Curriculum is at the heart of our thinking at Studio West. A great deal of consideration goes in to deciding what knowledge and skills we teach our students, the order in which we teach them, and how we teach them in order for students to best retain them over time. “Learning that connects” is important to us and opportunities are taken to link academic content with careers and employment skills.
Our broad curriculum has been designed to best equip our young people for the next stages of their lives after leaving our school. Our goals are simple: we want all our students to gain excellent qualifications, lead happy, healthy and successful lives and to be positive contributors to the local and global communities.
As a studio school we aim to provide our students with opportunities to develop practical work place skills alongside their academic studies. Students in Years 9 and 10 have the opportunity of a two-week work place placement.
Our Curriculum Overview document details our curriculum rationale and the student learning experience at Studio West.
Whilst the number of students taking qualifications in music and performing arts is declining nationally, we are proud of the opportunities we give students to appreciate and partake in the arts. The impact of these opportunities is reflected partly in a growing number of students taking qualifications in the area. Our music development plan details some of the opportunities available.
In keeping with our stated goals, personal development is an important part of our curriculum. Read our Personal Development on a page document to find out more about our offer.
Students and parents can access more detailed versions of our learning journeys as well as knowledge organisers which detail the core knowledge to be learnt in each unit via MS Teams. Students can access lessons there as part of our remote education offer.
If you would like to know more about any aspect of our curriculum offer, please contact Mr Noel Stoddart (Director of Curriculum, Northern Leaders Trust).
If you would like to find out more about Studio West, please take a look at our Prospectus.
The options available to students for Key Stage 4 in Years 10 and 11 are shown in this booklet. You can also find out more about our subjects here.
Our Post-16 offer is detailed in our Sixth Form Prospectus.
Students at Studio West are issued a booklet for each half-term to work through independently at home. Each subject includes a required homework, and an ‘above and beyond’ homework. These can be found here:
Studio West is committed to the principle that every member of the school community is entitled to equal opportunities and treatment, irrespective of ethnic or national origin, race, gender, physical disability, sexual orientation, social background or religion and this is reflected in our curriculum offer. You can find more details of our position on Equality and Diversity here.
Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
The right of parents to withdraw their children from religious education (RE) lessons is set out in section 71(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
A parent of a student at an academy can request that their child is wholly or partly excused from receiving RE given in the school in accordance with the school’s basic curriculum
Parents who withdraw their child from all or part of the school’s RE curriculum do not have to provide a reason. The school must comply with their request, although a school should ensure parents or carers are informed of this right and are aware of the educational objectives and content of the RE syllabus.
If students are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Students will remain on school premises. Parents are not permitted to supervise their child during these lessons.
The rules that apply to withdrawing students from RE lessons do not apply to other lessons that look at religion. Therefore, a student cannot be withdrawn from any National Curriculum subject, even if they teach about religion, other than RE or some aspects of sex and relationship education (RSE).
If you think you would like to discuss withdrawing your child from RE lessons, please contact the school in writing at [email protected] for the attention of the Principal.