BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES

BOX HILL SCHOOL

CURRICULUM POLICY

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES

BOX HILL SCHOOL CURRICULUM POLICY

Box Hill School has the following curriculum aims:

• To create a supportive and caring learning environment that gives the pupils experience in
linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic
and creative education through the core academic and co curricular programme.
• To provide challenging learning experiences appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of
all pupils.
• To enable pupils to achieve that best possible qualifications for higher education and
beyond.
• To inspire our pupils and instill in them a love of learning, inquiry and knowledge to that
they question, discuss rationally and make informed decisions.
• To enable pupils to develop the skills and attitudes that motivate them to learn and are
necessary for independent learning.
• To ensure that depth and rigor are balanced by breadth and coherence in our curriculum.
• To teach pupils self-respect through an understanding of their own self-worth.
• To enable pupils to respect, appreciate and acknowledge the achievements and aspirations
of others.
• To teach pupils to be positive members of a community through respect for and
commitment to the ideals of the Round Square – International understanding, Democracy,
Environmental awareness, Adventure, Leadership and Service to the community.

From 2008 it is anticipated that the International Baccalaureate and its values will underpin
the curriculum both within and beyond the classroom.

THE CURRICULUM

The curriculum at Box Hill School is planned to ensure a breadth and balance of subjects
studied throughout the 11-16 age range. We follow the intentions of the National Curriculum
but broaden its scope to ensure that courses are constructed to suit the abilities and interests
of our students. To enrich the curriculum and to link with the Round Square ideals all students
in Years 7-9 undertake two expeditions one in September and the other in June/July. In
addition study skills courses are provided annually at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 for all
students in curricular time. Examinations are set annually to test attainment and progress
throughout the school. The curriculum is delivered through a Week A and Week B 10 day
timetable in 55 minute lessons, to allow all subjects a variety of learning slots dispersed across
the two week cycle.

KEY STAGE THREE

In Years 7-9 the subjects History, Geography, Information Technology, CDT, Art, Drama,
Music, PSHE, and Physical Education including Outdoor Education are taught in class groups by
subject specialists. In year 7 there are 3 groups a top ability group 7a and parallel bands 7bi
and 7bii. In Year 8 there are two groups banded by ability 8a and 8b. In Year 9 there are 4
groups – 9a top ability group, 9bi and 9 bii parallel ability groups and 9c lower ability group.

English is set during term 1 into 3 (Year 7), 2 (Year 8), or 5 (Year 9 including a mainstream
ESL for those with EAL) groups. Mathematics is set into groups during term 1 using
information from entrance tests, National Curriculum levels if available, internal assessment
and CATS data.

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES
Science is taught as Science in Years 7 and 8 and as Biology, Chemistry and Physics in Year 9.
The year 9 science curriculum from 2007 has been adapted to meet the introduction of
separate IGCSE programme from September 2008.

Two languages are taught in Years 7 and 8 – Language 1 French and Language 2 Spanish.
Groups are set by ability in the course of term one based on internal assessment data. In Year
9 language options are offered – Language 1 a choice of German, Mandarin, French or Spanish
taught in 5 periods per cycle and Language 2, a choice of French or Spanish or for those with
special education needs recommended by the SENCO, learning support lessons in the learning
support unit or supported study in the drop in centre in the LSU. For students who have
advanced skills in a language the option to take GCSE early is made in year 9. For example
Mandarin, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, or Russian.

KEY STAGE 4

In Years 10 and 11 students study from 8 to 10 GCSEs. The compulsory core curriculum
comprises English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science – either 3 separate
Sciences or Dual Award. In English and Mathematics students are set into 4 groups. EAL
students are provided with a separate ESL set leading to IGCSE English. Currently
Mathematics and ICT follow the IGCSE course and the separate science students in Chemistry
and Physics in Year 10 are piloting the IGCSE programme. From September 2008 all students
will follow IGCSE science programmes.

Students choose 3 or 4 subjects from an options list and they are encouraged to take a
Modern Foreign Language, a humanities subject and a creative arts option to achieve a
balanced curriculum . Each subject provides a summary for students and in an information
booklet supported by an options process during the second term in Year 9. The optimum size
of groups is 20, dictated by the size of the classrooms. In some subjects the groups can be as
small as 8 students. The option blocks in the timetable are designed to allow the maximum
number to study their first choice options. Subject available are: Art, Drama, Music, History,
Geography, Business Studies, PE, Dance, French, German, Spanish, and from September 2008
Mandarin, ICT, and CDT. For some students with SEN or EAL a more limited GCSE programme
is provided to create extra time for lessons in the LSU or with ESL tutors. Learning support
and LAMDA students can be taken out of lessons in line with the 55 minute units to maximize
the service provided in those areas.

In addition students have PE lessons and follow a Life Skills programme over the 2 years
which includes health, personal, social, and careers education and citizenship. Within the week
there is tutorial support for the academic programme from personal tutors.

KEY STAGE 5
In the Sixth Form most students choose four AS levels from a list of over subjects. The Sixth
Form options structure is designed to accommodate each student’s choice and it very flexible
allowing most combinations of subjects. They have 9 le ssons of 55 minutes per cycle for each
AS subject. We aim for group sizes of 10-15 students. If the numbers opting for a subject fall
below 4 subjects are asked to teach in either a reduced number of lessons or to have joint
lessons, like Music. Weaker students will be advised to study only 3 AS options although all
students will receive individual advice.

Most students will continue to study three of the four original AS subjects in Year 13 as A2
courses. Students may continue with four or choose a fifth AS option subject to availability
dependent on the scheduling of the options within the timetable. As an IB candidate school
subject to accreditation, the curriculum will move over to the International Baccalaureate from

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES
September 2008. Details of the options that will be available are given in the IB Options
Information guide for students and parents due for publication shortly.

Full details of the Sixth Form curriculum including information on syllabi for AS and A2
examinations, are updated annually and are available in the Sixth Form options information
booklet. Advanced level courses are currently available in the following subjects: Art, Biology,
Chemistry, Economics, Business Studies, English Literature, Fashion and Textiles, French,
Further Mathematics, Geography, German, History, ICT, Mathematics, Music, Physical
Education, Physics, Psychology, Spanish, Theatre Studies. Where a student wishes to study a
minority Modern Foreign Language we endeavor to provide a tutor – for example for Russian,
Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin or Latin.

All students in Year 12 follow a Financial Mathematics course, PE/Games and a Life Skills and
Careers programme. The material in the latter is delivered via a mixture of rolling life skills
and careers sessions, theme days, specialist staff or external ‘experts’. Specific lessons are
offered for EAL students to allow the acquisition of FCE or IELTS qualifications.

Departments are encouraged to look at the five terms in the Sixth Form as a whole and to
ration courses and conferences to enrich the curriculum so that teaching time is not put at
risk. It is suggested that one course per AS or A2 course is appropriate. Before booking an
academic event to support the curriculum a proposal must come through Directors who try to
monitor and balance out the timing of events and the loss of time to other departmental areas.

Visits to University Open Days are encouraged but monitored and again students are advised
to restrict as many of these as possible to holidays and weekends.

Curriculum Policy and Special Needs

Learning Support Department

The Learning Support Department operates to support learning-disabled students in all areas of
their school lives. At Box Hill, the Department sees mostly pupils with dyslexia although there are
also those who have an Attention Deficit Disorder, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia or Dyspraxia; the
school occasionally admits pupils on the autistic spectrum.

The Department consists of a Coordinator/S.E.N.C.O. and five other part time teachers. Whilst
not a separate Unit, the Department is housed in a self-contained building.

The number of lessons which a child receives is dependent upon his or her needs.

The Department will implement the recommendations contained in the Educational Psychologist’s
Report, where the expertise exists within the Department. Each child is further tested, by the
Wechsler Achievement Test, which gives results in Spelling, Single Word Reading and Reading
Comprehension. Lessons are of one hour’s duration although these may be taught in two
separate half-hours. Children are withdrawn on a rotation basis in Years 7, 8 and 9 but in the
higher years, children are never taken from classes. There is also provision for some in-class
support

The lessons are specific to the individual and may be in either literacy or maths. Some children
receive both. It is the aim of the Department to help each girl or boy to realise his or her potential
by developing strategies for coping with his or her disability and to apply these across the board.

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES
Strategies are also given in general organisation and study skills. These and all therapies tend to
be more general in the lower forms and more subject specific in the Senior part of the school.

Before the start of the school year, the teachers in the Learning Support Department invite the
parents of the new pupils to a 1:1 meeting where a draft I.E.P. is shown to the parents and the
general aims agreed. In the second half of term, a copy of the completed I.E.P. is given to the
parents and discussed in a second meeting. Reports are also written for all year groups. The
Department issues a Learning Support Register to all staff with notes on the particular difficulty of
each pupil. There is close liaison with all other members of staff and feedback from them is used
when setting targets. Pupils causing concern to teachers are referred to the Department which
investigates the possibility of an undetected learning disability. The Department also runs
seminars for new staff and sessions where all staff can be brought up to date with their pupils’
progress and ask questions. Additionally, the Department has a room where these pupils are
welcome to drop in at any time and work quietly or ask the Support teacher on duty for help. The
room serves also as a resource centre for any mainstream teacher wishing to further his or her
knowledge of any Learning Disability.

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES

Curriculum 2007-2008
7 x 55 minutes per day over 10 day cycle

Key Stage 3: 54 periods per cycle

Key Stage 4: 56 periods per cycle
Key Stage 5: 54 periods per cycle

Year En Ma Sciences Mod Lang Hi Geo BS CDT IT Dr Mu Art PE PSHE

Bio Chem Phy Lan1 Lan 2
7 6 6 9 4 5 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 2
3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets
7.41% 7.41% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 7.41% 3.7%
11.11% 11.11% 16.67% 7.41% 9.26%
8 6 6 9 4 5 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 2
2 sets 2 sets 2 sets 2 sets
7.41% 7.41% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 7.41% 3.7%
11.11% 11.11% 16.67% 7.41% 9.26%
9 6 6 3 3 3 4 5 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 2
4 sets 4 sets 4 groups 6 groups
(French x (German,
2; Spanish Mandarin,
x 2) French x2,
Spanish
x2)
11.11% 11.11% 5.56% 5.56% 5.56% 7.41% 9.26% 7.41% 7.41% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 7.41% 3.7%

KS 3 18 18 9 9 9 12 15 12 12 6 6 6 6 6 12 6
Totals 11.11% 11.11% 5.56% 5.56% 5.56% 7.41% 9.26% 7.41% 7.41% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7% 7.41% 3.7%
10 8 8 Separate Science 3 x 4 Options 4 x 6 55 minutes per cycle 2 2
4 sets 4 sets periods; Double Award 12
14.29% 14.29% periods. 4 X 10.71% 3.57% 3.57%

11 8 8 4 sets Options 4 x 6 55 minutes per cycle 2 2

4 sets 4 sets 21.43%
14.29% 14.29% 4 X 10.71% 3.57% 3.57%

12 2 Most students do 4 AS choices given 9 periods of 55 minutes per cycle = 36 2 2

3.70% 4 X 16.67% 3.70% 3.70%

13 Most students do 3 A2 choices given 9 periods of 55 minutes per cycle = 27 2

3 X 16.67% 3.70%

Notes:
1. Classes in Years 7-9 are taught in form groups unless stated.
2. A small number of students in Y12 will do 3 AS levels and GCSE retakes; Similarly a small number of students will continue with 4
A2 levels in Year 13.
3. All students in Y12 study Financial Mathematics; some EAL students in Y12 and Y13 have ESL lessons leading to FCE or IELTS.
4. German students in Y12 take AS or A2 German in June depending upon ability.

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy

BOX HILL SCHOOL ACADEMIC HANDBOOK/ POLICIES

Box Hill School Curriculum Policy