
Year 7
Christianity:
- God: What do Christians believe about God? – What do I believe?
- What are the key principles of the Christian faith?
- Why are these ideas so important to Christians?
- How do Christians practice their faith?
Islam:
- Allah – oneness
- Faith
- Worship / belief in action – the five pillars
- Behaviour attitude and ethics
- Family life
Year 8
- Well-known people of faith- what do they believe and its impact on their lives.
- Identifying well-known people, such as sports people, actors, singers and T.V. personalities, who follow a faith, and exploring the impact that their faith has upon their lives.
Christianity:
- Christian Ways of Life: What challenges do Christian ways of living present to people like me?
- What influences people in making decisions?
- How do I forgive others?
- What does Christianity teach about forgiveness?
- What is meant by reconciliation?
- Martin Luther King
Hinduism:
- Oldest Religion
- Hindu worship / gods / idols
- The Mandir
- Stories and festivals i.e. Krishna, Rama and Sita
- The importance of family
Year 9
- Where have we come from and where are we going?- What beliefs do some people hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that Christians and Jews hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that Muslims hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that Hindus hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that Buddhists hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that Sikhs hold?
- What are the specific beliefs about creation that people who are not religious hold?
- Can we extend our understanding of Humanism as a way of life?
- Which faiths have a belief in reincarnation?
- Which faiths have a belief in Heaven?
- Is a belief in Heaven important to us?
- What are the specific beliefs after death of people who do not follow a faith?
Buddhism and Values:
- What can Buddhism and Christianity teach us about values?
- Why are values important?
- What values do I have?
- Why are these values important to me?
- How do I show that I have these values?
- Do you have to be ‘religious’ to have values?
Sikhism:
- The Gurus
- The Gurdwara
- The Guru Granth Sahib
- The 5 Ks
- The Sikh way of life
Science
Science at Chelveston Road School aims to provide a curriculum which is challenging, interesting and enjoyable, fostering a desire to learn.
Science’s practical nature and inherent “awe and wonder” encourages the use of imagination, promotes good, safe behaviour because the students want to see “what happens next”.
Chelveston Road School has two fully equipped science labs. Learning safely in the lab is a valuable experience for all students at school. Students feel comfortable in the lab as well as daring to stretch their skills, knowledge and confidence in science. Learning from investigations and “trying things out” within a safe and secure environment develops their greater understanding of the world around them and promotes increased self-esteem. Science at Chelveston Road School contributes much to “educating the whole child”.
KS3 Science
Students at Chelveston Road School have three science lessons a week, studying:
Biology, Chemistry and Physics through the following topics:-
- Air Resistance
- Earth
- Ecosystems
- Friction
- Gravity
- Mechanical Devices
- Organisms
- Opposing Forces
- Water Resistance
Students will also improve their scientific enquiry through investigation.
