Curriculum Policy | Padworth College

The Student Body

This is small but very varied in the makeup of experience and expectations amongst the individual students.

Student ages range from 14 to 19 and our courses reflect the academic and pastoral needs of each individual without discrimination in relation to age, gender, nationality, colour, religion or disability.

The Courses

Pre-A Level The College programme provides one and two year GCSE courses and intensive English Second Language courses. Year 10 students who are primarily native or experienced English Second Language speakers, follow a compulsory course which is a mixture of subjects offering GCSE qualifications in that year and other subjects which are preparatory courses for Year 11 GCSE subjects. Year 11 students who are primarily native or experienced English Second Language speakers are able to opt for between seven and eight GCSE subjects. The International Study Centre (ISC) offers intensive English tuition for English Second Language students for one to two years. As a student’s expertise in the English language increases they are progressively integrated into GCSE courses.

A1 (First year A level)

Many students are international. Placement upon courses should be based upon student needs and ability through information on the application form, initial interview and evaluation of the students’ academic assessment upon arrival in the UK. Student entry onto AS courses is primarily in September but provision is made for January entry from the southern hemisphere nations and ongoing entries for other reasons.

A2 (Second year A level)

University Access In-house modular courses providing a level of learning suitable for international students who have been identified as having difficulties in succeeding on A level courses and for UK students for whom the traditional A level route is unsuitable. Padworth College has partnerships with a series of UK universities who accept our Access students readily. The Access programme is run by the Director of Access.

The Timetable

This should meet the needs of all our students in terms of their ability and expectations. The majority of overseas students will have limited experience of British educational qualifications and of learning the English language and culture. Therefore, subject courses take account of this.

The Staff

Without discrimination based upon age, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, colour, religion, age or disability, all staff are required to be proven specialists in their field. At interview, new staff are assessed for their ability to teach and all staff are part of the programme of developmental lesson observations, with a revised appraisal/performance management system in operation since 2009/2010.

Due to the breadth of the curriculum and small student body, a significant proportion of teachers will be part time. These staff are expected and supported to develop their subject areas as effectively as full time colleagues and play an active role in cross-curricular discussion.

All teaching staff are expected to develop strong pastoral relationships with their charges, and may be required to act as Form Tutors and to take part in the delivery of the PSHE programme. They should make the best effort to learn students’ strengths and weaknesses through discussion with the students and colleagues and through the Senior Leadership Team on student background circumstances.

The Subjects

Because of the size of the College, many subjects are taught by a single teacher. Teachers should take every opportunity to share educational ideas and knowledge about their students and to develop informal cross curricular links that support content and or progress. The content of subjects taught should conform to the expectations of the Quality and Curriculum Council and the requirements of the relevant awarding bodies. When devising the scheme of work for a course, account should be taken of the students’ experience and desires, and their abilities in the subject if from overseas and in English as a language. All subjects should include opportunities for the students to be successful within their level of ability and should be designed to challenge and extend each student to their limit within a supportive atmosphere. Schemes of work must be produced in line with guidelines and templates issued by the Deputy Principal.

The Lessons

All lessons should include, as relevant to content and the learning styles of the students, a range of techniques for teaching and learning: differentiation, collaborative and independent learning methods should be used where they enhance learning. Use of the range of available resources is encouraged. Where resources are unavailable, subject staff should pass requests to the Deputy Principal for consideration. ICT and PSHE opportunities should be incorporated into schemes of work.

The Assessment

Assessment for learning underpins the practice at Padworth. A range of assessment tasks will be undertaken each half-term, with one formal test each term. Marking should include summative and formative elements that provide each student with:

A clear vision of where they are in their learning
A good understanding of why they are at this point
A concise route to take them beyond their current position

A range of internal assessments, graded 1 to 5, will be used to establish half termly and termly averages. More details of this are submitted on the Annual Curriculum Plan sheets returned to the Deputy Principal. Further details are shared with students, parents, agents and guardians through our website.

The wider curriculum

As a boarding school, a range of academic, cultural, social, leisure and sporting activities are offered. For each of these, relevant health and safety guidelines and, where appropriate risk assessments, should be followed and be matched to the students taking part. Links with the community are pursued through sports and other less formal ongoing and one-off events. Every relevant and safe opportunity to integrate our overseas students with UK residents should be is encouraged.

Activities are offered by staff and through external bodies during lunch hour, in the evenings and at weekends. The houses staff and college activities co-ordinator plan, create and promote the range of opportunities. Staff are encouraged to volunteer their expertise and passions to support the programme.

The Responsibilities

The Principal	Conducting the College’s affairs, with accountability to the Trustees; developing the vision and values of the College, identifying its aims and providing strategic direction; directing and managing the education and pastoral care provided by the College, creating an environment in which students have the opportunity to fulfil potential into which the curriculum fits, overseeing the work of the College in conjunction with relevant staff
The Deputy Principal, incorporating Director of Studies and Head of Boarding	Acting as Principal’s designated representative in her absenceset up and apply the curriculum, assessment, reporting procedures, the timetable, and matching the students to subjects. Students may only join a class / lesson if they have prior approval from the Deputy Principal. Overall responsibility for pastoral care of boarding students, management and leadership of house staff.
The Director of ISC/ESOL	control of the ESOL programme and direction of the ISC staff.
The Director of Access and Summer School	control of programmes and direction of staff.

Assistant Housemasters and Assistant HousemistressesTeachers All Staff Deputy Principal, Co-ordinator of PSHE, School Nurse, House Staff, Head of ISC, Teachers Tutors and Co-ordinator of PSHE September 2012 – Review June 2013	Support of students in the boarding houses, activities, prep duties, as appropriate.application of these principles to their subjects, recording marks in line with college assessment policy, planning lessons and following all internal procedures outlined by the Director of Studies and Boarding and/or Principal. Pastoral care of students/tutees.Support the academic and extra curricular programmes and pastoral care of the students. The Co-ordinator of PSHE, under the direction of the Deputy Principal will draw up a PSHE Schedule. The Deputy Principal, the UCAS and Careers Advisor, School Nurse and House Staff will contribute to this schedule and take collective responsibility for it. Teachers/Tutors may submit ideas. Delivering the PSHE schedule and contributing to it, as appropriate. Pastoral and academic support of tutees.