Curriculum Overview

At St Joseph’s RC Middle School we are committed to preparing and inspiring pupils to lead meaningful lives, rooted in the teachings of Christ in our Catholic tradition.

Regardless of their starting point, it is our intention to enable all children to develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to make decisions, to self-evaluate, to make connections and to be lifelong learners, who have been encouraged and enabled to achieve their aspirations and to become compassionate, respectful and responsible citizens.

​We place our pupils at the centre of our curriculum design and it is our intention to:

• create a happy, secure, well ordered and caring Catholic community that readily puts into practice the gospel values of love and forgiveness
• provide a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum for the benefit of all our pupils which includes the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes that will help prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for life in modern Britain and the next stage of their educational career
• builds on previous learning and allows for progression within a subject
• develop all students as fully as possible in all aspects of their school life so that they become independent, confident and successful learners.
• help students develop lively, inquiring minds and the ability to question and argue rationally and the flexibility to cope with the demands of a complex fast changing modern society
• encourage self-discipline and self esteem and at the same time foster respect and consideration for others
• promote a sense of responsibility for the environment and encourage our members to take an active part in the life of our community
• provide the students with the knowledge to keep themselves physically and mentally fit and healthy
• support the development of students spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding

Each subject also has a specific curriculum intent, implementation and impact within individual subject areas which is rooted in the identification of the crucial learning that is required knowing the prior learning t and the set end point. Learning is planned in response to the identification of this and common misconceptions that arise.

The curriculum at St Joseph’s Catholic Middle School has been designed to ensure that children receive their curriculum entitlement in a way which is meaningful to their individual circumstances of their previous experiences, stage of learning, capabilities and interests. All students follow a core curriculum in Year 5 to 8, which is delivered through a variety of mixed ability and ability grouped teaching with additional literacy and numeracy support for those who need it.

The National Curriculum is delivered in each subject area and sequenced to ensure coverage and progression throughout the school. This allows for cross-curricular approaches when delivering knowledge and allows for memorable experiences to be included therefore strengthening and deepening a child’s learning. All children are challenged, appropriate to their capabilities; children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so that they too are enabled to experience success

Being a Middle School we are able to offer specialist teaching in many of the subject areas. Our KS2 pupils thrive with the opportunity to become more independent around school and enjoy teaching from a range of specialist teachers. Our teaching staff know their pupils well and transition to KS3 is seamless. Pupils’ abilities and skills are well known and areas requiring support have already been identified enabling staff to plan an ambitious and outstanding curriculum provision having known their prior learning and ensuring there is no ‘dip’ as they move from one key stage to the next.

The impact of the curriculum is measured in standards achieved, based against age related expectation, progress made and personal qualities acquired. The impact of our curriculum is seen in:

• High standards.
• Students who are able to promote a Catholic world-view.
• Progress which builds incrementally year-on-year at a pace and momentum appropriate to the student.
• Quality extra-curricular experiences, which are memorable, worthwhile and challenging.
• teaching which is rigorous, personalised, innovative and student centred.
• Students that are resilient, questioning, resourceful and self-sufficient.
• Self-aware students, with well-formed characters, who have a thirst for learning and see it as a route to maximizing their life chances.