St Ursula’s Curriculum Intention
St Ursula’s is inspired by Catholic values of love, joy, compassion and Serviam.
Our school community strives for excellence in all that we do so that each individual achieves their true and unique potential as intended by God and through Jesus Christ’s example.
”I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.”
John 10: Chapter 10. V 10.
Our curriculum develops the whole child so that each unique individual grows constantly in confidence and self-esteem, having the knowledge, skills and attributes to enable them, as educated young women, to contribute to creating a better world. St Ursula’s students are happy and fulfilled because they are nurtured in an Ursuline community where they are cared for and encouraged to be their unique selves.
We pride ourselves on educating our students academically, morally and spiritually, to go out into the world as socially responsible and successful individuals who know how to use their faith, skills and talents to make the world a better place.
We achieve this through a curriculum that:
● is underpinned by the core belief that ‘knowledge is power’. Our curriculum is designed by subject experts to provide a comprehensive and rigorous intellectual journey enabling students to master the substantive and disciplinary knowledge necessary to achieve outstanding examination results
● is collaboratively planned by subject experts within departments. Our CPD ensures that teachers engage in a dialogue about curriculum vision, subject knowledge and skills, sequencing of learning and curriculum implementation
● acknowledges the importance of building students’ cultural capital and their curiosity about the world and the challenges it faces. It builds an awareness of the world beyond the students’ frame of reference, creating the moments of awe and wonder that arise from understanding new viewpoints and cultural contexts
● promotes a love of learning that leads the students on to the next steps of their education whether that be on to sixth form and university or suitable apprenticeships
● challenges all students to think deeply and understand the value of learning. A curriculum based in powerful knowledge and subject mastery enables our students to
bring about positive change and engage with challenging debates about barriers to change
● develops each student’s ability to articulate their informed judgments about the world, hold discussions, show compassion and empathy, and make considered decisions for the betterment of themselves and others. The curriculum recognises the diversity of our school community and enables students to develop the knowledge and skills to respect opinions and views alternative to their own
● provides students of differing ability, need and talent access to an appropriately broad, rich and varied range of subjects. Our curriculum is designed to be appropriately ambitious for all our students, from the highest attaining to those who require special consideration, whether that be SEND or a disadvantaged context
● focuses on developing students’ literacy and oracy.
St Ursula’s recognises the power of gaining disciplinary literacy so that students can read and speak as subject experts would. Schemes of learning set out tier 3 subject vocabulary developed through students’ reading of academic text. In addition the curriculum provides literacy support to improve the reading ability of students who have low reading ages
● provides a diversity of enrichment activities that develop the ‘whole person’, seeking out and growing the many talents and skills of our students
● includes a carefully planned PSHCE so that students’ gain a deep understanding of healthy lifestyles, relationships and living safely.
