At Queen Elizabeth School, our curriculum allows students to receive a broad and balanced education.
It’s overarching purpose is to be challenging and accessible to every student, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they require in their future learning and employment. It is sequenced in a manner that enables students to flourish both academically and in character development.
The aims of the curriculum are:
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To educate the students for life through the offer of a broad and balanced approach to learning, where relevance, challenge, progression, continuity and support are key elements of all the activities undertaken.
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To provide an appropriate range of opportunities and experiences to inspire students to succeed in the next stage in their education, training or employment.
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To enable high standards of academic achievement where outcomes empower students to progress onto further study and / or employment.
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To provide a suitable and effective learning environment for those students requiring special provision, including those with statements of special need, and for those students who have English as an additional language.
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To contribute effectively to students’ intellectual, physical and personal attainment and development.
Students are offered a wide range of choices which enables them to study a personalised learning pathway from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4. They are supported in this process through careers guidance, curriculum information events and one-to-one meetings. Students spend three years in Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) and two years in Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11).
CurricuLum Maps
Use the links below to see what your child will be studying in each term.
Autumn Term 2023
Spring Term 2024
Summer Term 2024
Our Curriculum subjects:
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Art
Art
Through the study of Art, Craft and Design, our aim is to offer all students the freedom of creative expression, within a thought-provoking, safe environment. Through innovative SOL’s, we want students to feel empowered to record their personal thoughts, ideas and experiences through the exploration and mastery of media and materials. We encourage students to try new things, manage risk, and to handle failure. Our mission is to work collaboratively with students to support their creative aspirations, giving them the tools and techniques to effectively explore and understand today’s ever changing visual world. By offering inspiration from a wide range of contemporary and historical work, we aim to develop critical audiences who can respond creatively to social issues and abstract concepts, from a broad cultural perspective. We want students to express their opinions confidently, using a rich visual language and to gain the confidence to excel in the creative industries..
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Business Studies
Business Studies
The world of business encompasses every aspect of our lives, whether we are employees, business owners, or customers. We interact with businesses daily, often without realizing it, logging into social media accounts, buying a loaf of bread, or paying for bus fare. Business Studies encourages creativity, logic, and reflection, striving to bring out the entrepreneur in each student and helping them understand their potential impact in the ever-changing, dynamic world of business. Our goal is to instill the belief that while successful businesses are profit-driven, the best organizations adhere to high moral and ethical standards. To achieve this, we provide students with the space to research businesses, ask questions, and critique business models that have failed, encouraging them to propose workable solutions for greater success. In Business Studies, students will quickly acquire the skills needed to thrive in our technology-driven, fast-paced, and enterprising world
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Catering & Hospitality,
Catering & Hospitality
Students will learn the skills of bringing together a wide range of curriculums and applying them to real world scenarios. Students learn how products and systems are designed and manufactured, how to be inventive and make creative use of a variety of resources including traditional and digital technologies, so as to improve the world around them. We provide opportunities, that allow students to develop a knowledge of a range of skills in Hospitality and catering. Students grow in confidence through dedicated teaching environments, manufacturing equipment and specialist teaching. In their chosen option subject, the curriculum allows for deeper study of the world they live in, practice and explore key skills, with potential career opportunities and build on the skills developed at KS3 the confidence to taking risks, become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.
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Child Development and Care (Early Years)
Child Development and Care (Early Years)
Most people agree that children are the future of our world. Therefore, understanding their development and welfare is crucial. In this course, students will have the opportunity to explore both theoretical and practical aspects of child development and welfare. At its core, child development is about how humans grow during their most formative years and how the choices made by the adults in their lives can give them the best possible start. This course will allow students to immerse themselves in this vital field, gaining insights that are essential for the future of our society. Additionally, it will open doors to various sectors connected to this important area of study, providing a strong foundation for future careers and personal growth.
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Computer Science
Computer Science
All pupils at Queen Elizabeth School have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all the aspects of computing.
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Construction
Construction
Students will learn the skills of bringing together a wide range of curriculums and applying them to real world scenarios. Students learn how products and systems are designed and manufactured, how to be inventive and make creative use of a variety of resources including traditional and digital technologies, so as to improve the world around them. Students grow in confidence through dedicated teaching environments, manufacturing equipment and specialist teaching. In their chosen option subject, the curriculum allows for deeper study of the world they live in, practice and explore key skills, with potential career opportunities and build on the skills developed at KS3 the confidence to taking risks, become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.
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Dance
Dance
Every student, no matter what their current level of ability, should have the opportunity to develop their creative and physical skills through Dance. We want all students to benefit from the many transferable skills that will pave the way in a successful future for themselves, regardless if they want a career as a performer/ choreographer or not. We want dance to develop their self-confidence, presence, artistic appreciation, cultural understanding, social skills, teamwork, communication and self-awareness, thinking out of the box, innovation, self-discipline, and hardworking ethics. We want students to improve their artistic qualities through the use of movement to express and communicate ideas and concepts through performance, choreography and appreciation.
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Design and Technology
Design and Technology
Students will learn the skills of bringing together a wide range of curriculums and applying them to real world scenarios. Students learn how products and systems are designed and manufactured, how to be inventive and make creative use of a variety of resources including traditional and digital technologies, so as to improve the world around them. We provide opportunities, that allow students to develop a knowledge of a range of skills in various technology subjects, Product design, Textiles, Food/nutrition, Graphics, Hospitality and Catering, and Constructing the Built Environment. Students grow in confidence through dedicated teaching environments, manufacturing equipment and specialist teaching. In their chosen option subject, the curriculum allows for deeper study of the world they live in, practice and explore key skills, with potential career opportunities and with the skills developed at KS3 the confidence to taking risks, become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.
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Drama
Drama
Drama empowers students to have a voice in society and a way to express who they are. Drama evokes thought, compassion and an awareness of how humans shape the world. We are fascinated by stories. Stories have shaped history. Stories have been passed down through generations first as rituals, then as performances and finally written down in the stories we read and now watch on our screens. Drama fosters fearlessness, giving students the ability to present work and ideas in situations that are potentially challenging. Drama students are ambitious, integral, kind and determined, understanding that communication, teamwork and compromise allows students to develop curiosity in the world around them, putting themselves into the spotlight instead of the shadows, whether that is as a performer, designer, director, producer or writer. Drama prepares students to navigate within the community, preparing them for future successes, giving them the tools of self confidence, self awareness, critical thinking, problem solving, time management and conflict resolution.
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English
English
At Queen Elizabeth School we aim to create the very best communicators, readers, writers and thinkers. The functions of literature and language in enabling students to lead the best possible lives are at the forefront of the English curriculum.
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Geography
Geography
Students will develop a clear understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes that have shaped our landscape and environments.
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Health & Social Care
Health & Social Care
Students studying health and social care, will walk away with a solid understanding of examining issues such as quality of life, the importance of support when improving health, personal development and relationships.
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History
History
History is a strong and over-subscribed subject at Queen Elizabeth School. The history department believes a broad and challenging curriculum forms the foundation of both academic and personal progress and success.
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Mathematics
Mathematics
At Queen Elizabeth School, we believe that every student deserves the chance to engage in an ambitious and creative maths curriculum that will help develop their knowledge, skill and prepare them for future employment and everyday life.
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Modern Foreign Languages (French & Spanish)
Modern Foreign Languages (French & Spanish)
At Queen Elizabeth School, we aim to instil a love for learning foreign languages right from Year 7. We want our students to develop a cultural knowledge and a cultural acceptance.
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Music
Music
Music is concerned with the development of many aspects of a student's personality: intellectual, perceptual, physical, emotional and aesthetic.
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Physical Education (incl Sport Studies KS4)
Physical Education (incl Sport Studies KS4)
At Queen Elizabeth School we use a broad, balanced & sequenced physical education curriculum as a tool to develop our student's physical, emotional and social health.
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Religious Studies (incl Philosophy, Religion & Ethics KS4)
Religious Studies (incl Philosophy, Religion & Ethics KS4)
The religious studies department believe that a wide and varied curriculum is the basis of all progress both personal and academic.
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Science,
Science
Our science curriculum at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 is designed to accommodate students of all abilities and all aspirations.
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PSHE
PSHE
PSHE education helps students to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society.
Key Stage 3:
Students study a broad range of subjects incorporating the core (Maths, English and Science) and foundation subjects. It is also designed to be flexible to allow support for those students who have English as an Additional Language.
Staff use a range of data including CATs verbal and non-verbal reasoning scores to plan and deliver lessons to support every student within the classes. The Key Stage 3 curriculum provides students with the skills and knowledge across the whole curriculum to be able to achieve as they move forward in their education.
Each lesson is 50 minutes long, with the number of lessons per week below.
|
|
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
|
English |
5 |
4 |
4 |
|
Maths |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Science |
5 |
5 |
4 |
|
History |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
Geography |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
MFL |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
DT |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Art |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
IT |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Religious Studies |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Performing Arts |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
PE |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
PSHE |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
30 |
30 |
30 |
Key Stage 4 2022/23
Students starting Key Stage 4 in the academic year 2022/23 will study a core curriculum of:
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English Language
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English Literature
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Mathematics
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Science (Combined or Triple)
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Religious Studies
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Physical Education
The options process then allows students to choose subjects based on their own personal progress. Please see below for more details on the options process:
The range of subjects offered at Key Stage 4 includes:
- Art
- Business Studies
- Catering & Hospitality
- Childcare
- Computer Science
- Construction
- Dance
- Design Technology
- Drama
- French**
- Geography
- Health & Fitness
- Health & Social Care
- History
- Music
- Spanish**
**Students must have studied this subject at KS3 to select as an option.
Where possible, we also support students in completing GCSE in a range of additional languages that they may already be fluent in.
The options process is supported further by a Careers Education Information and Guidance (CEIAG) system across the school. This includes students having careers interviews during KS3/KS4, work experience opportunities, guest speakers from local further education providers and careers fairs. The school has been awarded the national Quality in Careers Standard Award. Further information on the school's Careers Programme can be found here.
Each lesson is 50 minutes long, with the number of lessons per week below:
|
|
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
|
English |
5 |
6 |
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Maths |
5 |
5 |
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Science |
5 |
7 |
|
RS |
1 |
2 |
|
PE |
1 |
1 |
|
PSHE |
1 |
1* |
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Option A |
3 |
3 |
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Option B |
3 |
3 |
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Option C |
3 |
3 |
|
Option D |
3 |
0 |
|
Total |
30 |
31 |
*Blended via drop down days
The wider curriculum:
Alongside the above, each student is given access to a wide range of opportunities, experiences and takes on responsibilities to prepare them for later life. These include:
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Trips domestically: theatre, educational trips to the coast, historical sites, Cadbury’s World Business
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International trips: French markets, ski trips, Germany – Holocaust and historical sites
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UK Maths Challenges, Duke of Edinburgh Awards
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Links to Music School, Shakespeare Schools Festival, The Feast,
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Sporting opportunities: Fixtures and clubs, Luton Caribbean Cricket Club, County and Town Sports
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Guest Speakers: BBC100, Flavasume Trust, Mike Haines, Walk to Freedom.