At LSA, we have high expectations to ensure that our students excel across all aspects of academy life. As an IB World School, we ensure all students develop the skills of the IB Learner Profile in order to be successful in their future lives. 

The LSA curriculum is rigorous, broad and balanced, with the acquisition of knowledge at the heart of our intent.

We ensure that students:

  • Experience a broad and deep curriculum encouraging a rich knowledge base for all students, including those with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • Build a global character base through the learner profile
  • Secure a strong foundation for progression that promotes independence
  • Be literate, numerate and digitally literate 
  • Have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement
  • Develop their mental, physical, cultural, social and moral development
  • Provide carers guidance in line with the Gatsby benchmarks and ensure all students have a successful onward destination.

The Key Stage 3 curriculum is broad and balanced, following the International Baccalaureate Middle Years’ Programme (MYP) and this is studied in Years 7, 8 and 9. This ensures students acquire a deep understanding across eight key subject disciplines. To ensure knowledge is fully embedded, lessons are constructed to ensure students are guided and supported, with opportunities skilfully provided to secure the need to recall and retrieve prior learning.

The curriculum at Key Stage 3 masters the fundamental skills required to fully prepare students for our Key Stage 4 curriculum. The MYP approaches to learning and learner profile continue to be a core element of our curriculum for Key Stage 4, with courses carefully planned to ensure teachers can provide subject specific guidance and modelling, with curriculum time carefully planned to ensure students are fully prepared for external examinations at the end of the course.

Our Key Stage 5 curriculum is broad, to offer multiple pathways that support the development of our students. Post 16 students can study Applied General qualifications or BTEC Courses enabling them to pursue further education or embark on a career in the workplace. 

The curriculum is reviewed and developed to ensure accessibility for all, enabling all students to maximise their progress. Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress and that the curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning. In line with National guidance, the academy staff engage with Quality First Teaching to support students with special educational needs. The SEND team collaborates closely with teaching staff and leaders to ensure all students have access to a robust curriculum that goes beyond the National Curriculum.

Leigh Stationers’ Academy is an authorised centre for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme.

IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering challenging, high quality programmes of international education that share a powerful vision.

We are absolutely delighted to announce that alongside other academies within our Trust we have become an authorised centre for the delivery of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) School. In this we have become part of the IB World School community, joining over 4,700 schools worldwide in delivering IB programmes.

*Only schools authorised by the International Baccalaureate can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC). 

For further information about the Ib and its programmes, visit IBO

What is an IB Education?

Year 7 began the IB programme in September 2018. It aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, caring and compassionate young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. Leigh Stationers’ Academy staff are excited to be working with Academies within LAT to ensure that we continue to deliver challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment, whilst holistically addressing students intellectual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) comprises eight subject groups:

  • Language Acquisition
  • Language and Literature
  • Individuals and Societies
  • Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Arts
  • Physical and health education
  • Design

What does my IB MYP Assessment Grade mean?

For each subject group there will be an achievement level breakdown for each of the 4 criteria (A,B,C,D).

Achievement levels across the four criteria are added together creating a total number out of 32. Using the table below, this is converted into an MYP Grade from 1-7 with 7 being the highest.

Sum of assessed criteria:

28-32

MYP grade:


7

Description:

Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

Sum of assessed criteria:

24-27

MYP grade:


6

Description:

Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence.

Sum of assessed criteria:

19-23

MYP grade:


5

Description:

Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations, and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations.

Sum of assessed criteria:

15-18

MYP grade:


4

Description:

Produces good quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations.

Sum of assessed criteria:

10-14

MYP grade:


3

Description:

Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.

Sum of assessed criteria:

6-9

MYP grade:


2

Description:

Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.

Sum of assessed criteria:

1-5

MYP grade:


1

Description:

Produces work of very limited quality. Displays many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and skills. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.

Sum of assessed criteria

MYP grade

Description

28-32

7

Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

24-27

6

Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence.

19-23

5

Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations, and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations.

15-18

4

Produces good quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations.

10-14

3

Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.

6-9

2

Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.

1-5

1

Produces work of very limited quality. Displays many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and skills. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.

During the course of the academic year students will be awarded an MYP Interim Grade. At the end of the year an MYP Final Grade will be awarded based on the summative assessments that have taken place during the course of the year.

Our Key Stage 4 Pathways are designed to offer a broad and balanced curriculum, which will give you flexibility in your future career choice.  High levels of literacy and numeracy will form the core foundations of a successful learner and all students will be supported in achieving their personal goals.

Key Stage 4 at LSA is a two-year programme of study in line with DFE expectations. When making their choices, pupils are guided to follow one of our two pathways. At Key Stage 4, all pupils study a core curriculum comprising the following subjects:

Core Subjects

  • English Language (GCSE)
  • English Literature (GCSE)
  • Mathematics (GCSE)
  • Combined Science (GCSE)
  • Core Physical Education (non-examined)
  • LIFE Skills – (non-examined) 

Students are then allocated a Pathway to ensure a more personalised approach and to enable students to achieve their personal best. Pathway Allocation is based on:

  • professional knowledge of the curriculum
  • knowledge of the student
  • student achievement to date
  • Prioritisation of quality over quantity of qualifications

Pathway 1: EBacc Pathway

  • English (Language & Literature)
  • Maths
  • Combined Science
  • LIFE Skills (Non Examined)
  • Core PE (Non Examined)
  • French or Spanish  (Language currently studied)
  • Humanities (History or Geography)
  • Open Subject Option

Pathway 2: Extended Open Option Pathway

  • English (Language & Literature)
  • Maths
  • Combined Science
  • LIFE Skills (Non Examined)
  • Core PE (Non Examined)
  • Humanities (History or Geography) or a language (French or Spanish)
  • Open Subject Option 1
  • Open Subject Option 2

English Baccalaureate (EBacc) Subjects

  • Computer Science (GCSE)
  • Geography (GCSE)
  • History (GCSE) 
  • Modern Foreign Languages: French or Spanish (GCSE)

Open Option Subjects

  • Art (GCSE)
  • Business Studies (GCSE)
  • Creative Digital Media (BTEC)
  • Design Technology (GCSE)
  • Drama (GCSE)
  • Economics (GCSE)
  • Film Studies (GCSE)
  • Food and Nutrition (GCSE)
  • Health & Social Care (BTEC)
  • Media Studies (GCSE)
  • Music (GCSE)
  • Performing Arts (BTEC)
  • Photography (GCSE)
  • Physical Education (GCSE) 
  • Psychology (GCSE)
  • Religious Studies (GCSE) 
  • Sociology (GCSE) 
  • Separate (Triple) Science (GCSE) 
  • Textiles (GCSE)

Woolf is a research based, evidence informed Sixth Form. We believe that we have an obligation to remain abreast of academic educational research to ensure that we are operating in the most effective and efficient manner. 

It is this, along with our focus on academic rigour and a personalised approach to education which results in our students consistently experiencing high quality lessons. Education is about preparing young people for their future. Our students move on to the university, higher apprenticeship or career of their choice. To assist in the preparation for that future, the Sixth Form provides extensive support and careful guidance which includes access to events, courses, guest speakers, career facilities and a well proven system for helping our young people with their university applications.  

We offer a very broad Level 3 curriculum which is reviewed every year in order to ensure we meet the needs of our community. We enrol students on to 3 A Level courses or a BTEC extended diploma course of equivalent size. Our current offer is 31 different courses alongside a full programme of enrichment, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Bronze, Silver and Gold and being one of only 24 schools in the whole of the UK to be able to offer a Royal Marines experience through the Combined Cadet Force (CCF).

The implementation of the curriculum content is centred around evidence-informed pedagogical approaches that are considered the most effective practice. Learning is structured to ensure that learning time is used effectively and efficiently for knowledge acquisition and deep understanding:

  • Retrieval Practice
    All lessons begin with a Do Now activity that is retrieval based. Retrieval tasks must aid students to draw on prior learning that is relevant to their learning in the lesson in order to develop their schemas. Retrieval should be embedded into the whole lesson with reference made to prior learning and the importance of links made explicit.
  • Clear Explanation and Instruction
    The teacher understands the need for there to be direct instruction in the lesson. This might involve explaining a concept, describing a process, introducing a topic etc. The core focus for the lesson will be covered in this section. Teachers will demonstrate the need to break material into small steps to take into account the limitations of working memory.
  • Modelling, Scaffolding and Worked Examples
    Procedural knowledge will be explicitly modelled to students to support metacognition. Teachers will narrate each stage of their modelling process and use questioning to check for understanding, specifically focusing on ensuring students understand each stage of the modelling process. Visualisers will be used to support the modelling process.
  • Formative Assessment
    Teachers will check for understanding multiple times a lesson. This may involve cold calling, probing questioning, process questioning, mini white boards, Google forms and choral response. The teacher will use these checks to adapt their lesson as necessary.
  • Independent Practice
    Students must have the opportunity to engage with independent practice in the lesson. Teachers must have explicitly modelled their thinking and expectations prior to this. It is essential that students already have relevant declarative knowledge as well as procedural knowledge in order to be successful.

The curriculum will make a positive impact on the outcomes of every child. We will know that this is true as we are delivering a high standard of education, quality assured through qualitative and quantitative measures. Leaders at all levels review learning, talk with our students and provide feedback to move practice forward. The impact of the school’s curriculum is measured through several means:

  • Give positive feedback about pupil’s learning and development 
  • Monitor learning regularly and provide support where needed in a short time frame. 
  • Listen to the views of children, parents and teachers and make changes where necessary in response.
  • Ensure that all staff are up-to-date with current practice through a clear curriculum development programme.
  • Ensure they knowledgeably deliver concepts which extend all learners, regardless of their starting points or additional needs.
  • Communicate regularly with Leadership to question what is working well and what can be improved.
  • Teach consistently well.
  • Ensure that students progress academically.
  • Support students’ development of their soft skills as identified in their Reviews throughout the year.
  • Talk about what they are learning and why it is important
  • Work with enthusiasm, interest and focus in every lesson.
  • Demonstrate improvement throughout their books, building on each piece of work. 
  • Demonstrate pride in the presentation of their work, following handwriting guidance when writing.
  • Support their children in attending school, arriving on-time.
  • Ensure School uniform policies are followed and that children arrive at school presentable and ready for learning.
  • Communicate with the school in a positive way, to give feedback about their children’s engagement with their learning in school.
  • Share their child’s successes through Tapestry.
  • Support home learning, completing daily activities (reading and maths skills) and weekly homework set.
  • Expect the same standard of work from their children at home, to match expectations set in school.
  • Engage with their child’s current learning through discussion, outings and resources.
  • Outcomes for students across all key stages and groups
  • EHCP objectives
  • Progress and attainment data for current year groups
  • Destinations data
  • Attendance data
  • Behaviour and inclusion data
  • Engagement in co-curricular activities
  • Stakeholder feedback
  • Progress towards the Gatsby benchmarks