ARC Curriculum

The curriculum in the Inclusion Unit is carefully adapted from our KS3 whole school curriculum. It shares the same aims to develop ambitious, resilient, confident and compassionate learners in preparation for adult life, whilst providing the additional support and intervention students in The ARC need to meet students’ individual learning and SEMH needs.

Students in The ARC follow a three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum before making their GCSE options choices during Year 9 in preparation for Key Stage 4, which is studied in Year 10 and 11. Their level 2 (GCSE & BTEC courses) are complimented by a range of additional qualifications from entry level to level 2, designed to support and facilitate success at this stage in students learning and to provide the additional employability and digital skills most needed by this cohort.

Curriculum structure & breadth at Key Stage 3

In Key Stage 3, students in The ARC follow a very similar broad and balanced curriculum to students in the whole school. This has been adapted to focus on the key learning students need to acquire for future KS4 success. The curriculum promotes modern British values, celebrates diversity and provides an hour a week for students to study Enquiry, and 1 - 1.5 hours a week of life-skills which support students to develop their knowledge and skills in relation to their future adult lives such as self-care, transport, and employability.

Breadth of subjects

Students in The ARC have one additional hour per fortnight of Maths & English. This focus on literacy and numeracy is crucial to address gaps in prior learning and provide the foundation for success in all other subjects. The core and humanities subjects (English, Maths & Science, Geography and History) are taught by our Inclusion Unit SEMH SEND specialist teachers who are able to use a range of skills and strategies to support students to access learning and regulate their emotions. The foundation subjects in Key Stage 3, namely Art and Design, Computer Science, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education are taught by whole school subject specialists, giving students in The ARC the best possible foundations in these subjects to access future KS4 study and qualifications. Students in the ARC do not currently study modern foreign languages.

Timetable Allocation

Subject	Number of periods per fortnight (Note: 1 period = 1 hour)
Subject	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
English	8	8	8
Maths	8	8	8
Science	6	6	6
History	4	4	4
Geography	4	4	4
Computer Science	2	2	2
Art	2	2	2
Physical Education	4	4	4
Technology	4	4	3
Drama	2	2	2
Music	2	2	2
Enquiry	2	2	2
Life Skills	2	2	3

Curriculum structure & breadth at Key Stage 4

In Key Stage 4, students in The ARC follow a very similar broad and balanced curriculum offer to students in the whole school, whilst also continuing to focus on preparing them for adult life. Their curriculum offer has been adapted to focus on the key learning students need to acquire for future success.