Curriculum Statement

Curriculum Intent 

At Jubilee High School we believe in a 'rainforest' curriculum that appreciates the need for each department to have a level of autonomy over the curriculum that is taught in their subject area. This helps to ensure that we build a curriculum that is broad, knowledge rich and balanced with skills, where diversity and growth are promoted and continue to evolve overtime to enable all to florish. 

Our rainforest curriculum is built on a framework where the conditions for learning are established through a whole school ethos of 'Every Individual, Learns, Achieves and Thrives'. We believe that by fostering an attitude for excellence and a love of learning  we create the right conditions for students to achieve their potential within their GCSE's and flourish in their life beyond Jubilee High irrespective of their starting points. 

By establishing these conditions for learning each subject department is able to develop a clear structure of broad knowledge and skills at KS3, which continues to be developed and deepened at KS4 culminating in the opportunities each subject has to offer in and outside the classroom. 

Curriculum Implementation 

To support the development of a rainforest curriculum structure and ensure that 'Every Individual Learns, Achieves and Thrives' the following pedagogical principles are the core of our curriculum lesson structure and form the bedrock of our professional development: 

Within the classroom excellence is established through a whole school EILAT lesson structure. Each lesson has five key features which are consistently implemented across each subject area:

 

The learning journey and bigger picture questions

Each lesson students are provided with the bigger picture questions for the previous, current and next lesson. At the start of each unit in each subject, students spend some time in the initial lesson investigating the unit question. The aim of doing this is to promote curiosity in our students and support them with seeing their learning as a journey where their knowledge grows and connects. 

Do it now 

At the start of every lesson students complete this activity to encourage a purposeful and calm start to lessons whilst developing their schema through retrieval practice activities. 

Zoned activities 

To ensure inclusivity and challenge each lesson students will encounter activities which are 'zoned' into three levels. 

Applied learning time (ALT)

At an appropriate time every lesson students are provided with the opportunity to make links across the curriculum as well as develop their extended writing skills. Often this will involve answering the 'bigger picture questions' from the lesson title. 

Oracy

To support students in developing their communication and use of academic vocabulary 'oracy' is promoted in lessons. 'Structured talk' is one strategy being used across the curriculum to do this.  

Meta-concepts

At a departmental level meta-concepts underpin the knowledge and skills taught throughout KS3 and KS4. These are the core or big ideas that each department feels are fundamental in supporting building the knowledge and skills within their subjects and will therefore ensure the curriculum is rich and broad. 

Impact

At Jubilee High we believe our rainforest curriculum structure will support taking our students from 'possibility to actuality'. Our curriculum is at the heart of our school, the corner stone of our ethos and the bedrock of our professional development. 

By establishing the right conditions for high expectations and excellence to thrive, learning is purposeful and as a result students are able to achieve and in many cases exceed their potential. 

By recognising the importance of a varied curriculum that grows, adapts and develops we offer our students a broad range of subjects and develop their intellectual capacity as they move through the key stages. 

We hope that our students will leave Jubilee High as: