Curriculum Intent

At Queensbury Academy our mission is to put student success first, promoting an environment where every student is empowered to achieve their full potential. Our curriculum drives this mission, guided by our core values of cooperation, aspiration, respect and endeavour. By consistently reinforcing our shared purpose and values, we aim to build a resilient and dynamic learning environment that not only responds to the present needs but also prepares our students for future success.  We aim to ensure that all students achieve their potential to facilitate successful transition to the next stages of their education and their lives, starting by successfully building knowledge and skills from Key Stage 2 through strong partnerships with local Primary Schools. 

The curriculum at Queensbury Academy is underpinned by the strands of the national curriculum, while also developing students as individuals so they become confident characters who will flourish in all areas of life. We provide opportunities for experiences beyond the classroom developing aspiration for the future, powerful knowledge and understanding of their community and the world they live in. Our curriculum ensures that every student, regardless of background or ability, finds their place and feels valued through inclusive and diverse subject content, texts and topics.  

Our subject offer empowers students as lifelong learners through disciplinary and substantive knowledge, encouraging all students to be intellectually curious through wanting to know more in each subject area. Key Stage 3 is the intellectual powerhouse of the curriculum where  through a wide range of subjects including Art, Performing Arts and Modern Foreign Languages. Our Key Stage 4 offer is ambitious for all, instilling aspirational outcomes and meeting the needs of every student through our combination of GCSE and BTEC subjects on offer including BTEC Sport and GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. At Key Stage 5, alongside A levels in subject areas ranging from English Literature and Law to Computer Science and Maths we also offer Psychology and Business Studies only at KS5 to allow students to explore a wide range of subjects throughout their learning journey. The variety of subject choices ensures that students are equipped with the knowledge, interests and abilities for their next steps in Education, apprenticeship pathways or the world of work. We provide support for different groups of students including reading intervention, EAL support, pastoral and academic mentoring and the Keep Up Not Catch-Up programme to bridge gaps in knowledge at KS3.  

At Queensbury Academy our shared purpose and values prepare all students for future success. We do not see SEND or disadvantaged backgrounds as limiting factors for success and the needs of these students are met through our flexible, responsive curriculum. Our curriculum planning enables our students review and revisit foundational knowledge and threshold concepts through each cycle and in the Super Teaching Week. This facilitates the building of schema alongside securing understanding to learn core knowledge well, with increased challenge through each Key Stage. Our curriculum is well sequenced, knowledge rich and backwards planned from university level content to ensure that students learn the right knowledge at the right time. 

An extensive extra-curricular offer, including a range of clubs and societies, trips abroad, visits by external speakers and enrichment days all contribute towards the holistic development of our students. These opportunities and experiences outside the classroom enable us to further realise our core values and achieve our shared goals. 

As we are a school that reads, we prioritise both literacy and oracy through a vocabulary rich curriculum. Students have access to ambitious texts that are academic and culturally rich to develop disciplinary knowledge. Students enjoy reading for pleasure and this is promoted at all key stages through texts that enable our students to learn about people, places and situations beyond their current context. Our careers programme and PSHE curriculum also allow students to develop their understanding of wider issues, ideas and priorities. Students are encouraged to reflect on their own needs and ambitions, empowering them to achieve their full potential through navigating the world and forging their own path.  

At Queensbury everyone belongs and we put student success first. Our extra-curricular offer, pastoral support and academic development, creates a culture of psychological safety where all students feel valued, heard and are encouraged to take intellectual risks from Year 7 through to Year 13.