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 geography 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.
Specific strategies to support students with SEND are supported in specific approaches which are used within the curriculum areas include:
Seating to allow inclusion
Differentiation activities to stretch and support in all lessons
Resources are accessible yet challenging
Displays and visual learning tools are used where necessary
Where appropriate support from additional adults is planned to scaffold students learning
Group work and discussion
Clear teacher/student communication
Feedback that allows students to make progress, whether written or verbal
Independent study/homework.
Interleaving of topics and skills throughout key stage 3 and GCSE Geography to provide regular opportunities for recall and making links between topics (synoptic links)
Developing fieldwork opportunities in key stage 3 to engage students support requirements of the National Curriculum and GCSE Geography
Intervention when required
How the geography 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 Geography by:
Work to identify barriers, interests and what might help each pupil
Retrieval booklets issued to each year groups each half term to set as homework.
Pupils make the next steps in learning using lead practitioner research and actions to support.
Provide targeted support for under-performing pupils during tutor time and after school.
Lesson time, such as targeted questioning, live marking and seating, in addition to revision lessons and intervention outside school hours.
Use strategies best suited to addressing individual needs
Interleaving of topics and skills practice throughout key stage 3 and GCSE Geography to provide regular opportunities for recall and making links between topics (synoptic links)
Ensure there are opportunities for students to make use of resources and gain homework support outside of lesson time through the use of Google classroom. Paper copies are provided for people who may not access the internet.
Provide students with revision materials to reduce financial burden on families
Use of real world and place based examples to develop cultural capital and encourage application of higher order thinking skills
Focus on embedding and perfecting numeracy, graphicacy skills to ensure high success rate in exams
Developing fieldwork opportunities in key stage 3 to engage students support requirements of the National Curriculum and GCSE Geography
How the geography 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.
Higher ability students are supported in Geography by:
BAR tasks, where higher ability pupils will be given opportunities to complete RED tasks which are challenging and thought provoking.
Exploiting opportunities for collaboration to deepen understanding.
Interleaving of topics and skills throughout key stage 3 and GCSE Geography to provide regular opportunities for recall and making links between topics (synoptic links)
Focus on higher level GCSE style questions (assessment and evaluation questions) during key stage 3
Encouraging application of knowledge and understanding of real world and place based examples
Evaluation of real world geographical issues, largely linked to sustainability, where synoptic links can be made
Focus on embedding and perfecting numeracy, graphicacy skills to ensure high success rate in exams
7up intervention for GCSE Geography students in preparation for exams
Developing fieldwork opportunities in key stage 3 to engage students support requirements of the National Curriculum and GCSE Geography