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Students study a wide range of subjects during their 6 x 50 minute periods per day, as shown below. In order to accommodate students working in separate bubbles in different zones within the school, each KS3 year group is currently streamed into three strands:
When we move away from this ‘covid curriculum model’ the three strands will continue but during KS3 groups of subjects will move to separate setting arrangements.
Strand 3 includes our bridgestar enhanced support programme. Students timetabled into bridgestar are able to engage with additional literacy and numeracy support alongside their French studies. The programme includes for us to include both Lexia and Lexonic literacy support which occasionally involves small group withdrawal for short period of intensive literacy training. We also have a DEAR (drop everything and read) programme running as a thread through KS3 giving students the opportunity to engage with reading on a regular basis.
Subjects | Number of periods | ||
Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | |
English | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Mathematics | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Science | 3 | 4 | 4 |
History | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Geography | 2 | 2 | 2 |
RE | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Music | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Art | 2 | 1 | 1 |
French/Cultural French + support | 2 | 2 | 2 |
ICT | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Personal Development | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Physical Education | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Technology | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Total number of lessons | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Our Key Stage 4 curriculum offers the expected range of GCSE subjects as detailed below, but with two distinctive features. The first is the wide range of optional subjects that students can choose from. The second is that the bridgestar programme which continues from KS3. At KS4 bridgestar provides opportunities for students to access support to help keep them on track with their studies, by avoiding overload and stress, alongside additional numeracy and literacy support.
Our Key Stage 4 curriculum offers the expected range of GCSE subjects as detailed below, but with two distinctive features. The first is the wide range of optional subjects that students can choose from. The second is that the bridgestar programme which continues from KS3. At KS4 bridgestar provides opportunities for students to access support to help keep them on track with their studies, by avoiding overload and stress, alongside additional numeracy and literacy support.
Compulsory KS4 Subjects | Number of periods | |
Year 10 | Year 11 | |
English (literature and language) | 5 | 5 |
Mathematics | 4 | 5 |
Science* | 6 | 6 |
History** or Geography** | 3 | 3 |
Personal Development | 1 | 1 |
Physical Education | 2 | 1 |
Total number of lessons | 21 | 21 |
*Science also appears in the options to accommodate students studying triple rather than double award | ||
**Students can choose history or geography as option subjects too |
Option subjects are studied for 3 periods per week.
GCSE option subjects | Vocational option subjects |
Art | Hospitality and Catering |
Drama | Engineering |
French | ICT |
Triple Science | Travel and Tourism |
Computer science | Construction |
Geography | Hair and Beauty |
History | Health and Social Care |
Music | |
Media Studies | |
Sport | |
Outdoor Education |
For the 2021 academic year we are exploring the possibility of timetabling bridgestar students as a separate curricular strand at KS4. This is so that we can ensure that all of our students are as well prepared as possible for the education or training programmes they will engage with once they have completed KS4 with us. In a small number of cases we already adapt the curriculum offer made to individual students so that it becomes more personalised and is the best possible fit to meet their needs. A new bridgestar strand would extend this personalisation to a group rather than to individual students.
Furness Academy is part of the Furness Education Trust, an exempt charity.
Furness Education Trust is a Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales under Company Number 06895426 Registered in England and Wales.
Registered Office- Furness Academy, Park Drive, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9BB
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