Sagesse High School

Curriculum Policy

Sagesse High School Curriculum Policy

Sagesse High School is a Catholic Anglophone school that aims at imparting academic and social knowledge and development pertinent to the holistic development of the individual. The school promotes respect, empathy, coexistence, and care expecting its students to perform up to its academic and social expectations and standards.

The school aims at developing generations that are capable of representing a diversified community that performs and excels. Ethical, moral, and humane qualities are at the heart of SHS curriculum.

Sagesse High School’s curricular vision recognizes that:

• the future is different and we are expected to meet futuristic needs rather than obsolete present day needs.
• flexibility is at the heart of development and integral in the academic structure of our school.
• today’s generation is increasingly active and capable to access information beyond the classroom setting.
• the current curriculum is in constant need for development to target every single individual and learning needs.
• curriculum delivery entails more than teacher oriented role; it requires diversified inclusion and exclusion that recognizes each and every aspect of everyday life as an integral aspect of learning and development.

Sagesse High School’s curriculum is based on the following aims, to:

• have student needs above institutional needs.
• have a curriculum that is targeted, offering differentiation and personalization, to the best of its capabilities.
• target excellence in learning and teaching.
• prepare all students for a successful adult and working life in a 21st century global society.
• first achieve and then exceed set standards.
• be committed to excellence and continuous improvement.
• value vocational and academic routes equally.
• nurture the talents of all and celebrate success.
• work with different divisions to ease transition.
• involve parents through the Parents’ Association (PA).
• be in a learning environment that is above all else inspiring.

The Curriculum

Curriculum Aims

The curriculum aims at inspiring and challenging all learners and prepares them for the future. The school aims at developing a coherent curriculum that builds on students’ experiences and helps them become successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens.

Specifically, the curriculum aims at helping young people to:

• achieve high standards and make good to excellent progress.
• enable those not achieving set expectations to narrow the gap and catch up with their peers.
• become independent learners.
• be challenged to achieve more than they think they can or are willing to.

Curriculum Outcomes

Sagesse High School’s curriculum will:

• lead to qualifications that are of worth for entry to higher education.
• fulfill statutory requirements.
• enable students to fulfill their potential.
• meet the needs of young people of all abilities at school.
• provide equal access for all students to a full range of learning experiences beyond statutory guidelines.
• prepare students to make informed and appropriate choices.
• help students develop lively, enquiring minds, an ability to question and argue rationally and an ability to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills.
• include the following characteristics: breadth, balance, relevance, differentiation, progression, continuity and coherence.
• ensure continuity and progression within the school and between phases of education, increasing students’ choice during their academic career.
• foster teaching styles which will offer and encourage a variety of relevant learning opportunities.
• help students to use language and number effectively.
• help students develop personal moral values, respect for religious values and empathy for others with an emphasis on the need and value of coexistence.
• help students understand the world in which they live.
• ensure that it is improved and extended by the school’s specialist status.
• develop with specificity.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Head of Department (HOD) ensures that:

• all statutory elements of the curriculum, and those subjects which the school chooses to offer, have aims and objectives which reflect the beliefs of the school and indicate how the needs of individual students will be met. This will include how the subject will be taught and assessed.
• the amount of time provided for teaching the curriculum is adequate and is annually reviewed.
• the procedures for assessment meet all legal requirements and students and their parents/guardians receive information to show how much progress the students are making and what is required to help them improve.
• the governing body is fully involved in decision making processes that relate to the breadth and balance of the curriculum.
• the governing body is advised on statutory targets in order to make informed decisions.
• long term planning is in place for courses. Such schemes of learning will be designed using the academy proforma and will contain curriculum detail on: context, expectations, key skills, learning objectives, learning outcomes, learning activities, differentiation and resources.
• schemes of learning encourage progression at least in line with national standards.
• there is consistency in terms of curriculum delivery. Schemes of learning should be in place and be used by all staff delivering a particular course.
• appropriate awarding bodies and courses are selected so that they best meet the learning needs of students.
• where necessary an appropriate combination of qualifications or alternative qualifications can be offered which best suit the needs of learners.
• assessment is appropriate to the course and the students following particular courses. There should be consistency of approach towards assessment.
• they keep the concerned Heads of Divisions (HDs) informed of proposed changes to curriculum delivery.
• student performance data is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that any necessary changes in terms of curriculum delivery are planned and carried out in a timely fashion.
• they share best practice with other colleagues in terms of curriculum design and delivery
• needs with regard to curriculum planning and delivery within their area of responsibility is ensured.

The governing body will ensure that:

• it considers the advice of the HOD when approving this curriculum policy and when setting statutory and non-statutory targets.
• progress towards annual statutory targets is monitored.
• it contributes to decision making about the curriculum.

Heads of Divisions (HD) will ensure that:

• they have an oversight of curriculum structure and delivery within their division.
• detailed and up to date schemes of learning are in place for the delivery of courses within their division.
• schemes of learning are monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.
• levels of attainment and rates of progression are discussed with HODs and Coordinators on a regular basis and that actions are taken where necessary to improve these.

Teaching staff and Special Education staff will:

• ensure that the school’s curriculum is implemented in accordance with this policy.
• keep up to date with developments in their subjects.
• have access to, and be able to interpret, data on each student to inform the design of the curriculum in order that it best meets the needs of each cohort of students.
• share and exchange information about best practice amongst their colleagues in different schools and through external networks, resulting in a dynamic and relevant curriculum.
• participate in high quality professional development, working with other teachers to develop their skills in understanding the learning needs of their students and how best to address those needs and engage them.
• work in partnership with other agencies to provide an appropriate range of curriculum activities.
• be informed about the best practices to develop individualized educational plans (IEPs).

Students will:

• be treated as partners in their learning, contributing in the review of the curriculum.
• have their individual needs addressed, both within the academy and extending beyond the classroom into the family and community through a curriculum which offers breadth, support and challenge.
• be given additional support if they start to fall behind in their learning, helping them get back on track quickly.
• receive coordinated support to enable them to make the appropriate course choices

Parents and Guardians will:

• be consulted about their children’s learning and in planning their future education.
• be confident that their child is receiving a high quality education that is designed to meet his/her learning needs and which will equip him/her with the skills he/she needs to thrive.
• be informed about the curriculum on offer and understand the rationale behind it.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review

The school curriculum policy adopts the five-year revision system for curricula. When the need arises, the educational programs are reviewed regardless of the time period. The school policy centers on departmental procedures. Every Head of Department includes within the curriculum the policy that would dictate the development, review, and revision of curriculum areas. These changes are shared with the governing body.

The governing body will receive an annual report from the Head of Department on:

• the levels of achievement achieved in each subject compared with national, international and local benchmarks.
• the standards achieved taking into account any important variations between groups of students, subjects, courses and trends over time, compared with national, international and local benchmarks.
• the number of students to whom the curriculum was dis-applied and the arrangements which were made.

The governing body will review this policy at least once a year and assess its implementation and effectiveness. The policy will be promoted and implemented throughout the school.

Special Education Needs (SEN)

The Head of the Special Education Department admits to Sagesse High School students who are assessed and diagnosed as having a learning difficulty (or difficulties) by an approved educational psychologist prior to admission.

In addition, the Special Education Department strives to screen students for learning difficulties during the first trimester after their entry to the school (in case of newly accepted students). Furthermore, the department acts upon any information passed on by the parents, Head of Divisions, Head of Departments, or the teachers’ concerns. The screening tests highlight the students that have specific learning difficulties.

Students who have been assessed as having a specific learning difficulty have their needs considered individually by a dedicated specialist staff that consist of cycle coordinators, specialist teachers, and therapists. The provision for a student with a specific learning difficulty depends on that student's need having been formally diagnosed; it may include intervention such as the Test Assistance Service and Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) for SEN students. The SED teaching staff is well informed, has up to date knowledge and resources of effective learning and teaching strategies and is skilled at teaching students with specific learning difficulties. Differentiated work offers all the SEN children the opportunity to extend their knowledge in both the mainstream and Special Education classrooms.

Works Cited

Crown. "Department for Education - Curriculum Policy." Exemplar Academy Curriculum Policy 1 (2014): n. pag. Www.gov.uk. Crown - Department for Eduction, Feb. 2014. Web. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil....