Subject Information 

As every student will need to make important choices about their learning journey, we want to ensure that we have provided plenty of information about each of the subjects we teach.

Some of this information will be very practical ... but we also want to explain why each of these subjects has a unique and valuable contribution to make to a powerful curriculum.

What information do we provide?

1. The curriculum rationale for the subject: What is the unique contribution that this subject makes to building powerful knowledge

2. The ‘big picture’ in this subject: How do the unique Big Ideas of this subject fit together with the key areas of knowledge that we teach across subjects. This is explained further below.

3. What does knowledge look like in this subject? This is a visual image of the ‘big picture’ of this subject

4. What do we teach and when in Key Stage 3 with navigation buttons to what we teach in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.

5. What do we assess and when in Key Stage 3

6. Where are the subject’s Knowledge Organisers

Why do I need to know about Big Ideas?

Every subject is based on Big Ideas. These are the ‘way into’ how we teach this subject at Wilmslow High School.

The Big Ideas might be core concepts, principles, theories, themes, areas or processes.

They are the the focal points through which our curriculum, teaching and assessment in this subject are organised.

If you are interested, our Big Ideas are mapped out here

Why do I need to know about different areas of knowledge?

Every subject has areas of knowledge to be mastered if students are to gain expertise

We have tried to emphasise how the following areas of knowledge occur across subjects:

If you are interested, the areas of knowledge are mapped out here. 

How does this link to reports?

In Key Stage 3 we report on students’ declarative knowledge (knowing ‘that’) and their procedural knowledge (knowing ‘how to’) as these will be crucial building blocks for further study in this subject.

Why are these types of knowledge important across all key stages?

• Sometimes students can have good ‘knowledge that’ but fail to make progress because they need greater ‘knowledge of how to’ i.e. they have understanding but not application
• ‘Knowledge of how to’ will lack sufficient depth if students have insufficient ‘knowledge that’

Why are the other areas of knowledge also important?

To develop true expertise in any subject, students will need to understand the disciplinary knowledge (or unique ways of working) of this particular subject.

In making decisions about their future career/ specialism in a particular subject, students should consider their strengths in disciplinary knowledge. This is particularly important as students consider their post-18 option choices

What words do we use to talk about learning?

Our aim is to build a shared language across our community.

We know from attendance at our Expectations Evenings how much our parents and carers want to understand how they can best support their children’s learning and we do not want the learning process to be a ‘closed book’ to our students, parents, and carers.

Therefore, we want to share and explain the professional terms that we use to talk about effective learning so that students, parents and carers have the choice in how you discuss learning with us.