Our Curriculum
Our curriculum ambition
Beckfoot Thornton aims to inspire our students to achieve the best that they can. We are ambitious, caring, proud and passionate in all that we do, and our curriculum is designed to ensure that our students enjoy their learning. Our ambitions are that our students leave us as:
- Confident communicators
- Knowledgeable and expert learners
- Committed community contributors
- Future ready learners
Our broad and balanced three year, Key Stage 3 follows the National Curriculum’s programmes of study, including religious education, so that our students are provided with “an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens”. It introduces our students to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement”. We provide a strong focus on the development of communication skills across the curriculum. Learning is based around key knowledge identified in our knowledge organisers.
Our two year Key Stage 4 provides students access to the arts, design and technology, the humanities and modern foreign language through GCSE and vocational qualifications. Courses have been carefully chosen to meet the needs of our local context. In addition, students continue their studies in English, mathematics, science, religious education and physical education.
Our students have 25 hours of learning a week, plus additional time with their form tutor to work on our personal development program. To further enhance this, we also run “drop down days” when we suspend our usual curriculum for the day to focus on further development of personal development, including career development and other personal social health and citizenship education topics. All students are encouraged to get involved in enrichment activities and student leadership. We also offer a designated specialist provision for students identified with moderate or severe learning difficulties as primary need and an in house alternative provision.
To find out more about the subjects at Beckfoot Thornton, please click on the relevant links below:
Art & Photography Learning Journey
Combined Science and Triple Science Learning Journey
Computing KS3 Learning Journey
Computer Science KS4 Learning Journey
French & German Learning Journey
GCSE Business Learning Journey
Vocational Business Learning Journey
In our Sixth Form, students are offered a wide range of Level 3 subjects including A-levels and vocational qualifications, alongside a range of enrichment and leadership opportunities, with high quality guidance.