Engineering Key Groups

All areas of our curriculum at Boldon School, is successfully adapted, designed and developed to be ambitious and meet the needs of all students. Each subject area develops their knowledge, skills and abilities to apply what they know and can do this with increasing fluency and independence.

Our teachers check pupils’ understanding systematically, identify misconceptions accurately and provide clear, direct feedback. They respond and adapt their teaching as necessary without unnecessarily elaborate or individualised approaches. This is to get the very best outcomes for our students whether they are SEND, disadvantaged or to challenge our higher ability students. This will ensure that students are ready for their next stage of education, employment or training to gain qualifications that allow them to go on to destinations that meet their interests and aspirations and the intention of their course of study.

How the Engineering Curriculum supports our SEND students:

The Department for Education states, ‘Children and young people with SEND all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age. These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others.’

Boldon School is an inclusive school where every student is encouraged to develop a thirst for knowledge, to enjoy their curriculum and feel valued as a member of our school community. We are committed to the progress, inclusion and resilience of each student and support the learning journey that they require. Our curriculum is successfully adapted, designed or developed to be ambitious and meet the needs of pupils with SEND, developing their knowledge, skills and abilities to apply what they know and can do with increasing fluency and independence across all subject areas.

Students with SEND are supported in engineering in both theory and practical lessons. When investigating existing products, learners will be presented with real life examples in order to further their understanding. The opportunity to explore these both visually and physically allows SEND students in particular to analyse their properties. When accessing the range of machinery in the workshop, the faculty offers support from both the teacher and a full-time technician. This supports students in building their confidence in order for them to gradually work independently. The faculty have developed excellent resources for all components of the course, allowing all students to understand the criteria which must be met to achieve their target grade. They have the ability to track their own progress with ease through well designed monitoring sheets, allowing them to focus clearly on their next task.

How the Engineering Curriculum supports our disadvantaged students:

The Secretary of State for Education set out the government’s national plan to support children and young people to reach their full potential, regardless of their backgrounds. With an overarching goal and aim of improving social mobility through education, and delivering better educational and career outcomes more evenly across England.

At Boldon School we have 50% of our students with high levels of deprivation, but strive to raise the attainment and aspirations of all students regardless of social background. We have a robust allocation system of pupil premium funding to obtain the most successful outcomes for our students and to narrow the gaps in attainment across all subject areas.

Disadvantaged students are supported in engineering in various ways. The school has an excellent range of materials which are prepared and maintained by our subject technician. These materials are available for students to use when completing all of their components free of charge. Students also have access to top of the range machinery such as a laser cutter 3D printer, brazing hearth and various class based machines. Teachers are always keen to work with students after school in order for them to catch up with any unfinished work, or to further progress work that they’ve achieved. Exam revision materials, such as textbooks and guides, can be purchased by the faculty to ensure all students have fair preparation for external assessments. 

How the Engineering Curriculum supports our higher ability students:

HM Chief Inspector stated, If we are going to succeed as an economy and as a society, we have to make more of our most able young people. We need them to become the political, commercial and professional leaders of tomorrow. 

At Boldon school we aim to nurture scholastic excellence through a challenging curriculum where the work given to students is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum in being coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge. We recognise the need to stretch and challenge all students but especially our MAT and higher ability students to obtain maximum progress.

Teachers will expect higher ability students in engineering to attempt more challenging tasks, allowing them to achieve a distinction grade overall. The faculty have developed excellent resources which will assist them in completing distinction tasks. Students who show their ability to work effectively and safely with machinery will be granted independent working privileges. This will give them the opportunity to experience making products without direct assistance. Students will also have the chance to partake in trips out of school to see engineering in a commercial setting. We also invite speakers into the school to inspire students to consider aspirational engineering careers such as those in the biomedical, chemical and environmental field. During exam preparation, high ability students will be challenged to develop their answers to extended writing questions. Mastering this skill will allow them to unlock the higher grades