Birchgrove Comprehensive School Curriculum Summary
Birchgrove Comprehensive School – ‘Taking pride in achievement’
Our Vision:
At Birchgrove, our fully inclusive curriculum seeks to create life-long learners who will gain the requisite skills, knowledge, and experiences to understand their place as truly ethical and informed citizens in a local, national, and global society. We aim to create ambitious and capable individuals who will thrive in a changing world by providing opportunities for all learners. Our curriculum will explore the genuine links in learning across Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs) in order to enhance understanding of key concepts and also to allow all learners to have the confidence to apply this knowledge in a range of genuine learning experiences and contexts.
Our Inclusive Curriculum:
The curriculum at Birchgrove is designed to raise the attainment and aspirations of all learners. As a school community, we have carefully considered the needs of all of our learners and how they will be supported in order to reach their full potential. We ensure that every individual has the care, support, and guidance allowing them to realise the four purposes of the curriculum. We have, and will continue to, review of ALN provision to fully explore how best we will meet the needs of different groups of learners.
The Four Purposes:
The four purposes are the starting point and aspiration for our curriculum design at Birchgrove. Our school aims to support our learners to become:
- Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives;
- Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work;
- Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world;
- Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
The Statements of What Matters:
Our curriculum will provide opportunities and experiences to allow our learners to develop the key concepts, knowledge, and skills as stated in the statements of ‘What Matters’ as they are expressed in the Statements of What Matters Code.
Areas of Learning and Experience:
Our curriculum will provide learning experiences through the 6 AoLEs (Areas of Learning and Experience):
- Languages, Literacy, and Communication;
- Expressive Arts;
- Science and Technology;
- Humanities;
- Maths and Numeracy;
- Health and Wellbeing.
Learning, Progression, and Assessment
Our curriculum will be delivered through learning experiences and opportunities which are intrinsically linked to the 12 Pedagogical Principles.
Our curriculum will allow our learners to make progression and to have a clear understanding of how to access and implement the next stages in their learning in each Area of Learning and Experience (AoLE) and subject discipline. Assessment will be part of everyday practice and used to help inform not only learners’ progression but also the school’s planning for future learning experiences and curriculum content. All new learners to the school will be assessed to help guide the levels of support that they require.
Welsh and English:
As an English medium school, learning will take place in English with Welsh being taught within the Language, Literacy, and Communication Area of Learning and Experience. However, as a school we are fully committed to our role in promoting Welsh culture and the Welsh language in all areas of the school’s curriculum.
Cross Curricular Skills:
Our curriculum will develop the mandatory cross-curricular skills of Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Competence. Learners will be given opportunities to develop and demonstrate these skills across all curriculum areas. These cross-curricular areas, alongside learners’ wellbeing, will be reported on in the annual report to parents and carers. Learners in our school will be given the opportunity to develop a range of skills:
- Reading, writing , speaking and listening skills;
- Use of number and problem-solving in real-life situations;
- Use of a range of technologies to allow them to function and communicate effectively and allow them to develop a clear sense of the world around them.
Careers and Work-Related Education (CWRE)
Our curriculum will incorporate career and work related experiences for all of our learners. We will work with multiple agencies to ensure that our learners have a clear idea about the opportunities which exist for them and how our curriculum can help to support them in the career choices they wish to pursue.
Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE)
Our school curriculum embraces the guidance of the Relationship and Sexuality Education Code. Our provision will have a positive and empowering role in our learners’ education and will allow pupils to realise the four purposes of the curriculum as part of a whole-school approach to RSE. Our curriculum will support learners to form and maintain a range of relationships based on a foundation of mutual trust and respect. Our curriculum will develop learners’ understanding to ensure they develop emotional well-being, resilience, and empathy.
Curriculum for Religion, Values, and Ethics (RVE)
Religion, Values, and Ethics is a statutory requirement of the Curriculum for Wales and is mandatory for all learners from ages 3 to 16. There is no parental right to request that a child is withdrawn from RVE in the Curriculum for Wales.
As RVE is a locally determined subject, the agreed syllabus specifies what should be taught in RVE within our local authority (The City and County of Swansea) and our curriculum will reflect this guidance.
Review and Refinement:
Our school’s curriculum will be kept under constant review in order to respond to the changing needs of our learners, social contexts, and professional enquiry. All full curriculum reviews (carried out by law every three years) will take into account the views of all stakeholders and will be ratified by the school’s governing body. If any changes are substantial changes are made to our curriculum are made in the interim this will be reflected in this summary document.
Headteacher: Mr A Owen.
Chair of Governors: Mr W Jones Review date July 2027
The four purposes: British Sign Language (BSL)
https://hwb.gov.wales/curriculum-for-wales/the-four-purposes-british-sign-language-bsl/