The Priory Federation of Academies Trust: Mission Statement

The Trust's mission is to improve the life chances of our pupils so they become true citizens of the world.

We, therefore, believe that our academies and our pupils should develop our core values:

Wisdom

Curiosity

Generosity

Courage

Passion

The Pembroke Curriculum

At The Priory Pembroke Academy we believe our students are entitled to a curriculum that develops their academic, social, cultural and creative capital. We are committed to delivering a knowledge-engaged curriculum that will enable all students to flourish through the development of the four capitals, to achieve their career aspirations and have the knowledge and confidence they need to engage with the important conversations that guide the direction of our country, society and the world.

The four capitals at the heart of the Pembroke Curriculum will develop the Priory values, creating

• Students imbued with curiosity for understanding the wider world;
• Students who are generous of spirit in their dealings with others in their local, national and international communities;
• Students who show wisdom in their life choices;
• Students who are passionate about their future and their place in the world;
• Students with the courage to follow their dreams and pursue life goals.

Students join Pembroke in Year 7 on their five year journey to success, leaving prepared for their next stage of education or training. To enable this the Pembroke Curriculum places student learning at the heart of everything we do and ensures a coherent, broad range of subjects are studied, which provide a deep knowledge which will endow students with the opportunity to engage in the debate of what is the best that has been thought, said and done and to successfully contribute to the advancement of society. Each subject, to whatever level a student engages, will provide the meaningful knowledge and experience required to build social and cultural capital, ensuring that students are motivated, supported and challenged to be able to maximise levels of self-worth, and play an important role in their communities.

Students at Priory Pembroke Academy are all valued and their needs supported to enable an equitable experience. The Pembroke Curriculum has been designed to allow all students, including Disadvantaged and students with SEND, to progress through with equality of opportunity and through a range of routes to prepare them for the next stage of their lives. Through reflection and refinement, the subject curricula will continue to evolve to provide challenge, curiosity and passion.

The Pembroke Curriculum supports the Priory Federation frameworks of Maximising Learning, Maximising Values, the Priory Baccalaureate and Language for Learning. By developing students' cognitive ability in order for them to effectively use long term memory to retain and recall knowledge, develop understanding and apply related skills, the Pembroke Curriculum will increase the academic capital for all. The thinking process includes reading for meaning, discussion, dialogue and debate as well as written outcomes, and by teaching each of these skills explicitly the Pembroke Curriculum enables students to maximise their learning and become confident, articulate and successful members of society.

Staff within each subject are encouraged to engage with subject scholarship and educational research, and collaborate with colleagues in different disciplines while designing the five year curriculum. This is supported through the Maximising Effectiveness and Maximising Performance continued professional learning and development opportunities for all staff to further generate enthusiasm for developing their own professional practice.

At Pembroke we recognise that reading is crucial to accessing curriculum, for life chances, for social engagement and for self-esteem. Research has shown that reading for pleasure is more important for a young person's educational success than their socio-economic background, and the National Literacy Trust found that young people with the greatest love of reading have the highest levels of positive mental wellbeing. Therefore the development of reading skills and a passion for reading are being developed across all curriculum areas. All students in Years 7 and 8 will have a timetabled 'Reading' lesson in a dedicated reading room with a trained Reading Leader. The Reading Leader promotes reading across all aspects of the Academy, collaborating with staff to develop reading in their subjects and providing opportunities for all students to engage with reading for pleasure.

To increase social and cultural capital and empower our students to live rich and meaningful lives, the Pembroke Curriculum encompasses opportunities outside the classroom environment to complement the traditional taught curriculum. The Pembroke Pledge Programme is a whole school reward system which recognises the achievements of every student in all areas of the curriculum, and their lives in and out of the Academy. The Pledges encompass the five Priory values and allows our students to become well rounded individuals. They will leave Pembroke with the knowledge, skills and empathy to succeed and understand the world around them.

The Pembroke Curriculum engages fully with PHSMRE, Relationship and Sex Education, SMSC, Fundamental British Values and Careers within tutor time and across the curriculum. All students are provided with extensive opportunities to personally develop their understanding and actively engage in all areas. The wider curriculum is clearly signposted to Fundamental British Values and the Academy values. We develop student's understanding of right and wrong and of civil and criminal law, and provide opportunities for discussion about moral and ethnical issues through local, national and international current affairs. Students have opportunities to participate in community and social settings, for example volunteering as community readers in a retirement home, encouraging student's social development and their appreciation of those from different backgrounds.

The nature of the taught Pembroke Curriculum

In Years 7 and 8 all students will study English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Modern Language, Reading, Art, Music, Drama, Technology, ICT, PSHMRE and PE. Whilst the taught curriculum is based on the national curriculum, we retain some flexibility to enable subjects to design a coherent curriculum that enables students to develop a deep learning allowing their knowledge and understanding to build securely, leading to academic excellence. Students will be taught in mixed ability groupings, with expert support provided to those with special educational and addition needs.

All students study a curriculum in line with the breadth and depth of the National Curriculum until the end of Year 9. In some subjects, Year 9 is used as a transition year where students are prepared for thw demands of Key Stage 4 qualifications alongside the National Curriculum requirements. This will allow students to make an informed choice as they finalise their own curriculum and specialist knowledge vital for formal qualification. All students will study a humanities subject, and will have the opportunity to complete the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications (English, Mathematics, Science, History or Geography and a Modern Language).

Students in Years 10 and 11 will complete a core curriculum of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and combined Science, retaining breadth by studying their chosen curriculum of a humanities subject or modern foreign language, and foundation subjects. Students will also continue to study physical education, PSHMRE and a thorough careers program to prepare them for post-16 and allow them to become true citizens of the world.

The Pembroke Curriculum cultivates:

• A high quality of education accessed by all students,

• Positive personal development and well-being of students and staff

• Valuable opportunities empowering students and staff to progress successfully onto the next stage of their lives.