Curriculum Aims

All our subject curricula at Harris Academy Riverside are planned with 4 principles in mind;

First; that students should grow a passion and curiosity for the subject. Our planning model challenges teachers to choose the most powerful and inspiring knowledge, engaging teaching methods and a variety of immersive activities, experiences and environments in order to switch students on and provide stimulus at every turn.

Secondly; that subject curricula comply with national expectations including the National Curriculum in years 7, 8 and 9, the local SACRE guidelines in Religious Education, the guidance of The PSHE Association and relevant specifications for subjects as published by national examining boards.

Thirdly; that subject curricula prepare students for the next stage of their educational or lifelong career by ensuring that relevant content and skills are covered to prepare students for examinations where relevant and for further education and careers, as well as equipping students with life empowering skills and knowledge.

Finally, that subject curricula support and are supported by scholarship attributes such as reading, the practice of recall and appropriate writing skills.

In planning which content is taught and in which order, our teachers select core knowledge and sequence it carefully so that students improve in each subject by knowing and remembering progressively more about it. Earlier topics in each subject form the basis of learning for later topics. Such sequencing is important within subjects but also between subjects so that students benefit from building complementary knowledge across subjects.

Teachers ensure that end points or 'stepping stones' are defined which coincide with core knowledge and time is allocated in the curriculum for assessing, revisiting,  and consolidating these end points such that students remember core knowledge securely for the long term.