Thematic Curriculum
Learners have the opportunity to work with specialist teachers developing their personal learning and thinking skills.
The thematic curriculum is a learning and thinking skills based approach to the teaching of some of the creative and traditional national curriculum subjects; Art, Design Technology, Geography, History and Religious Education. Subject boundaries are less defined than in traditional curriculum teaching, making it easier to build links between different subjects.
Learners have the opportunity to work with specialist teachers developing their personal learning and thinking skills through an exploration of common themes. The themes meaningfully connect the learning content and skills, rather than separating knowledge into compartments. Thematic learning of this nature creates students who are investigative, innovative, responsible, reliant and reflective about their learning.
The zone provides a rich and challenging curriculum that stimulates every student to fulfil their potential, maintain high but achievable expectations and recognise and emphasise achievements in every way. Through the Year 7 thematic curriculum, students receive a more varied range of teaching and learning experiences.
There are opportunities for:
- specialist learning – where young people experience the power and passion of subject teaching
- themed learning – where young people experience learning that makes links across and beyond subjects, applying skills in relevant contexts
- greater student initiated learning – where students are able to plan their own work, organise their own time, and explore their own way of learning
The thematic curriculum is divided into six units of study and, to support teaching and learning of this nature, students have access to a range of different learning environments specific to the nature of each themed project. All units of study provide opportunities for students to further enhance their literacy and numeracy skills as well as exploring and developing their use of a range of ICT learning technologies.
The six units of study are:
My Learning Tool Kit Students become familiar with different learning environments and are equipped with tools for learning
Going Places This unit deals with things such as the difference between a pilgrim and a tourist, the development of transport, map skills through orienteering and a visit to Bridgnorth
Who am I? This unit enables students to learn about themselves and their link with their community
Heroes and Villains Students explore and compare real life heroes and villains with cartoon characters as well as exploring good and evil
Chocolate Factory Students are as creative as possible designing their very own chocolate brand whilst exploring the growth of cocoa beans in Ghana
Dungeons and Dragons This unit allows students to look back at the past but also to the future
Off-site visits are an integral part of the thematic curriculum experience. By taking students out of the academy their views of the world are altered, enhanced and expanded. Visits embedded within the curriculum include a visit to Bridgnorth, Kenilworth Castle and Tamworth Castle.