GREAT Curriculum @ DG

Deptford Green School Curriculum Statement

Intent

We are extremely proud of our rich and diverse curriculum, which we pride ourselves on delivering in an engaging, creative way. At the heart of this curriculum is our dedication to ensuring it is accessible and challenging for all and allowing all our students to explore, dream and discover.

To explore at Deptford Green is to take risks, challenge yourself and find your purpose. It is to explore uncharted territory, relishing every opportunity in front of you. It is to not settle for what you already know, but to try new things, show resilience, and dive into unknown waters confidently.

To dream at Deptford Green is to be inspired and to inspire others. It is to realise that anything is possible, to cross borders and have the highest expectations of yourself and those around you. It is to continue to strive and move forward, tackling challenges head on with determination, opening many doors to your future as a result.

To discover at Deptford Green is to love what you learn and learn what you love. It is to discover yourself, who you want to be navigating your future with curiosity and wonder. It is to seek out and celebrate the differences and lives of others, to find your place in your community and develop a deep understanding about the world around you.

SUBSTANTIVE	PROCEDURAL	DISCIPLINARY
Substantive knowledge is the understanding of the core facts, concepts, principles, and content within a particular subject or discipline—basically what is known in that field.	Procedural knowledge is the understanding of how to do something—the skills, methods, techniques, and processes used to perform tasks or solve problems.	Disciplinary knowledge is the understanding of how a particular field creates, evaluates, and validates knowledge—its methods, rules, conventions, and ways of thinking.
RETRIEVAL
Retrieval is the process of actively recalling information from memory, rather than simply re-reading or re-exposing oneself to it. It is important because bringing knowledge to mind strengthens memory, improves long-term retention, and helps learners apply what they know in new contexts.
SUBJECT SPECIFIC VOCABULARY
Subject-specific vocabulary refers to the words and terms that are unique to, or have specialized meanings within, a particular subject area.

Each subject curriculum is sequenced to ensure that students secure and revisit knowledge, allowing them to develop an excellent understanding of a variety of subjects. The curriculum is then delivered through the GREAT Teaching Pillars.

Implementation

Each subject has a 5-year programme plan with schemes of work, where appropriate related to the National Curriculum and or examination board requirements. Schemes of work must be followed by all departmental staff and monitored by Heads of Departments and the Teaching and Learning Team. Schemes of work establish how course content is structured so students' substantive, procedural and disciplinary knowledge are developed progressively. Students are assessed formatively and summatively through hinge assignments and examinations. The school day is structured to support the curriculum by having a mixture of single and double lessons in response to the differing learning needs of each subject.

Discovery Day

On a Tuesday, the Year 9 timetable is given over to Creative and Performing Arts, giving students the opportunity to be immersed in a range of Arts subjects, including Drama, Music, Textiles, Art and Photography. The structure of Discovery Days also allows students to focus on fewer disciplines as the year goes on, to allow them more time to develop their knowledge and skills in these subjects. Significant final pieces and performances are then presented at the end of the year. Discovery Days have led to a significant increase in students choosing arts-based subjects at Key Stage 4.

Careers and PSHE

The statutory requirements for Careers Education and Sex Relationship Education are provided with a comprehensive programme for each year group. Citizenship, work-related learning and financial capability are integrated across the curriculum. Enrichment activities are provided to enhance and broaden students’ learning at Deptford Green School. These take place in school and during trips and visits.

A wide range of extra curriculum activities are available for all students. The purpose of such activities is to enhance and offer a broader curriculum offer beyond the classroom. The aim being to widen students’ cultural capital, sense of achievement, social skills, wellbeing and enjoyment.

Key Stage 3

A three-year Key Stage 3 provides students with time and space to gain secure understanding. It builds on the National Curriculum Key stage 2 programme of study and bridges gaps in learning with personalised programmes for identified students. English, Mathematics, Science, PE, Geography, History, RE/ethics, Modern Foreign Languages (Spanish or French), Computing and PSHE. In Year 7, CATs (Cognitive Abilities Tests) are used to gain an understanding of students’ baselines in a number of areas, and the Bedrock programme is used to establish reading ages of all students. This data, along with Key Stage 2 results, is used to shape students' learning journey.

Key Stage 4

The Key Stage 4 curriculum meets the needs of students by incorporating the opportunity for both academic and vocational study. Post 16 guidance is provided to enable students to choose relevant courses or training when they leave Deptford Green School. The aim is to give each student the chance to succeed by offering an appropriate range of qualifications including options that enable study towards the English Baccalaureate. However, for a small amount of students, a continued focus on core skills (and consequent reduction in optional subjects) is more important. The Key Stage 4 programme of study commences in Year 10. By the end of Year 9, each student formally selects optional GCSE subjects to study in years 10 and 11 to supplement the core GCSE subjects. Some students follow a vocational course as an alternative to one or more GCSE subjects. Students participate in one week of work experience by the end of year 10.

For more details on the Key Stage 4 options, please visit the Pathways pages, where you can get a full breakdown of all courses.

Impact

Students are assessed formatively through 'hinge assignments' which assess students' application skills following a sequence of lessons. Summative assessment also takes place through internal and external examinations.

If you have any queries about the curriculum, please contact Mr Allen – tallen@deptfordgreen.co.uk

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