How the curriculum works at Canons High School

1. A Great School at the Heart of Our Community
The Curriculum at Canons

2. A Great School at the Heart of Our Community
Advantages of the KS4
curriculum
• Linear exams - students do not take 11 or 13 GCSEs at the same
time in Year 11
• Ability to focus on Core in Year 11
• Competition between Core and Options reduced – students focus
on both at different times
• In-depth options study – no fall-off after the summer break
• Ability to offer a range of Enrichment opportunities to all students
• Annual change allows close mapping of Progress 8 choices and
flexibility to change as there are no set pathways
• Flexibility – subjects run according to student demand
• Discrete days for wave 3 intervention – reduced competition
• Reduced behaviour incidents in Year 9

3. A Great School at the Heart of Our Community
Benefits for Core
• Additional time over three years allows for a spiral
curriculum and reinforcement of basics
• Opportunities for extension and bridging courses in
Year 11
• Improved attainment

4. A Great School at the Heart of Our Community
Benefits for Options
• Allows a wider range of options and protects smaller
subjects
• Increases the wider curriculum with Enrichment
options
• Intensive periods of time allow for trips and visits
within timetabled subject time
• Structured learning to ensure appropriate pedagogy
with a three hour and a two hour session
• The three period session allows for thorough
assessment each week and accurate real-time data of
student progress
• Ability to instigate timely intervention

5. Put all the school subjects on a scale of their
importance to you.
• Complete this task individually without discussion
• Then compare answers with your group and debate
 Art
 Business & Finance
 D&T (Design & Technology)
 Drama
 English
 Geography
 Health and Social Care
 History
 ICT (Information & Communication Technology)
 Languages – which one(s)?
 Maths
 Media
 Music
 PE (Physical Education)
 Photography
 PSHRE (Personal, Social, Health & Religious Education)
 RE (Religious Education)
 Science
 Any others?

6. Core & Option Days
Lesson Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1
Core Option A Core Option B Core
2
Break (20 mins)
3 PSHRE Option A Core Option B Core
Lunch (50 mins)
4
Core Option B Core Option A Core
5
Core = English, Maths, Science & PE
PSHRE = Personal, Social, Health & Religious Education
Student timetable is 25 hours per week – how would you allocate those hours?
And what if the school timings could change altogether?
What’s an ideal class size?
What’s the ideal length of a lesson?

7. My current timetable - Inci
Mondays:
• Period 1-2: English (double)
• Break time
• Period 3: PSHRE
• Lunch time
• Period 4: Maths
• Period 5: Science
Tuesdays:
• Period 1-2 and 3: Health and social
care(triple)
• Break time after period 2
• Lunch time after period 3
• Periods 4-5: Languages Enrichment
Wednesdays:
• Period 1: Science
• Period 2: PE
• Break time
• Period 3-4: Maths
• Lunch time after period 3
• Period 5: English
Thursdays:
• Period 1-2 and 3: Languages
Enrichment (triple)
• Break time after period 2
• Lunch time after period 3
• Period 4-5: Health and Social Care
(double)
Fridays:
• Period 1: PE
• Period 2: Maths
• Break time
• Period 3: English
• Lunch time
• Period 4-5: Science(double)

8. My Ideal Timetable - Inci
• Mondays: School starts at 10:45 only Enrichment break
time at 11:50 lunch 1:10 school finishes at 4:00
• Tuesdays: No school
• Wednesdays: School starts at 10:45 break times
starts at 11:50 lunch time starts at 1:10 and school
finishes at 4:00 Art and PE
• Thursdays: School starts at 10:45 and break time starts
at 1:10 and school finishes at 4:00cooking and english
• Fridays: School starts at 10:45 and break time starts at
11:50 and lunch time starts at 1:10 and school finishes
at 4:00 DT and Maths