Curriculum Statement

ST JOHN PAYNE CATHOLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM PLAN 2021-2024

Please click here for a downloadable version 

Our curriculum plan is informed by our distinctive identity as a Catholic comprehensive school. We create differentiated pathways to provide a broad and balanced experience, ensuring progress for all and nurturing students’ individual interests and aspirations as they develop through the school.

We embed knowledge to afford students a platform upon which to develop as the curriculum progresses. Pedagogy is rooted in real world contexts, affording opportunity to reflect, question and challenge. Enquiry is related to students’ personal experiences and awareness of the communities, society and world of which they are citizens. Our intent is that students know themselves as valued members of the St John Payne community, and of the wider local, national and global communities.

To this end our curriculum is crafted to offer breadth of experience and knowledge throughout Key Stage 3, complemented by opportunity to specialise in selected options throughout Key Stages 4 & 5.

KEY STAGE 3: YEARS 7-9

Throughout their final term in primary school, our transition programme supports the newest members of our community as they prepare to join St John Payne. Our Head of Year 7 or a member of our pastoral team visits all our feeder schools, following which parents & carers are offered a telephone conversation so we can become familiar with how best we can support their children. A taster day and presentation evening provide further familiarity, so that children are well placed to progress upon joining our community.

With students joining us with a diverse range of experiences and prior attainment, teachers assess early in the autumn term to complement prior knowledge and establish a platform from which all students are supported to progress. Students become immersed in the SJP culture via a range of enrichment opportunities, including a Welcome Mass on their first day, Form group Retreats, charity fundraising and a Bible presentation assembly. We also invite families to our Community Welcome Mass, a coffee afternoon to meet key staff, and a meet the tutor evening in November.

Students develop knowledge via a broad and balanced curriculum complemented by a range of co-curricular events and opportunities to represent the school, including as Form & Sports Captains, in our school play, and opportunities in sport - including officiating the primary schools’ Panathlon & mini-games, music, drama, debating, recreational visits, spiritual retreats and participation in liturgical life, faith formation, public speaking, charity fundraising and House competitions.

KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM: YEARS 7-9
Art	French	History	Music	Resistant Materials
English	Geography	ICT	PHSE	Science
Food	German	Literacy (Years 7 & 8)	PE	Textiles
Drama	Graphics	Maths	RE
Some Year 8 & 9 students receive additional support for English & maths in place of one or both languages.
At the end of Year 9 students select three Key Stage 4 options in addition to the core subjects.

 

KEY STAGE 4: YEARS 10 & 11 

During the spring of Year 9, students select three options to study during KS4 in addition to our Core curriculum of RE, English Language, English Literature, maths, triple or combined science & PSHE. Selections can include the following subjects not previously studied at KS3. Click here to view our Key Stage 4 curriculum guide.

Sociology	Creative iMedia	Health & Social Care	Life Skills
Business studies	Business & Enterprise	Hospitality & Catering	Personal Development

 

Building upon the breadth of KS3 knowledge, courses deepen in content and become more focused as students prepare for public examinations at the end of Year 11.

We continue to develop leadership via opportunity to serve as Prefects, an important aspect of which is leading open evening tours and visits of prospective families throughout the following weeks. Students devote lunchtimes to supporting at Columbus College, and many contribute to liturgical celebrations and represent the school in the local community, such as at the annual commemoration at Chelmsford crematorium, and the city’s Holocaust memorial.

Students are afforded a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including participation in inter school and inter House sports competitions, performing in the school play or our showcase evening, and attending the Year 11 ski trip. We also offer a wide range or academic enrichment, including visits to course lectures, museums, visiting speakers, public speaking competitions, MFL target language experiences, contributions to local art competitions and displays, and UK maths challenges.

SEE BELOW FOR OUR 2021-2024 KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM PATHWAYS & DEVELOPMENT PLAN

KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM PLAN 2021-2024
2021-22		2022-24
Students in Key Stage 4 select three Options in addition to the Core curriculum of RE, English & English Literature, maths and science
Art		Art
Asdan Life Skills		Asdan Life Skills
Business Studies		Business Studies
BTEC Business & Enterprise (NEW)		BTEC Business & Enterprise
Computer Studies		Computer Studies
		Construction (NEW)
Creative iMedia		Creative iMedia
Dance		Dance
Drama		Drama
French		French
Functional Maths		Functional Maths
Geography		Geography
German		German
Health & Social Care (NEW)		Health & Social Care
History Short Course		History Short Course
History		History
Hospitality & Catering (NEW)		Hospitality & Catering
Music		Music
Personal Development		Personal Development
PE		PE
		Photography (NEW)
Resistant Materials		Resistant Materials
Sociology		Sociology
Separate science additional GCSE for selected students		Separate science additional GCSE for selected students
GCSE Polish: additional lesson after school for some Year 10 EAL students. GCSE Further maths: offered an extra GCSE.

 

KEY STAGE 5: YEARS 12 & 13

We retain upwards of 70% of our Year 11 cohort each year, offering a wide range of A Level subjects, and are increasing our vocational offer to allow a greater number of students to remain with us. Click here to view introductions to our sixth form from the Headteacher & Head of Sixth Form and subject presentations from Heads of Department.

We enjoy a long tradition of supporting students towards university, and are equally pleased that recent years have seen students accept apprenticeships with providers including Google, Ford, Transport for London and in the cyber security industry. Our students know the importance of aiming high, and of preparing to best support their aspiration. That upwards of 40% each year progress to the Russell Group - compared with averages of 25% & 60% from the state and independent sectors - testifies to our high aspiration and the support and preparation students receive during the application process. This includes a competitive applications seminar with Cambridge Colleges’ Director of Admissions, complemented by our Pump Up My Personal Statement initiative, interviews with our Head of Sixth Form & Heads of Department, and with colleagues from local grammar schools.

We also draw upon advice, guidance and insight from former students. Always keen to maintain their association with the school, they are selfless in their commitment to ensuring their younger peers enjoy the same support they were afforded throughout the application process so that they too have every chance to fulfill the very highest aspirations. Year 12 Med Soc & Year 13 medical applicants are supported by the In2Med initiative, which sees medical students from Anglia Ruskin University offer mentoring and application support.

Building upon the opportunities afforded throughout KS3 & 4, leadership includes service on the student leadership team, including as House & Chaplaincy Prefects, with many of our charity initiatives student driven. Students act as mentors to Year 7 & 8 students, also offering additional support in KS3 classes. They are central to our transition programme for Year 11 students, arranging a subject fair where they inform their younger peers of the nature and content of post-16 courses.

SEE BELOW FOR OUR 2021-2024 KEY STAGE 5 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

 

2021-2024 KEY STAGE 5 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

KEY STAGE 5: YEARS 12 & 13
Students who achieve 50+ points at the end of Key Stage 4 are encouraged to take 4 Level 3 courses. Students who achieve 38+ points will take three Level 3 courses. Students who achieve 34+ points must take a Level 3 BTEC subject in their combination.
2021-22		2022-23		2023-24
L3 Applied Science (dependent on science staffing)		L3 Applied Science (dependent on science staffing)		L3 Applied Science (dependent on science staffing)
Art & Design		Art & Design		Art & Design
Biology		Biology		Biology
Business Studies		Business Studies		Business Studies
BTEC L3 Business Diploma (equiv. 2 A Levels)		BTEC L3 Business Diploma (equiv. 2 A Levels)		BTEC L3 Business Diploma (equiv. 2 A Levels)
Chemistry		Chemistry		Chemistry
Computer Science		Computer Science		Computer Science
ICT Cambridge Technical		ICT Cambridge Technical		ICT Cambridge Technical
Drama (NEW)		Drama		Drama
Design Tech		Design Tech		Design Tech
Economics		Economics		Economics
Film Studies		Film Studies		Film Studies
French		French		French
Geography		Geography		Geography
German		German		German
Gov & Pol (NEW)		Gov & Pol		Gov & Pol
History		History		History
ICT L3 Extended Certificate		ICT L3 Extended Certificate		ICT L3 Extended Certificate
Law		Final Y13 cohort
Maths A Level		Maths A Level		Maths A Level
Maths AS Level		Final Y13 cohort
Further maths		Further maths		Further maths
Music L3 Diploma		Music L3 Diploma		Music L3 Diploma
PE		PE		PE
PE (Additional L3 course TBC) (NEW)		PE (Additional L3 course TBC)		PE (Additional L3 course TBC)
Photography		Photography		Photography
Physics		Physics		Physics
Psychology		Psychology		Psychology
RE		RE		RE
Sociology		Sociology		Sociology

 

CONCLUSION

We believe learning is a life-long pursuit greater than the achievements secured in public examinations. Visitors frequently comment upon the air of inclusivity and diversity that pervades the school, upon our students’ engagement and pride at belonging to the St John Payne community, and their ability to articulate their hopes, aspirations and responsibilities.

Literacy Vision Statement ‘Those who read succeed’.

At St John Payne, we recognise the importance of Literacy and its impact on students’ learning and life chances. We have a healthy and uncompromising approach to Literacy and believe in providing our students with the best possible foundation for the future.

We are committed to ensuring that our children:

• have the necessary tools to access the curriculum
• are able to transfer knowledge, ideas and skills between subject areas
• recognise the importance of and enjoy reading for pleasure
• recognise the value of writing and communicating effectively
• are able to continue their literacy development throughout their secondary school career

These fundamental, life-enhancing skills are delivered through a rigorous programme of Literacy initiatives:

• opportunities to read for pleasure
• focus on extended writing across the curriculum
• DEAR (Drop Everything and Read)
• a range of literacy activities in all subjects across the curriculum
• opportunities for the regular marking of spelling, punctuation and grammar across the curriculum
• celebration of reading and writing
• a monthly lunchtime club to promote a love of reading (staff presentations and sharing of favourite books)

Reading for Pleasure at SJP

With an abundance of evidence suggesting that reading for pleasure is an important determinant of children’s personal and academic development, we actively seek ways to infuse a culture and pleasure of reading in all students. Our reading for pleasure policy incorporates the following strategies:

• Fiction study in English alongside main units of study
• School reading challenges
• Library book club
• Library lessons
• A wide selection of books in the library for more able and less able learners; boys and girls
• Providing choice – students are invited to suggest specific books as part of the library stock
• Reading displays
• Special library events