We want all of our students to experience great learning.  Underpinning great learning is an inspiring, rigorous and logically structured curriculum.  All students in our academy will have access to a challenging curriculum that ensures their potential can be realised and they can ‘be the best’.

The curriculum is designed to ensure that all of our students are developing the skills, knowledge and understanding, that combine to create ‘great learning.’

The academy curriculum has been designed to ensure that it follows some important principles.

• It is broad and balanced and meets the requirements of the national curriculum: all of our students will have access to the full range of subjects at both key stages, and to the entitlements outlined in the national curriculum.  
• It is knowledge-led: we think it is crucial that students learn and remember key knowledge and concepts in each of their different subjects so that they can develop their expertise.
• It is rigorous: it is important that our students have a precise and in-depth understanding of all their subjects in order that they can apply their knowledge in a range of contexts.
• It is sequenced to help students know and remember more: we have structured our curriculum to enable students to build detailed knowledge of their subjects and to be able to commit it to long-term memory.
• It must develop literacy: our curriculum will enable all students to develop a rich vocabulary through systematic teaching; it will encourage a culture of reading widely, and it will ensure all students are able to communicate effectively.  

Our curriculum follows the national curriculum.  This means that our subject curricula ensure students are getting the full breadth and depth of subjects to which they are entitled.  This is important to us because it means our students are studying a wide range of subjects, giving them a fully rounded education by the time they leave the academy.  We ensure that all students have a full three-year key stage three before progressing to a two-year key stage four

Our teachers are experts in their subjects.  We are clear that some ways of teaching are more effective than others. In turn, we are constantly developing our effectiveness by focusing on the best ways of delivering our curriculum. 

In order to ensure that we maximise what our students learn teachers will:

• Provide opportunities for students to revisit previous learning at the beginning of each lesson.
• Introduce new knowledge and concepts in small steps, to ensure lots of opportunities for students to practise what they have learnt.  
• Share models and worked examples so that students can see precisely what they are expected to achieve.
• Provide temporary scaffolds so all students are supported to access learning and demonstrate what they understand.
• Routinely check students’ understanding and give feedback to help them constantly improve.  

We are committed to the principle that all students, regardless of individual circumstances or background, have access to the same curriculum.  However, we also recognise that in order to deliver this commitment we will need to make adjustments.  

Students with special educational needs will be supported by our Learning Support department.  This support might include one-to-one or small group work with specialist staff and a range of interventions to ensure all students can access our curriculum.  Equally, it might be appropriate for subject staff to spend longer on specific elements of the curriculum to ensure that fundamental knowledge and skills are securely learnt.  

Equally, our most academically talented students will have access to our Scholars’ Super Curriculum, led by the academy’s Academic Excellence Leader.  This programme will ensure that those students are given opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding beyond the provisions of the normal curriculum

As part of our commitment to a ‘Great Experience’, students will have access to a range of enrichment opportunities.  Within the curriculum, these will include trips, workshops and visiting speakers. Equally, in arts and sport, students will have opportunities to perform both in the academy and in local and national events.  Furthermore, the ‘10 Ways of Being Great’ encourages all students to undertake experiences to support their personal development. We are committed to ensuring that all students can benefit from enrichment opportunities to enhance their learning.    

Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that students need to succeed in life.  Many of our students come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and so it is even more important that our curriculum builds students’ cultural capital.  We ensure that students are developing their cultural capital through our teaching of a rigorous curriculum; the wide-ranging enrichment activities that we offer; and initiatives like our Scholars Programme.  Equally, our engaging and challenging PSHCE programme, ensures that students have opportunities to explore important concepts and ideas that further enhance their understanding of their world. This will mean our students leave with the same essential knowledge and understanding of the world as those students in the very best schools nationally.  In turn, they will have the same opportunities as they apply for further and higher education; be able to pursue careers in the professions; and lead richer more fulfilling lives.  

As a member of the Co-op Academies Trust, we want our curriculum to deliver its mission.  In turn, through the combination of a rigorous curriculum, expert teaching, and a wide-ranging programme of enrichment, we are confident that we provide a challenging and rewarding education that will enable our students to achieve great outcomes.  In turn, this will mean that our students are able to leave the academy ready to access further and higher education, whether through academic or vocational routes, and will be ready to add value to their community.   

Remote education provision: information for parents 

Generally, Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent does not provide remote education. However, the circumstances where it might not be possible for pupils to receive in person education fit into 2 broad categories:

1. individual cases where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able to learn;
2. school closures or restrictions on attendance, where school access for pupils is restricted.

Where an individual pupil is unable to attend school, but is able to learn (category 1 above), the processes in our Children with health needs who cannot attend school Policy and in our Attendance Policy will apply.

In the event of a short, severe weather closure, it is unlikely that learning will be provided, and any learning that is provided is at the discretion of the class teacher (e.g. if a closure occurs part way through a school day and is likely to last over the next day, the teacher may be able to send learning home with the pupil). Where any severe weather closure lasts for a longer period than 1-2 days, the procedure of contact with families, as outlined below, will begin.

Regardless of the length of any closure, where there are concerns around a pupil, the attendance and safeguarding team will contact families by video call/telephone/home visit, as appropriate to the situation.

The following applies where the whole school, or substantial parts of the school is closed, or there are restrictions on attendance for a large number of pupils, for example as a result of government guidance (category 2 above).

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education in the event of a prolonged closure.

What will be taught to pupils at home?

Students will participate in activities from their usual curriculum.

What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?

If a pupil is absent from school through ill health there is no expectation that they participate in remote learning. 

During the first days of any closure, where that closure is likely to be prolonged, a member of the class team will contact the parents to discuss the most suitable remote learning package. This will usually include an element of direct teaching using Google meet platform, as well as the option of a delivery of a home learning resource pack, for use with the support of family members.

School staff will be given time to convert their teaching arrangements to enable whole class teaching through remote education, or ‘blended learning’ with a mixture of school attendance (if this is possible) and online teaching.

Following the first few days of remote education, will my child be taught broadly the same curriculum as they would if they were in school?

Yes, though some usual classroom sessions will look and feel different from home.  These will be built on prior learning, add a bit of new learning and not just provide tasks to keep pupils busy. We will continue with assemblies, celebrations and other social engagement opportunities where possible. 

Accessing remote education

How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?

Methods of access will differ depending on the individual and family experience and knowledge of different platforms. These will include: 

• Google Classroom
• Google Meet video call
•  

If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education?

We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home. We take the following approaches to support those pupils to access remote education:

We will contact families as early as possible to find out what online access they already have available. Provide, where possible, any additional appropriate technology required and support families with information, advice and guidance to help facilitate access and develop skills to engage with remote learning. This may well look different for individual students and families.

How will my child be taught remotely?

We use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely:

• Paper copies of work sent through the post 
• Online content through Google Classroom / email  
• Google meet video calls 1:1 and small group activities where appropriate 
• Telephone calls

Engagement and feedback

What are your expectations for my child’s engagement and the support that we as parents and carers should provide at home?

The majority of students will need support throughout their daily remote learning sessions. We therefore will liaise with families to find the most effective way to support our students. 

How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?

Regular calls through the school week to check engagement and feasibility of assigned work.

Some students will be able to return work independently and we will track this over the sessions.

How will you assess my child’s work and progress?

Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. For example, whole-class feedback or quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms are also valid and effective methods, amongst many others. Our approach to feeding back on pupil work is as follows:

• Regular calls throughout the remote learning period to offer feedback and gather information
• Google meet video calls 1:1 and group discussion
• Some online work will be automatically marked and returned
• Written comments direct to students via preferred correspondence medium

Additional support for pupils with particular needs

How will you work with me to help my child who needs additional support from adults at home to access remote education?

We recognise that some pupils, for example some pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote education without support from adults at home. We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on families, and we will work with parents and carers to support those pupils in the following ways:

• No expectation on minimum hours spent accessing remote learning
• A high level of tasks and activities that promote independence
• Work alongside families to develop feasible, meaningful and rewarding educational experiences
• Access to on site remote learning coordinator for help, advice and guidance. 
• Individualised home learning that works for the student and the family

Remote education for self-isolating pupils

In a situation where government guidance is that individual pupils (from different classes) need to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, how remote education is provided will likely differ from the approach for whole groups. This is due to the challenges of teaching pupils both at home and in school.

Please use our contact form if you wish to speak to somebody from the Academy about our curriculum: