Curriculum Overview

At Rushden Academy we provide opportunities for our pupils to gain knowledge and skills so that they can succeed and be highly successful citizens in modern Britain. We aim to reach out to our community and beyond to celebrate local traditions and explore all possibilities to enrich their lives. We believe that it is essential for pupils to master the basics, to make connections between topics and across other subjects.

Setting policy

All teaching is in mixed ability groups for every subject apart from English, Maths and Science. We believe that having these levelled groups allows for greater collaboration between different ability pupils and will lead to better progress for all pupils over time. Teachers will plan lessons so that pupils with SEN and/or disabilities can study every National Curriculum subject, wherever possible, and ensure that there are no barriers to every pupil achieving.

Personal Development

Pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4 follow a programme that includes careers, citizenship, spiritual, personal, social and health education. The content is delivered through weekly lessons at Key Stage 3 and fortnightly lessons at Key Stage 4.

Extra-curricular learning

Although academic lessons form a majority of a student’s life in school, Rushden Academy believes that opportunities for pupils to flourish in an extended curriculum are also important. Drama at Rushden is a strength both in terms of the results that pupils achieve in their formal exams but also in terms of the experiences available to participate outside of normal school hours. Sport is an important part of many student’s lives at Rushden Academy. The academy has outside basketball courts, tennis courts, Sports Hall, gym, fitness suite and a large playing field.

Key Stage 3

The school provides a curriculum that is broad and balanced as shown below

Pupils follow a two-week timetable and the allocation of hours per fortnight is below:

nb: Parents/Carers have the right to withdraw their child from some or all of the Religious Education lessons by contacting the Academy.

Key Stage 4

Pupils at Rushden Academy complete a two-year Key Stage 4, starting their GCSE/BTEC examination subjects in year 10. The Options process starts in March of year 9. Pupils are given guidance on the choices available and the appropriateness of courses for them through Parent’s Evening, the year 9 ‘Taster Options’ lessons and the Options Evening. All pupils are given the opportunity to study EBacc subjects through to GCSE level.

Pupils follow a two-week timetable and the allocation of hours per fortnight is below:

nb: Parents/Carers have the right to withdraw their child from some or all of the Religious Education lessons by contacting the Academy.