Curriculum
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Key Stage 3 at Medina College provides a broad and balanced curriculum that is ambitious and ensures all students, regardless of their starting point, develop the core knowledge, understanding and skills needed to succeed in all curriculum areas. Our curriculum prepares students for future learning by building the strong foundations they need.
Students experience a curriculum that balances a strong emphasis on numeracy, literacy and scientific understanding with a rich education across the arts, performing arts, languages, humanities, technologies and computing. This breadth ensures every student develops deep cultural capital and a secure sense of the world around them.
Student engagement is fostered through varied, stimulating learning experiences where progress both academically and personally is recognised and celebrated in multiple ways using our rewards systems. Learning is further enriched by our ever growing extra‑curricular offer, newly implemented enrichment programme providing students across Key Stage 3 with opportunities to broaden their interests, strengthen their skills and deepen their enjoyment of school life.
Key Stage Four Curriculum
Key Stage 4 at Medina College provides a curriculum that deepens students’ cultural understanding, strengthens their core knowledge and reflects the needs and aspirations of our student community. We endeavour to balance a strong and coherent core offer with carefully designed pathways that support students to ensure all are inspired to keep future career choices open.
Our curriculum is intentionally ambitious and supportive, developing students’ academic resilience, personal confidence and readiness for post‑16 study and employment. Engagement is fostered through rich, varied learning experiences where progress both in and outside of the classroom recognises learning alongside personal development and is celebrated regularly.
Learning is further enhanced by a robust revision and extra‑curricular programme, offering students across Key Stage Four opportunities to broaden their study, access specialist teacher support to deepen subject expertise as well as further their interests and strengthen the skills and habits needed for success beyond school.
The Curriculum:
We operate a 2 weekly timetable that follows the National Curriculum. Pupils are taught for 50 hours in terms of contact time.
For Year 7-9 The curriculum includes:
- English – includes a library lesson to promote reading
- Mathematics
- Science
- French
- Humanities – History, Geography and Religious Education
- Creative Arts – Art and Design, Drama and Music
- Computing
- Technology – Design, Food, Graphics and Fashion
- Physical Education
- PSHE
For students who are behind in their chronological reading age, additional support is provided to enable them to rapidly catch up.
For Year 10 -11 all students must study the following:
- English – Literature and Language
- Mathematics
- Science – Core and Additional Science
- Physical Education – No external examination
- PSHE
In Year 10, students can choose four options from a wide range of subjects.
Optional Subjects:
- Humanities: Religious Education, History, Geography, Travel and Tourism
- Computing
- Languages: French
- Creative: Drama, Music, Music Technology, Art, Photography, Graphics,
- Fitness Btec
- Technology: Food, Design, Fashion, Health & Social, Child Development
The options take up 40% of the taught curriculum. The remainder of time is allocated to core subjects, PE, PSHE and Enrichment.
Some students who require more support in English and mathematics will take three options and have additional support given to them in these core subjects.
There is an extensive after-school extra-curricular programme which includes a range of sporting activities, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, music and drama. There is daily support for homework in the library.
We schedule a 2 week timetable of 50 lessons of 1 hour. The number of lessons allocated to each subject is:
Tutor Programme:
Curriculum Impact
Our students work hard, they believe they will do well and go on to achieve strong outcomes at Medina and beyond. They are confident and understand themselves in the world around them. Students develop skills, knowledge and an understanding which makes them ready for their next stage of education, whether this is studying a Level 3 course, undertaking an apprenticeship or pursuing university studies leading into employment.
We measure our students success and the impact of our curriculum through:
- Levels of progress and attainment
- Attendance rates
- Behaviour and engagement
- Curriculum Reviews
- Lesson Observations and Learning Walks
- Student and parental questionnaire
- Securing ‘Destinations’ and employment opportunities.