Whole School Curriculum Rationale Click Here

Curriculum Rationale Subject:

Curriculum Rationale - Drama Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - English  Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Food Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Geography Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Graphics Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - ICT Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Media Studies Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - MFL  Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - PE Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Science Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - History Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Music Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - PB Click Here

Curriculum Rationale - Maths Click Here

The spiritual development of students is shown by their:

• ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religions or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respects for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
• a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
• use of imagination and creativity in their learning
• willingness to reflect upon their experiences

The moral development of students is shown by their:

• ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respects the civil and criminal law of England
• understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
• interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues

The social development of students is shown by their:

• use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religions, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
• willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance for, those with different faiths and beliefs; the students develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in, and contribute positively, to modern life in Britain.

The cultural development of the students is shown by their:

• understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
• understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within the school and further afield, as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
• knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values and in continuing to develop Britain
• willingness to participate in, and respond positively to, artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities
• interest in exploring, improving understanding of, and showing respects for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religions, ethnic and socio-economic groups.

For details of where SMSC is delivered in the curriculum Click Here

Students receive two progress reports each year and one full school report. Parents/ Carers also have the opportunity to attend a parents’ evening. The dates for each year group can be found on the notice board section of the school’s website. However, all subject teachers and pastoral staff are available throughout the year to deal with any issues or concerns should they arise.

Students are given many opportunities to decide which subjects are best for them at Key Stage 4. Tailored sessions are run during tutor time, assemblies take place, an options evening is held and 1:1 sessions are offered with all staff.

The school offers clear career guidance by experienced staff who work closely with local higher education establishments by providing information on courses and open evenings. All of Year 11 students undertake a visit to local colleges and get the opportunity to sample numerous appropriate courses. Our two local collages regularly attend parents evenings to offer furthur advice and guidance with additional drop in sessions for our year 10 and 11 students taking place throughout the year. 

During options evening, the option process is outlined and the students and their parents/ carers are given the opportunity to visit each subject and talk directly to each member of staff. There is also the option of follow up appointments if necessary. Year 9 parents’ evening follows the options evening, allowing another opportunity to discuss potential choices.

The Department for Education has introduced changes to the grading of exam at Key Stage 4. The A*- G grading system for GCSE has been replaced by a number between 9 and 1. Information on how these grades relate to the previous system are sent out with each of our key stage 4 reports.  Vocational qualifications are graded on a sliding scale from a pass to a merit and then a distinction. 

The measure that the Department for Education will use to judge the success of schools is called Progress 8. This has replaced the 5A*-C which measured the number of students gaining a C grade in five subjects including English and Maths. Instead, Progress 8 tracks how much progress students make from Key Stage 2 to the end of Key Stage 4.

This will not affect how the students are taught or which topics they cover in their exams. However, it will mean that schools will need to ensure that all students are making progress across all subjects, rather than focussing on the minority of students on the C/D borderline. 

At St Dunstan’s we continue to offer a broad range of subjects which gives students the opportunity to study a curriculum containing the EBACC subjects. This enables them to gain a suite of qualifications which are admired by colleges and universities for their robustness and ability to reflect the ability of the students.