Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

Our College curriculum is unique. While many schools are driven by examination results and league table position as the main criteria for their success, our ethos is focused on the care, support and challenge we provide to each individual throughout their years with us and, for each individual, the curriculum intent is designed to achieve three elements:

• a reflective understanding of the Catholic faith, enabling them to put that faith into action through leadership, serving others in a meaningful way
• an academic and inquisitive curiosity about our world which develops each student as an independent learner and maximises their opportunities in life beyond College
• the ability to work together, bringing out their team skills by participating as fully as possible in the many clubs, societies, trips and activities on offer.

We call these elements Ecclesia (Church and Community), Scholastica (Academic Development) and Olympia (Participation) and by focusing on all three we support our students to grow into

Happy, Confident, Spiritually Awake Life-Long Learners

who will become well-rounded and well-educated contributors to society. In this way, we fulfil our curriculum intent, as stated by Dr Arthur Hinsley, the first headteacher of St Bede’s Grammar School, in 1900:

To provide for our students a thorough training in the knowledge and principles of the Catholic faith, combined with a secular education equal in every respect to the best public schools in England.

Curriculum Implementation

To implement this intent and to ensure that all students benefit in a coherently planned way, we deliver, track, reward and celebrate all three elements at Key Stage 3 through our Christus Lumen Gentium Diploma.  This initiative aims to build a sustainable culture of excellence, giving students access to a wide, rich set of experiences, with many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. 

Further information on the Diploma can be found here: Christus Lumen Gentium Diploma 

The Scholastica strand is implemented through our five Divisions:   

• Julian of Norwich (English, History, Media, Social Sciences) 
• Teresa of Avila (PE/Sports, Business Studies, ICT) 
• Catherine of Siena (Science, Maths, Technology) 
• Therese of Lisieux (RE, Geography, Citizenship, Vocational) 
• Hildegard of Bingen (Modern Foreign Languages, Performing Arts, Art, Photography) 

Our academic curriculum maintains a high level of ambition for all students. 

At Key Stage 3, we offer the full range of subjects over three years, providing the opportunity for all to study a strong academic core.  Further information on the Key Stage 3 curriculum can be found here:

KS3 Curriculum 

At Key Stage 4, students study a core curriculum of English, Maths, Science and Religious Education and they are able to choose three options from a wide range of subjects.  Further information can be found here:  KS4 Curriculum 

Please check our website for full details of the options process and details of the range of subjects on offer:  Key Stage 4 Option Process 

The curriculum is implemented through a two-week timetable of 30 x 100-minute lessons. 

Curriculum Model