The CVCC Curriculum
Clyst Vale Community College offers all its students a broad and balanced curriculum which is rich and engaging. We offer a curriculum in which all subjects are valued, and learning is carefully sequenced. Within subject disciplines there is a strong focus on teaching the core knowledge and skills which students need to master at each stage of a progressive learning journey.
At Clyst Vale Community College, our aim is to deliver a curriculum that:
- is diverse, ambitious, and coherently planned to ensure progression in learning
- is inclusive and personalised to meet the needs of individual students
- develops resilience in our learners and maximises their cognitive development
- fosters curiosity, develops lively, enquiring minds and creates genuinely memorable lifelong experiences
- develops our students’ unique talents and strengthens their aptitude for truly independent learning
- promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
- prepares all students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life
- promotes British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
- provides opportunities for students to develop literacy skills across the curriculum
- The curriculum is closely aligned to the National Curriculum (NC) at KS3 and fulfils our statutory responsibilities, whilst offering a good range of qualifications at KS4 and KS5.
To enhance our curriculum provision, we also run ‘Deep Learning Days’ when the normal timetable is collapsed to provide a deeper learning experience centred around a particular curriculum theme.
Through our curriculum, we aim to support our students to be the best they can through delivering an education that promotes our core values as a Rights Respecting School
“We’re proud of our distinctive Clyst Vale Curriculum. As well as delivering a broad and balanced academic education it prepares young people for the world of work and their roles as citizens in an ever interconnected world.”
Click here to view the Year 7 Subject Grade Descriptors
Click here to view the Year 8 Subject Grade Descriptors
Click here to view the Year 9 Subject Grade Descriptors
The Key Stage 3 Curriculum
During Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8 and 9) students study a wide variety of subjects that will provide them with a secure foundation in each subject, equip them with the key knowledge and skills to be successful in their GCSE qualifications; and contribute to the overriding intent of the whole school curriculum. The content and skills that each subject delivers across Key Stage 3 has been carefully chosen and sequenced to ensure that it provides students with a rich learning experience, the opportunities to master key areas of subject content and increasing intellectual challenge and rigour as they progress from one year to the next. The Key Stage 3 curriculum runs through Years 7-9 and the timetable operates on a two-week cycle with a Week A and a Week B. There are 25 lessons per week lasting 1 hour each. The Year 7 – 9 students enjoy the following lessons across the fortnight. The table below outlines the subjects that are taught at Key Stage 3 and the lesson time that is allocated to each subject per fortnight.| Subject | Time allocation | ||
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | |
| English | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Mathematics ** | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Science ** | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| History | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Geography | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| MFL (French & Spanish) * | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Art | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Music | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Drama | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| PE | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| DT | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Food | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| IT | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Beliefs & Values | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Read to Learn | 3 | ||
| Course 42 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
The Key Stage 4 Curriculum
Key Stage 4 is comprised of two years (years 10-11), with the exception of Maths and Science subjects which start teaching the GCSE Specification during Year 9.
The KS 4 curriculum consists of compulsory core subjects, a guided option choice of either History or Geography and three other ‘free’ options choices. A strong academic core is at the heart of the curriculum, and this provides all students with opportunity to study a range of subjects, many of which contribute to the EBACC. Students will study 9 subjects at GCSE or equivalent level. The sequencing of lessons at Key Stage 4 is driven by the demands of the exam board and syllabus and is carefully connected to the key skills and content that has been delivered to students at key stage 3.
Gateway and ASDAN Land Based courses are offered as an alternative programme of study for students for whom a full programme of academic courses is not appropriate. These courses focus on developing students’ confidence, self-esteem and resilience. In addition, students develop core skills in teamwork, communication, problem solving, research and self-management.
The Key Stage 4 curriculum runs through Years 10 – 11 and the timetable operates on a two-week cycle with Week 1 and Week 2 differing.
There are 25 lessons per week lasting 1 hour each. The Year 10 – 11 students enjoy the following lessons across the fortnight:
| Year 10 | Hours | Year 11 | Hours |
| Core Subjects | Core Subjects | ||
| English (Literature & Language) | 8 | English (Literature & Language) | 8 |
| Maths | 8 | Maths | 7 |
| Science (Combined) | 9 | Science (Combined) | 9 |
| Science (Triple) | 14 | Science (Triple) | 14 |
| Core PE | 3 | Core PE | 3 |
| Cultural Personal Studies * | 2 | Cultural Personal Studies * | 3 |
| Optional Subjects | |||
| Fine Art GCSE | 5 | Fine Art GCSE | 5 |
| Photography GCSE | 5 | Photography GCSE | 5 |
| Child Development Cambridge National Certificate | 5 | Child Development Cambridge National Certificate | 5 |
| Computer Science GCSE | 5 | Computer Science GCSE | 5 |
| Creative Media Production BTEC L1/ L2 | 5 | Creative Media Production BTEC L1/ L2 | 5 |
| Dance BTEC Technical Performing Arts | 5 | Dance BTEC Technical Performing Arts | 5 |
| Design & Technology GCSE | 5 | Design & Technology GCSE | 5 |
| Drama GCSE | 5 | Drama GCSE | 5 |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE | 5 | Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE | 5 |
| French GCSE | 5 | French GCSE | 5 |
| Geography GCSE | 5 | Geography GCSE | 5 |
| History GCSE | 5 | History GCSE | 5 |
| Music GCSE | 5 | Music GCSE | 5 |
| Physical Education GCSE | 5 | Physical Education GCSE | 5 |
| Sports Studies Cambridge National Certificate | 5 | Sports Studies Cambridge National Certificate | 5 |
| Spanish GCSE | 5 | Spanish GCSE | 5 |
| Religious Studies GCSE | 5 | Religious Studies GCSE | 5 |
| Gateway / ASDAN Land Based – by invitation | 5 | Gateway / ASDAN Land Based– by invitation | 5 |
The Key Stage 5 Curriculum
Our 16 to 19 study programme is designed to provide students with a structured and challenging learning programme that supports their development and progression in line with their career plans. These are individually tailored to suit each student but will typically combine the following elements: Key Stage 5 is comprised of two years (years 12-13). In the Spring Term of Year 11, students choose their A’ Level/L3 subjects. Advice and guidance is given to all students through the taught and non-taught curriculum on how best to choose A’ Level /L3 subjects. The table below outlines the subjects that are taught at Key Stage 5 (years 12 - 13) and the lesson time that is allocated to each subject per fortnight.| Year 12 | Hours | Year 13 | Hours |
| English Retake | 5 | Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) | 2 |
| Maths Retake | 5 | Tutorial | 1 |
| Enrichment | 3 | ||
| Tutorial | 1 | ||
| Optional Subjects | |||
| Applied Science BTEC Level 3 | 8 | Applied Science BTEC Level 3 | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Art** | 8 | ‘A’ Level Art** | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Biology | 8 | ‘A’ Level Biology | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Chemistry | 8 | ‘A’ Level Chemistry | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Computing | 8 | ‘A’ Level Computing | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level English Literature | 8 | ‘A’ Level English Literature | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level French | 8 | ‘A’ Level French | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Geography | 8 | ‘A’ Level Geography | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level History | 8 | ‘A’ Level History | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Maths | 8 | ‘A’ Level Maths | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Further Maths | 6 | ||
| Music Performance BTEC Level 3* | 4 | Music Performance BTEC Level 3* | 8 |
| PE BTEC Level 3 | 8 | ||
| Performing Arts BTEC Level 3* | 4 | Performing Arts BTEC Level 3* | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Philosophy, Ethics & Eastern Thought | 8 | ‘A’ Level Philosophy, Ethics & Eastern Thought | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Photography** | 8 | ‘A’ Level Photography** | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Physics | 8 | ‘A’ Level Physics | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Politics | 8 | ‘A’ Level Politics | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Psychology | 8 | ‘A’ Level Psychology | 8 |
| ‘A’ Level Sociology | 8 | ‘A’ Level Sociology | 8 |