Curriculum Overview
Verulam has a broad and balanced curriculum which is both flexible and demanding in order to meet the needs of all pupils and seeks to help them achieve the goal of excellence with personalised routes tailored to students.
At Key Stage 3, students are taught in both mixed ability and sets. We build key skills in Years 7 and 8 which help students to achieve across all areas of the school and build the crucial character traits of resilience, confidence and independence.
Teaching and learning is varied and exciting to meet the needs of all students. As well as the core subjects we take great pride in our Technology, Art, Music, Drama and Physical Education/Healthy lifestyles curriculum. A Modern Foreign language of either French or Spanish develops additional key skills at KS3 and Personal and Social Education and Religious Studies really get to the heart of debate, personal development and really thinking about you as an individual in society. Computing and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) are a key focus with plenty of opportunities to explore practical and academic experiences.
Google Classroom and other technology is used to enhance the learning for students by equipping them with the exciting IT skills needed for the changing world around us. We place a significant focus on reading and speaking and listening skills. We also adopt a clear process for the complete learning experience in terms of: Thinking, Planning, Analysing, Reviewing and Writing via Book Polishing and clear assessment for learning feedback.
Key Stage 4 which we start in Year 9, builds on the skills and experiences from KS3. We provide students at GCSE with vocational routes as well as the more traditional pure academic routes to personalise the curriculum to every student. Option choices added to the core curriculum include: BTECs, Economics and Business Studies.
The curriculum is enhanced by four curriculum enrichment days per year which focus on wide ranging opportunities for all year groups to engage with key topics, visits and challenges beyond the classroom environment.
At Key Stage 5, our co-educational Sixth Form aims not only to give students a first class academic education, but to ensure that they emerge as confident and articulate young people who can succeed at university and in the workplace.
Verulam offers a wide range of subjects including: Media, Photography, Psychology, Sport and Sociology as well as popular traditional subjects such as Maths, English, Technology and the Sciences. Students also undertake a wide range of enrichment activities such as the Extended Project Qualification, Young Enterprise and Financial Studies.
Outside of the classroom, teaching is supported by a wide range of educational trips including geography field trips to the Baltic and Iceland and social science trips to New York.
Students are encouraged to take leading roles in the school by becoming prefects, training as reading or welfare mentors, undertaking work experience and attending our Engaging Minds lecture series.
“Sixth-form provision is good. Students benefit from strong teaching and helpful guidance on their futures. They make good progress and are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.”
Ofsted
