Curriculum Overview

At the Beacon of Light School, we aim to provide a wide-reaching and varied learning experience that allows all our young people to develop their skills and abilities to achieve their full potential

Through our teaching we aim to:

• Enable students to become confident, resourceful, enquiring, and independent learners
• Promote an ethos of high expectation for everyone
• Develop a variety of skills and knowledge across a broad curriculum
• Employ assessment for learning and assessment of learning
• Continually develop and expand the range of teaching strategies routinely found in our classrooms.
• Develop personalised teaching and learning which is responsive to the individual needs of young people during their time at school

Our overall aim is to develop young people who recognise the value of learning, and leave prepared for education and life beyond the Beacon of Light School.

The curriculum principles have led to a model which is very much about early intervention to increase levels of confidence, motivation, and engagement. The key focus of our curriculum provision is to enhance essential academic skills whilst providing students with a range of opportunities and experiences focused around personal development and wellbeing.

Our curriculum provides all students with the opportunity to study English Language, English Literature, Maths, Science to GCSE level, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) to BTEC level. It also offers access to a choice of vocational options up to BTEC/NCFE Level 2. CEIAG and the new 2020 RSE (Relationship & Sex Education) curriculum requirements are also part of students’ weekly provision. Additional GCSE qualifications in Citizenship and Statistics are also available to KS4 students.

Students in KS4 (Key Stage 4) also have the opportunity to undertake weekly full or half-day work placements with local employers where appropriate.

At the Beacon of Light School, we are always looking to expand our curriculum to engage students. In 2022-23 to support the North East Skills Agenda we will offer NCFE Craft (Construction), Graphic Design and Public Services. We also offer BTEC Mechanical Engineering, Sport and Fitness, Land based Studies, Hospitality and Tourism and VTCT Hair and Beauty.

All students also have access to our Experienced Based Learning curriculum (EBL) Learning. This is the basis for experiential learning, focusing on the theory that the best way to embed learning is through practical experiences which help you retain and recall information.

There are many benefits of experiential learning for teachers and students, including:

• Opportunity to apply knowledge. Experiential learning can allow students to immediately apply things they are learning to real-world experiences. This helps them retain information more readily.
• Promotion of teamwork. Experiential learning often involves working in a team, so learning within a non-classroom setting allows students to physically demonstrate teamwork.
• Improved motivation. Students are more motivated and excited about learning in experiential settings. Experiments are exciting and fun for students, promoting a passion for learning.
• Opportunity for reflection. Students using the experiential model can spend time reflecting about what they are experiencing and learning. This is valuable as they can better retain information when they can think about what is happening to them.
• Real world practice. Students can benefit from learning that helps them prepare for the real world. Experiential learning is focused on using real-life situations to help students learn, so they are better prepared for their future beyond school.

Within our nurture provision additional lessons in preparation for adulthood and SEMH are also covered. This is alongside additional literacy and numeracy sessions.