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.
Strategic Intent and Vision
- 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.
For further information on the curriculum please refer to the individual subjects by clicking here
KS3 Curriculum content and 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
- At the Wellbeing Hub, students take part in a carousel of activities including Cooking, Sports, PSHE and Expressive Arts.
KS4 Curriculum content and coverage
The following subjects are taught at GCSE level. A single period is 45 minutes long. Most lessons are taught as double periods.
- Compulsory GCSE Courses
- English Language and 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
- Expressive Arts
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
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.
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.
For more information, please visit the Character and Personal Learning section of our website (include link).