Curriculum (Intent, Implementation & Impact)

Please visit our Policies' page for our whole school Curriculum Policy

Curriculum Intent

At Minsthorpe Community College our core values of Motivation, Commitment and Care are at the heart of everything we do. Our curriculum intent is to raise the achievements and aspirations of all learners through the delivery of a highly personalised, broad, ambitious and inclusive curriculum that:

Deepens students’ understanding and develops their knowledge and skills in all subject areas
Ensures students are literate and numerate
Enriches students’ learning experiences
Builds students’ character
Empowers students to realise their education and employment potential beyond Minsthorpe Community College

Curriculum Implementation

Learning & Teaching the Minsthorpe Way

Teachers and Student Support colleagues at Minsthorpe Community College (MCC) strive to plan and deliver lessons to a consistently high standard rooted in fundamental Core Principles of effective pedagogy. We insist on excellent standards of behaviour for learning from all students and it is our daily goal to inspire students to learn & think critically, challenge & support them to achieve and make progress and equip them with the necessary skills to be lifelong learners and effective members of society.

Core Teaching Principle	Intended Impact
1. Prompt & purposeful start to every lesson, explicitly setting the context for learning	No wasted learning time Appropriate climate for learning is established at the start of every lesson Students have clarity around the intended focus of each lesson and the teacher’s expectations
2. Retrieval activity	Knowledge & skills are revisited frequently allowing students to retrieve information and create strong, long-term memories
3. Explicit & direct teaching of new content/knowledge/skills based on clear & unambiguous explanations	Students receive clear & intentional teaching of the content of the curriculum Instructions inform students of the content of the task, the length of the task, the expected presentation of work and how students should be working
4. Modelling led by the teacher, including interaction with students	Students are explicitly and regularly shown the cognitive process of successfully completing tasks with their teacher as the expert guide Students are given detailed teacher explanations and opportunities for guided practice Students develop the skills to successfully analyse the characteristics of high quality worked examples
5. Independent completion of tasks & activities	Students are given adequate time to deliberately put in to practice the required skills and knowledge across the curriculum with appropriate scaffolds
6. Purposeful review of learning which sets the context for the next lesson	Regular reviews of learning support, retention of information and development of long-term memory

Curriculum Impact

Our highly personalised, broad and ambitious curriculum is central to addressing these priorities. At Minsthorpe Community College all students, including the disadvantaged and those with SEND, make progress because they access a curriculum which:

Deepens students’ understanding and develops their knowledge and skills in all subject areas
Achieve good qualifications which enable them to progress onto their next steps Acquire knowledge and understanding which has been embedded Have developed a curiosity and capability which enables learners to successfully explore learning independently To have a pride in their learning and achievements Have a realistic and clear idea about how their qualifications support future pathways To be aspirational and reach for further qualifications and opportunities Have developed a love of learning and knowledge in as many areas as possible
Ensures students are literate and numerate
Achieve the best possible English and Maths qualifications they can Being literate and numerate raises students’ self-esteem, strengthens their interactions with others and increases employability chances To have acquired essential written and verbal communication skills which will enable students to progress easily and to communicate effectively in the real world Develop a clear understanding and capability to use maths in real life situations which makes them more able to lead successful lives To facilitate learners with essential everyday skills in communication and numeracy which makes them more successful and employable
Enriches students’ learning experiences
Through engagement in the Enrichment programme students are able to expand their social group and develop confidence personally and within the enrichment area The trips and visits enable students to see aspects of the curriculum in reality, bringing verbal and visual knowledge from the classroom into actual lived experiences which develops understanding and tolerance Residential experiences enhance social and cultural understanding as well as social development and added independence Through engagement in enrichment activities students develop leadership and team building skills which supports them well in their academic studies as well as with physical and mental well-being now and into the future
Builds students’ character
The Breadth and depth of the curriculum coupled with the SMSC focus which runs through each subject experience broadens students understanding of wider social and moral issues making them more effective, responsible citizens Through the dedicated Learning for Life curriculum the acquisition of knowledge through carefully regulated debate exposes students to a wide variety of topical issues which expands their view points and helps foster tolerance and understanding The behaviour expectations of Behaving the Minsthorpe Way enables students to learn effectively and develop independence, resilience and respect as characteristics The wider curriculum empowers students through knowledge and discussion to keep themselves safe physically, mentally and in the virtual communication world
Empowers students to realise their education and employment potential beyond Minsthorpe Community College
The CEIAG programmes strength is shown in the impact on students’ knowledge about the options available to them on future pathways, something they can articulate and act on (significantly below national and regional NEET figures are testament to this claim) Students aspire to and successfully achieve next steps despite social and financial barriers Learners who are empowered by knowledge about careers and progression paths and who know how to access information

Please get in touch via enquiries@minsthorpe.cc , should you have any further questions or to speak directly to our Assistant Principal (Curriculum & Progression), Mrs Lewis.