Share This Page

Curriculum Overview

At Abbey Manor College we are committed to an ambitious, broad, and balanced curriculum that empowers all students to build the knowledge and skills required for diverse academic and professional pathways and a rich, fulfilling adult life.

Our Curriculum Intent

To promote students’ spiritual, intellectual, cultural, creative, physical, moral, and social development.
To deliver an ambitious, broad, and balanced curriculum that is personalised to ensure all students, at every level, experience success and achievement.
To establish a culture of high expectations in which students are motivated, challenged, and enjoy learning within a research- and enquiry-driven teaching and learning environment.
To raise attainment and achievement for all students.
To develop fluent communicators through a strong emphasis on oracy across the curriculum.
To prepare students with the skills and knowledge required for future learning and employment.
To nurture confident young people who are ready to make a positive contribution to society, who embody British values and respect the beliefs and values of others within their community and the wider world.

KS3 Curriculum Content & Coverage

Students study the following subjects at KS3.
A single period is 45 minutes long - most lessons are taught as double periods.

Year 7 and 8

English (3 double periods per week)
Maths (3 double periods per week)
Science (2 double periods per week)
Humanities and Citizenship (2 double periods per week)
PSHE (1 double period per week)
Art (1 double period per week)
Personal Finance (1 double period per week)
PE (1 double period per week)

Year 9

English (3 double periods per week)
Maths (3 double periods per week)
Science (2 double periods per week)
Humanities and Citizenship (1 double period per week)
PSHE (1 double period per week)
Art (1 double period per week)
Personal Finance (1 double period per week)
PE (1 double period per week)
Wellbeing Hub (2 double periods per week)
A carousel of activities including Cooking, Sports, PSHE and Expressive Arts.

More detailed information is available By Subject here.

KS4 Curriculum Content & Coverage

The following subjects are taught at GCSE level.
A single period is 45 minutes long - most lessons are taught as double periods.

Compulsory Subjects

GCSE English Language (3 double periods per week)
GCSE English Literature (3 double periods per week)
Maths (3 double periods per week)

Optional Subjects
Students select 2 options to complete in Year 10 and and a further 2 to complete in Year 11.
All optional subjects have 2 double periods and 1 single period per week

GCSE Biology
GCSE Combined Science (counts as two options)
GCSE Citizenship
GCSE Religious Studies
BTEC Tech Award in Art and Design Practice
BTEC Tech Award in Travel and Tourism
OCR Cambridge National in Sports Studies

Wellbeing Hub (3 double periods per week)
Students take part in a carousel of activities including Cooking, Sports, PSHE and Expressive Arts.

More detailed information is available By Subject here.

Teaching and Learning

At Abbey Manor College, we are passionate about ensuring that every student has access to an exceptional learning experience. We maintain rigorous teaching standards and provide specialist training for staff, equipping them with the skills needed to actively engage students in their learning. In the classroom, teachers employ a range of evidence-based approaches, including Rosenshine’s principles, dual coding, and metacognition.

Teachers work closely with students and use assessment to identify any underlying needs, putting targeted strategies in place to support them and ensure they achieve excellent outcomes.

The dedicated team at Abbey Manor College creates an inspiring environment that fosters a lifelong love of learning. Our curriculum goes beyond key concepts, equipping students with effective strategies to secure knowledge in long-term memory. Teacher use a range of retrieval practice techniques including spaced/distributed practice, interleaving and low stakes testing to help students to remember what the have learned.

More detailed information is available By Subject here.

Literacy & Oracy

Literacy is at the heart of the curriculum at Abbey Manor College. On entry, all students complete a reading assessment to quickly identify if a student has any difficulties with literacy to enable early intervention as needed. This helps to ensure that they can access all subjects on the curriculum.

There is a strong oracy focus throughout the Tutor Time Programme and in all lessons.
Staff are competent at supporting students to develop each of the pillars of oracy: physical, linguistic, cognitive and social & emotional.

Read More on our Literacy & Oracy Page

Character and Personal Learning

Character and personal learning take place through the Tutor Time Programme and PSHE Lessons. These take place over the course of the year, and cover key curriculums such as PSHE, Citizenship and RSE, and are supplemented by a full "Drop Down Day" at The Wellbeing Hub once per term. These sessions are delivered by a range of staff in school, from form tutors to specialist subject teachers and expert support staff, along with a range of external agencies and charities.

These lessons help our students to understand, discuss and debate, of a wide range of issues from bullying, e-safety and healthy eating, to politics, money management, careers, sexual relationships and equality.

Young Writers Programme

Our flagship Young Writers Programme with First Story places a professional Writer-in-Residence at Abbey Manor College, working intensively across each academic year with a dedicated cohort of students.

Through weekly workshops, students develop independence as writers - culminating in the publication of a professionally printed anthology. This sustained engagement builds confidence, strengthens literacy and provides meaningful access to cultural capital.
Find out more on our First Story Page

Enrichment

Enrichment is incredibly important to us and is present throughout all aspects of the school, both within and beyond the classroom.
We care deeply for developing our pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural foundations, whilst helping them to be well rounded, responsible, global citizens.
It is embedded in Our School Charter.

Read More on our dedicated pages below
Enrichment & The Abbey Manor Charter Personal Development at Abbey Manor Trips and Extracurricular Activities at Abbey Manor

Careers

We are proud that 98% of Abbey Manor College students go onto Sixth Form, College or Apprenticeships each and every year.

We aim to prepare our students for further and higher education or for a job with a significant and positive contribution to society.
By ensuring that students are aware of the paths available to them and by equipping them with the skills and attributes to succeed in the workplace, we believe that our students are well prepared and empowered to make informed choices about their future.

Find Out More on our Careers Guidance Page here