Curriculum and Qualifications

At Freebrough Academy we aim to develop a broad, balanced and agile curriculum that meets the needs of learners in an ever changing world. The curriculum addresses the key requirements identified through action research to determine how students learn most effectively.    A priority for us is to develop a curriculum that will engage, motivate and enthuse learners, contributing to a positive learning ethos throughout the Academy and resulting in a “Can do culture”. Our aim is recognise individual needs and remove all barriers to learning so that every student has high aspirations and achieves their full potential.

The curriculum at Freebrough offers students a range of opportunities to acquire knowledge, as well developing the understanding, skills, characteristics and strengths they need to become successful life- long learners and effective citizens. With this in mind the curriculum is underpinned by the following elements:

* We encourage all of our students to understand and embrace the Freebrough Academy values of friendship, respect, excellence, determination, inspiration, courage and equality.

* The Academy Specialism of Business and Enterprise is introduced through project based learning in years 7. There is further development within all subject areas and in each year, including opportunities for learners to work on extended rich tasks through our tutorial programme. All students study Business and Enterprise as part of the core curriculum.

* Students develop numeracy and mathematical skills across the curriculum through relevant individual subjects in each year.

* Students develop language and literacy across the curriculum including emotional literacy.

* Where appropriate we link learning to everyday life and help our students to make the right choices through, for example our careers information and advice programme as well as health and wellbeing themes.

* Fostering creativity continues to be a strong theme in our curriculum so we offer a range of opportunities for students to access the creative arts.

 Lesson Timetable

You can check which lessons your child has each day using the timetable information below:

Academy Timetable Monday

Academy Timetable Tuesday

Academy Timetable Wednesday

Academy Timetable Thursday

Academy Timetable Friday

Enrichment

There is an enrichment programme which offers students opportunities to extend their learning through a wide range of clubs and activities available either during or at the end of the school day. Please click here to find out more.

 Period 6 Learning for Key Stage 4 Students

Curriculum content

Key Stage 3

Please click on the Key Stage 3 Curriculum Overview tab to the left of this page to view the year 7, 8 and 9 timetables. 

Please click on the individual subject tabs on the left of this page to view what year 7, 8 and 9 students will be studying each half term.

Key Stage 4

Please click on the Key Stage 4 Curriculum Overview tab to the left of this page to view the year 10 and 11 timetables.

Please click on the individual subject tabs on the left of this page to view what year 10 and 11 students will be studying each half term.

Please click on the Qualifications Overview tab to the left of this page to view examination content for each subject.

Key Stage 4 Options Information

You can download our options booklets here:

Ebaccalaureate Booklet Y9

Foundation Booklet Y9

Higher Booklet Y9

Intermediate Booklet Y9

The curriculum on entry to the Academy builds upon the best practice in the primary phase.  The learning is structured to enable the students to work as a whole class, in groups and independently.  It provides them with opportunities to acquire knowledge and understanding through a themed approach in project based learning and in the discrete subjects.

Please click on the timetable to enlarge.

At key stage 4 we offer a broad and balanced curriculum that engages, motivates and challenges our learners. There is a core curriculum for all students that includes English, mathematics, science, business and enterprise, PE, religious studies and ICT creative media. The core subjects develop the key skills which provide the essential foundations  to be successful life long learners. As our students are at different stages on their lifelong learning journey we offer them different academic pathways. These pathways reflect their aspirations and ambitions for the future. We ensure the curriculum choices made by students at this stage in their school career provide academic and vocational qualifications that have appropriate progression routs into post 16 study and employment.

The English team at Freebrough are dedicated to offering highly effective teaching which ensures highly effective learning.

We firmly believe that studying English gives students the skills and understanding they need to achieve success in all areas of life. Good literacy skills are at the heart of all learning, and are essential in opening doors to work and higher education. As a team, we are committed to engaging students in order to develop their literacy skills, as well as exposing them our cultural and literary heritage, in order to broaden their horizons and help them to develop into well rounded individuals.

English is a vital subject that develops and enhances skills which are essential to success in the modern world.

At Freebrough, the Faculty is made up of enthusiastic and creative teachers who ensure that every English lesson is engaging and dynamic so that all students, irrespective of their differing starting points, are supported to make outstanding progress.  All English lessons at Freebrough follow the TEEP model which promotes accelerated learning through both key stages.

The English faculty consists of 7 English teachers and a Media Technician. Two members of the faculty are Senior Leaders who are both qualified as Advanced Skills Teachers. All members of the team are Level 1 TEEP trained, five are Level 2 trained and one member of the team is embarking on Level 3 training. In addition, two members of the English faculty are experienced examiners for AQA GCSE and Cambridge iGCSE qualifications.

Students are offered a wide and varied curriculum which allows each individual to make accelerated progress, developing and expanding their skills in the key areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening.  Alongside this, we also offer a growing range of enrichment opportunities including entries into national competitions and book clubs.

Key Stage 3

Students’ learning is based upon themed topics that ensure all students develop the skills required to be successful in English; in reading, students are taught a full range of skills from inference and deduction to sustained evaluation of a writer’s use of language; when writing, students are given opportunities to write a range of text types for different audiences and purposes, using accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation; in speaking and listening, students develop key skills that allow them to be clear, convincing and effective communicators.  Regular teacher and self-assessment promotes students’ ability to understand what they need to do in order to improve.  Homework supports students to learn independently.   At key stage 3 students are expected to complete reading and writing tasks every week.

Key Stage 4

All students at Freebrough Academy study for GCSEs in English Language and English Literature.  We follow the Cambridge IGCSE Language course and the EDEXCEL Certificate in English Literature.

For English Language students complete a range of work that includes:

• a portfolio of written coursework (worth 40% of the final mark)
• a speaking and listening assessment (worth 20% of the final mark)
• a written examination (worth 40% of the final mark)

In English Literature students study:

• two whole texts – Of Mice and Men and An Inspector Calls
• a collection of 16 poems
• a range of unseen poetry and prose

Students complete two final examinations which complete their English Literature qualification.

In both Language and Literature, students explore their own creativity and authors’ use of language. Analysis and discussion of themes, symbols and techniques allow students to respond with enthusiasm and confidence.

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple. ~S. Gudder

Everyone, everywhere uses and experiences maths throughout the course of their normal day.

Maths is about using skills to solve problems and is responsible for the modern world we live in today. We aim not only to give students a set of skills but to make maths real to them by bringing life into the classroom and take classroom skills out into the wider world. The maths team are committed through engaging and challenging lessons to ensure our students leave with the maths skills that will support them into further education or the world of work.

Business and Enterprise is the specialism within the Academy and underpins the development of our students in all that they do. Having a ‘can do’ attitude and entrepreneurial spirit is important for our students as they progress through the Academy, post 16 and into the world of work. Combining these skills with more traditional subjects will ensure that our students are best equipped to succeed in their chosen career. All students within the Academy will have the opportunity to study Business and Enterprise as this is a core subject.

We are very proud to be the North East Regional Hub for the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy.  This allows us to develop a range of links with local and national businesses that will support our students entrepreneurial journey. At key stage 4 one of the qualifications offered is BTEC Understanding Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, which has been developed by the Peter Jones Foundation, enabling students to become enterprise ready.

A ‘can-do’ attitude supports all faculties and the ethos at the Academy. Students are able to develop their enterprise skills across all faculties and regularly given opportunities to do so. Through the vertical tutoring system students are then able to track their achievements in enterprise and will be awarded with their ‘Hooves of Enterprise’ pins to wear proudly on their blazer. Awards are given at bronze, silver and gold levels and are linked to the criteria of our learner qualities system, encouraging all students to strive for excellence in enterprise.

Through vertical tutoring students also take part in three ‘Can-do Challenges’ per year. A project focusing on an enterprise skill, that challenges the students to solve a real life problem or gain experience of entrepreneurship.

The Business and Enterprise faculty also includes Modern Foreign Languages and Project Based Learning.

Understanding and communicating in a foreign language is a vital skill in a world where a global village has been created by the rapid advances in modern technology.

Throughout all key stages students are taught French and Spanish through a variety of topics and themes. Topics studied prepare students for the vocabulary and skills required at GCSE. Within each topic students are given the opportunity to develop each of the main language disciplines – listening, reading, writing and speaking. whilst developing a range of vocabulary in that topic area their skill and confidence in the four main disciplines progresses. Each topic can be personalised to allow students to progress from their starting point.

Science is one of the most exciting, engaging and stimulating subjects of everything on offer at Freebrough Academy. Science is about understanding how everything works, from the smallest part of an atom to the whole scope of the very universe itself. Science at Key stage three is taught through a series of project based learning opportunities that will teach the students independent thinking and learning skills, as well as providing plenty of opportunity for practical laboratory experiments. Project activities like these will provide an ideal platform for success at Key Stage 4, where students can undertake a wide range of highly personalised qualifications matched to their individual career aspirations. The Science team are committed to providing the highest quality teaching and learning that will enable our community of learners to achieve the very best results possible, and that all learners are fully equipped with the skills and aptitudes needed in the world of work or further education.

We believe that all students have the ability and right to succeed. Humanities is all about the world around us and how we interact with it. Humanities is real, it’s on your doorstep, in your newspapers, on the TV, and this is what we aim to bring to young people’s learning experience. Nothing in our world happens in isolation so integration and interdependency are key themes in the curriculum. We believe that learning happens not just in the classroom but also in the wider world and aim to bring that to the young people during key stage 3 and 4.

At Freebrough Academy we want  to provide high quality teaching that supports high quality learning. We want our students to enjoy coming to the Academy and have the skills to play a full and active part in its developments. We also want to promote and maintain a dynamic and challenging environment where everyone is valued and has the opportunity to maximise their potential. Physical activity is an important part of this aim as it is a significant method of preserving general health. At Freebrough Academy  the aim is to educate students so that they lead healthy active lifestyles.

Welcome to the DICE faculty, which stands for Design, Innovate, Create and Evolve.

We are incredibly passionate about the teaching of D&T/ICT and as a result we are working hard to ensure we deliver the very best curriculum content.

As a faculty we combine two curriculum areas, Design and Technology and Information Communication Technology.

The importance of Design and Technology

Within design and technology students learn to drawn upon a wide range of planning, developing and evaluative skills, to solve a number of problems in a practical way. They learn to use current technologies and consider the impact of future technological developments. They learn to think creatively and intervene to improve the quality of life, working as individuals and members of a team.

The importance of Information Communication Technology

The increasing use of technology in all aspects of society makes confident, creative and productive use of ICT an essential skill for life. ICT capability encompasses not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques, but also the understanding to apply these skills purposefully, safely and responsibly in learning, everyday life and employment. ICT capability is fundamental to participation and engagement in modern society.

As a team we share a common aim:

‘It is our collective aim within D&T/ICT that all students in our Academy, through interest, commitment and progression achieve their highest level of attainment.’

We understand that the technological world around us is constantly changing and as a result we need to ensure our faculty moves with the times. We are therefore continually developing the opportunities we offer the students in our care. The projects we teach across the faculty are constantly improving in order to provide our students with the latest in curriculum developments.

The Performing and Creative Arts curriculum is very much integrated into both Key Stage 3 and 4. All Performing and Creative Arts lessons are taught by specialist teachers allowing for the delivery of motivational, inspiring and challenging lessons.

The teaching and learning that takes place through Performing and Creative Arts develops self-esteem, self-confidence, self-worth and skills that are transferable across the rest of the curriculum.

The value of Art, Dance, Drama and Music is seen throughout key stage 3 and key stage 4 in a wide variety of ways. At key stage 3, students experience all four subjects in discreet lessons. During year 10 and 11, they have the chance to personalise their learning by specialising further in the Arts subjects.

Psychology is the scientific study of human mind and behaviour: how we think, feel, act and interact individually and in groups.

 What is Studied in Year 10

What is Studied in Year 11

 Parents have the right to withdraw their students from Sex and Relationships Education that falls outside the National Curriculum Science Order. They do so in writing to the Principal. When the Principal receives such a letter she will invite the parents to a meeting, at which the Principal will explain clearly what the Academy’s policy is and seek to accommodate the wishes and/or concerns of the parents. If that is not possible the student will be withdrawn from SRE and placed in another class where suitable work and supervision will be provided.

Please click here to view our Sex and Relationships Policy.

Year 8

Year 9