Curriculum

At North, we have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and gives all learners the knowledge and cultural capital they need to be confident citizens and succeed in life. It is planned and sequenced towards cumulatively securing detailed knowledge and skills for future learning and employment. 

PLEASE CLICK ANY IMAGE TO LAUNCH THE PARENTS' OPTION PRESENTATION PDF DETAILING ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

COURSE INFORMATION BOOKLET IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

In Year 9, all students study a Core Key Stage 3 Curriculum. This consists of English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, RE, Computer Science, PE and either French or Spanish. We also offer an experience of other subjects, on a rotation basis: art, drama, music, food, design technology, textiles, business studies and citizenship in preparation for GCSE choices. The curriculum also enables students to develop their character through the CARE (PHSE) lessons which allow their resilience, confidence and independence to thrive. 

Our rich and ambitious academic curriculum embodies our school’s motto ‘Studies Determine Character’. It offers every student, whatever their ability, the opportunity to excel academically and also places a clear value on the arts and creative subjects (art, photography, music, drama, dance, design technology, engineering, food). 

At North, every child and every grade is important. We place equal emphasis and celebrate the success of a student who has been targeted and achieves their nine grade 9s, in the same way as the student who meets and succeeds at lower target grades. We take the time to design our curriculum which is centred on the student and ensure that we support them at every stage of the options process in Year 9 selecting the correct courses, allowing them to go on to be successful citizens and make a positive contribution to society. 

The GCSEs provide a seamless transition to courses on offer at our popular Sixth Form; this time offers an exciting chapter in our students’ academic journey and we look forward to working with our new cohort and celebrating their forthcoming success and achievements.

Full details of our options process and the courses offered are available by viewing our Options booklet for 2021-2024 students below (click on the image or HERE to open the PDF). 

Subjects

Art (Fine Art) • Art (Photography) • Business Studies • Child Development • Computer Science • Dance • Drama • Design & Technology - Materials Technology • Design & Technology - Textiles • Engineering • English Language & Literature • Food and Nutrition • French • Geography • Health & Social Care • History • Creative iMedia • Mathematics • Music • KS 3 CORE PE • KS4 CORE PE • GCSE PE • BTEC PE • Psychology • Religious Studies • Science • Spanish

Please look at this overview of subjects by clicking the link. You can see which boards each subject uses and the exam weighting to Non-Examined Assessments (NEA).