Curriculum – Our Intent
We firmly believe that all children, irrespective of their starting point, are entitled to a broad and ambitious curriculum. To that end, we are delighted to offer an innovative and knowledge-rich curriculum, which enables any student at Benfield School, Newcastle to fulfil their potential and develop the all-important knowledge, skills and qualities, which will serve them well in later life.
The curriculum reflects Benfield School’s and NEAT’s vision and ethos of being:-
Our curriculum delivers vital subject knowledge and skills, which are complemented by a raft of co-curricular activities that broaden and extend the student experience better preparing them for life in modern Britain as well as giving students an advancement in their cultural capital.
The curriculum is designed to give all students the opportunity to develop as enquiring individuals who feel valued and respected, so that they, in turn, learn to value those around them. Equality of opportunity is a key principle in the design of our curriculum model and we fully support the entitlement that students have to study the English Baccalaureate. From the 2021/2022 Year 9 options process, all of Year 9 will have the opportunity to study the English Baccalaureate if they so wish through our guided pathways which also involves careers advice and access to external education and employment opportunities, ensuring students receive their full entitlement under the Baker Clause.
On this page you will find our Curriculum Statement of Intent and Curriculum Overview for 2022+. Benfield is currently re-shaping its curriculm offer to make it even more broad and balanced and more of the Arts into our school. We firmly believe that a school without, music, dance and drama does not fully round a person.
We operate a 3:2 curriculum model with three years assigned for the delivery of our Year 7, 8 and 9 programmes of study. These programmes of study have been carefully crafted to ensure that they go beyond the requirements set out by the National Curriculum.
At the end of Year 9, students opt for subjects that they will study in Years 10 and 11 and they complete those subjects by the end of Year 11. Our highly flexible two year curriculum delivered in Years 10 and 11 allows us to create personalised guided pathways for our students.
In addition to a focus on cross-curricular skills, we use the co-curriculum enrichment opportunities to enhance wider personal development and promote positive attitudes to learning.
Our co-curriculum offer underpins our school culture and prepares students for life in modern Britain through the teaching of responsibility, respect, tolerance and acceptance in everything we do.
Curriculum Equality and Diversity
At Benfield School, Newcastle equality and diversity is promoted through an inclusive curriculum offer. We provide all of our students with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement.
We shall achieve this by:
The curriculum at Benfield School is personalised to meet the needs of all learners. Flexibility in the curriculum allows for adaptations to be made that are responsive to the needs of both individuals and groups of students as they progress through our academy. This is most evident in our Cherrywood provision (Additionally Resourced Provision) and GCSE/Level 2 choices made for students on a needs based basis – the child must be at the centre of all that we do.
COVID-19
Our curriculum has been carefully adapted to ensure that we maximise learning opportunities and close knowledge gaps. Programmes of study have in some cases been re-sequenced to ensure that our curriculum coverage has been maintained in these challenging times.
If you would like any additional information about the curriculum offered at Benfield School, Newcastle please contact Mr J Anderson, Deputy Headteacher or Mr S Edge, Assistant Headteacher.