Curriculum Overview

Cockburn School’s curriculum intent is to meet the needs of everyone.

This page presents comprehensive information about our curriculum including:

• detail of the curriculum studied in each subject area for each year group
• information about our Guided Destination process moving students from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4
• timetable allocations for Years 7 to 11
• current exam qualifications studied by our Year 11 students

The Curriculum:

• is carefully designed and sequenced to ensure that students are continually learning and consolidating knowledge in a coherent structure so that it is retained year on year;
• is designed to be inspiring and engaging for students so that they develop a passion and enthusiasm for learning;
• ensures that students are challenged and tackle difficult concepts and ideas where they are required to apply the knowledge they have acquired;
• develops the skills of independence and resilience so that students are not over reliant on the support of others, including their teachers;
• places the development of reading and mathematics at its core so that students have a solid foundation of the key skills needed to be successful in further education and employment.

“Pupils are enormously interested in lessons because curriculum planning is detailed."
OFSTED 2022

If you would like more information about the Cockburn School Curriculum please email info@cockburnschool.org and mark your email ‘For the attention of Mr A M Smith (Assistant Headteacher)’.

Curriculum Subjects: 

Our curriculum provides students with exciting learning experiences that are designed to fit the needs of all. The curriculum is broad and balanced giving students a wide range of subjects to study in depth to ensure they are in a strong position to make informed choices for the next stage of their education. Every subject has a destination plotted for students that is rich in the development of knowledge and skills and that leads towards the good qualifications needed to succeed in life. 

2024-25 Curriculum Destination guide
This gives information on what is studied in each subject area. This is given to prospective parents/carers at via our Open Evening.

Curriculum Guided Destinations:  

At the end of Year 8, students choose from Guided Destinations blocks, where a mix of GCSEs and Vocational qualifications are on offer. In every case, decisions are ‘guided’ by the subject teachers and data is examined to ensure students are maximising their chances of getting the best possible grades, leading them onto appropriate Post 16 courses. There is a broad balance of traditional and vocational courses, including carefully chosen courses giving students a wide range of opportunities to gain qualifications.Where appropriate, those students who speak English as an additional language are entered for GCSE in their first language, irrespective of which year they are in. This decision is based on how well students can speak, read and write in their first language.

The curriculum offer is reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure that we continue to provide a personalised curriculum that offers both breadth and academic rigour, whilst maximizing opportunities for progression to Post-16 education.

The Timetable:

The timetable is a 30 unit week with each lesson 50 minutes long. There is a form period of 20 minutes at the beginning of each morning. Break (20 mins) is between Units 2 and 3 and lunch (35 mins) is between Units 4 and 5. The school day starts at 8:30am and finishes at 2:45pm.

Timetable allocations for Years 7 to 11 (2024-25)

Progress Groups:

Students are taught in progress groups set by ability according to their Key Stage 2 average scores in the core subjects, English and maths (some Year 10 English classes are taught in mixed ability groups). There is flexibility in the system as students can be moved between progress groups if this is deemed appropriate following the outcomes from regular Key Assessment Points. Such organisation means that personalised learning is more effective and intervention is more efficient.

Curriculum Plans:

Subject Areas - click here to view detailed curriculum overviews for each subject (2024-25)

Alternatively, click the buttons below for detail of the curriculum studied in each subject area.

English

Maths

Science

Art

Dance

Drama

Music

PE

History

Geography

RS

PSHCE

MFL

Technology

ICT

Music Development Plan:

The DfE have asked schools to publish a summary of their music development plan on their website.

Publishing a summary will help schools to:

• raise awareness of their music development plan
• promote the school music offer to parents and prospective parents
• give greater opportunity for schools and music hubs to work together

Click this link to view our Music Development Plan 2024-25

Careers Education

Careers education is delivered through the PSHCE curriculum. In Year 10 and Year 11, all students have the opportunity for an individual careers interview with our careers team. In KS4 students have the opportunity to engage with workplaces, in the form of work experience, and visits. A well-resourced careers library is maintained and a careers adviser is available to help students make the right choices. 

For more information about Careers Education click here to go to our Careers page.

SMSC and Fundamental British Values

We are fully committed to improving our students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) mindfulness and we work tirelessly to develop the Modern British Values (MBV) within all areas of Cockburn School life.

Our students understand the five key values of democracy, rule of law, mutual respect, individual liberty and tolerance, the curriculum as well as enrichment activities support this. Student planners detail all five areas and they are covered at length within the PSHCE/RS curriculum.

Subject teachers all have a role to play in modelling and promoting both SMSC and MBV every day, they do this in a variety of ways. The majority of work is completed within an extensive PSHCE/Citizenship and Religious Studies curriculum but all areas of the school support the strands.

For more information about SMSC and Fundamental British Values click here to go to our SMSC &FBV page.