To achieve our goal of every child being the best that he can be, we have to have the best possible curriculum. The subjects that we teach are only part of the picture.
Our Curriculum Offer
We aim to provide a curriculum that creates successful learners and responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
Our student population is extremely diverse in terms of ability and prior attainment. This is compounded by the social, pastoral and linguistic issues which can potentially hamper the achievement of our students. We have groups of pupils who cannot engage with the mainstream curriculum because of their SEN status, or external pastoral issues, and a traditional academic curriculum is not always the most appropriate pathway for these pupils. It is therefore essential that we provide a curriculum that is tailored to the needs, however complex, of all pupils.
We want all of our pupils to be aspirational and our curriculum should enable all learners to experience success, irrespective of academic ability and starting point. We want our learners to enjoy their learning, feel enthused by the ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum content, and engage with their own development in a meaningful way; supporting all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress over time
Our vision is to provide a broad and balanced range of qualifications that engage all students, are well suited to the very diverse needs and interests of our students, and which will prepare them well for their post-16 study pathways.
Academic
At Burnage Academy for Boys, we recognise the importance of students accessing a curriculum with breadth and depth. At Key Stage 3, students study English, Maths and Science, alongside Humanities, RS, DT, Food, Languages, Drama, ICT, Art, and PE.
At Key Stage 4, all pupils study GCSEs in the core subjects English Language, English literature, Maths and Science. Where pupils can’t access the core curriculum at GCSE level, they take Entry Level in these subjects.
Allowing pupils to choose a pathway that is best suited to their needs and interests promotes engagement and enjoyment. We guide our learners through their options but respect the right for independent choice. GCSE options include: French, Urdu, History, Geography, RS, Art, Business Studies or Drama.
The complexities of the new 9-1 GCSEs are such that some of our pupils would not cope with the demands of studying 8 GCSE subjects. Some pupils would benefit from studying a combination of GCSEs and vocational qualifications at KS4. Vocational qualifications provide a strong foundation for an apprenticeship in industry, which is an increasingly popular post 16 pathway. Our curriculum offers: Engineering, I Media, Food Technology and Sport
All year groups receive one hour of PSHE, RSE and Health per week delivered by their Form Tutor each Wednesday P3.
Assessments can be found on the curriculum maps for each subject. These will be delivered at a time suited to individual classes within each half-term.
Click here to read about the written feedback that teachers will provide.
Personal Development
Our bespoke personal development offering meets the needs of boys, focussing on our three key values. These are resilience, independence and care.
Resilience
The school is relentless in ensuring that boys become resilient young adults by the time they leave the school. We understand that boys need to be taught to deal with the ups and downs of daily life, to be guided to make the right choices and taught the key skill of responding well to challenging situations.
Independence
At the heart of our personal development offer is teaching the boys independence, both of thought and action. We encourage debate in our classes, teaching boys to be independent critical thinkers. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that boys have the independent skills to fully look after themselves in the world beyond Burnage Academy for Boys.
Care
At Burnage Academy for Boys, we realise the importance of working with you to ensure your child is safe, cared for and has a clear set of morals to go out into the world with. Our personal development curriculum is fully focussed on developing boys’ interpersonal skills on their journey from Year 7 to Year 11, giving them the confidence to thrive in life after Burnage Academy. All this is led by a caring and experienced Pastoral Team who will work closely with you and your child to achieve the best possible outcomes for all boys over their time here.
At Burnage Academy for Boys, we know that to be the best they can be, boys need an inclusive education; one which occurs inside and outside the classroom which builds resilience, promotes independence and shows care. To achieve this, we offer a dedicated SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) enrichment curriculum as well as multiple opportunities in sport, clubs and societies.
Enrichment
SMSC Curriculum
We offer all young people in year 7 to 9 at least one opportunity per half term to experience the rich culture which Manchester has to offer linked to one of their subjects. From visits and day trips the best of the city’s Museums, Art Galleries and local community engagement projects, we aim to ensure that our students grow up being able to fully embrace the cultural opportunities which Manchester has to offer them, ensuring they become a full part of the city.
Sports and Outdoor Pursuits
From inter-house competition to full year group teams, we offer sports clubs and societies in many sports such as football, cricket, badminton and basketball. We are also one of the only schools in Manchester to have a climbing wall, as well as opportunities for boys to try out sports such as badminton, weightlifting, wrestling and table tennis. We have one of the biggest Duke of Edinburgh Award offerings in Manchester and regularly take boys to our very own outdoor centre at Buxworth in the Peak District, as well as offering boys trips to outdoor residential centres such as Ghyll Head and Castle Head.
Clubs and Societies
Our enrichment offer extends beyond the sporting to include all interests. We have a number of lunchtime clubs and after school societies in subjects such as Art, Lego, Debating and a variety of sports. Boys are encouraged to be independent and take ownership of these clubs, with opportunities to set up and lead clubs and societies which reflect their own interests.
We use an online booking system called Evolve Clubs to ensure families can engage fully with our after school offer. Parents and carers can create an optional free account to manage their bookings and keep updated with any changes. All information about our extracurricular offer and use of Evolve Clubs will be emailed directly to parents and carers.
View an example of our extracurricular timetable here.
Inter-house Competitions
Our House system offers pupils the opportunity to take part in Maths competitions, Spelling Bees and Art challenges, ultimately competing nationwide against other schools in many of these areas with great recent success