Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:
access an inclusive broad range of subjects – the intent of ADT is to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of the subject, in a creative and enjoyable manner. The intent is to focus on learning intentions that build these skills within a wide range of activities.
discover and develop their knowledge and passions – projects are designed at KS3 in order that students can access and scaffold learning and allow the component skills to be delivered in a way that gives them the opportunity to develop their own approach and interests. The environmental and social impact of their work as designers and makers and understanding the relevance of STEM and SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) is woven within the project work.
A broad and balanced curriculum is delivered through KS4 to allow further scaffolding of knowledge, skills and understanding of the theory and practical aspects of the subject.
be prepared for the future/be good citizens – we emphasise the practical aspect and focus on skills for their post school education and employment to create well rounded, capable individuals who may gain the skills necessary to contribute constructively and successfully to society and their community.
The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:
Culture & the Arts
STEM & Digital technology
Language Mastery
Numeracy
Reasoning
Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship
Mastery
Critical thinking//
Independent learning skills
Extra curricular projects
Inclusion

Curriculum Leader: Mr T Stocks

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Mr P Hanlon

Subject Teacher: Miss J Stansfield

Subject Teacher: Mr K Riddell

Subject Teacher: Mrs R Huddart

Subject Teacher: Mr W Beevers

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: tstocks@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of these subjects.

Some of these subjects are available to study at A Level or Level 3 in our Sixth Form, ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying these subjects at university.

If you enjoy these subjects you may want to consider the following career paths:

• Advertising
• Animation
• Architecture
• Art conservation
• Automotive design
• Branding designer
• Building services engineer
• Chef
• Civil engineer
• Computer based design
• Creative director
• Dietician
• Engineering
• Food developer
• Food technologist
• Health and wellness coordinator
• Health promotion specialist
• Industrial design
• Information graphics design
• Land surveyor
• Manufacturing
• Nutritionist
• Photography
• Project manager
• Prop design
• Quantity surveyor
• Site manager
• Structural engineer
• Teaching

The Creative Arts department aims to deliver a unique and individually tailored curriculum that reflects what it is to be an Alder Granger.

We are passionate about building each students’ technical, constructive and expressive skills while providing each student the opportunity to make artistic decisions, be creative and discover their passions.

Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:

Access an inclusive broad range of subjects providing a learning environment in which all students can refine and build on their natural creativity and talents in music, drama and media

We are committed to removing all barriers to learning so our students can take risks, work collaboratively and autonomously, and reflect on their learning journey, providing both traditional and vocational pathways.

Discover and develop their knowledge and passions through carefully designed schemas, where students access and experience a wide variety of topics including explorations of ‘the greats’, modern day specialists and historical periods. We aim to encourage our students to learn to use their voices, to create,compose and devise on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn skills within our specific disciplines in a variety of styles and cultures, use technology appropriately, have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence and understand key themes and theories that are interleaved throughout the delivery of the curriculum.

Be prepared for the future allowing students to experience a wide variety of topics and cultures, to identify and progress their talents in lesson time, through extra-curricular activities, trips and links to industry professionals. Students are encouraged to be confident, resilient, and adaptive members of our school and wider community develop vital leadership, teamwork and independent learning skills and build a lifelong love of the subject.This in turn, prepares our students for further study or their chosen career pathway.

Be good citizens where students are provided with a safe environment to explore their identity, be resilient, problem solve and discuss relevant issues in a respectful manner, whilst developing their expressive meaning, their understanding of the topics and global and national cultural aspects.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

• Culture & the Arts
• STEM & Digital technology
• Language Mastery
• Numeracy
• Reasoning
• Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship
• Mastery
• Critical thinking
• Independent learning skills
• Extra curricular projects
• Inclusion

Curriculum Leader: Miss K Procter

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Miss L Leach

Subject Teacher: Mr L Gaffey

Subject Teacher: Ms N Guy

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: kprocter@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of these subjects.

These subjects are available at A Level in our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying this subject at university.

If you enjoy these subjects you may want to consider the following career paths:

Theatre stage manager

Actor

Arts administrator

Broadcast presenter

Choreographer

Community arts worker

Composition

Digital music

Dramatherapist

Live events production

Media and communication (music industries)

Media researcher

Music production

Music technology

Musical theatre

Runner, broadcasting/film/video

Secondary school teacher

Songwriting

Sound engineering

Sound technology

Special effects technician

Stage management

Television floor manager

Theatre director

At Alder Grange we view English as an essential tool for success in today’s society. Spoken and written English helps to develop the individual. They are essential for accessing the curriculum as a whole and a sound command of English contributes towards overall confidence, comprehension and future success.

The English Department’s vision for every ‘Alder Granger’ is clear and simple: to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:

discover and develop their knowledge and passions: It is our vision to ignite passion and enjoyment in our pupils and to promote English and English Literature as enjoyable subjects that have a clear relevance to pupils’ individual experiences and interests. We harness current events and texts that have a ‘real world’ impact on our learners, in order to develop their thirst for knowledge and desire to be active members of society.

access an inclusive broad range of subjects: Our courses are designed around relevant, interesting and diverse texts, ranging from classical prose and poetry to modern teenage fiction; broadsheet newspapers to witty travel writing; Greek mythology to current affairs. At all key stages, there is a clear and explicit focus on vocabulary in order to furnish our pupils with the skills and tools to access the English curriculum, and indeed other curriculum areas, confidently and competently.

be prepared for the future: We believe it is imperative that young people have both the ability to form their own, reasoned ideas and views of the ever changing world that surrounds them. It is crucial that tomorrow’s generations consist of those who are able to separate fact from fiction; real news from ‘fake’ news and opinion from actuality. We aim to expose students to an eclectic range of materials, furnishing them with the transferrable skills required in final examinations but also to instill a love of literature that will stay with them for a lifetime.

be good citizens: Our pupils will learn to write persuasively, informatively and for entertainment purposes. They will use their imaginations to create exciting works of fiction, or their knowledge of language and structure to write and deliver convincing arguments. Ultimately though, it is our goal to pass on our passion and love of English to our pupils so that they too can become enthusiastic readers, writers and speakers who grow into informed citizens adept at critical thinking and problem solving.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

• Culture & the Arts

Inclusion

STEM & Digital technology

Language Mastery

Numeracy

Reasoning

Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship

Mastery

Critical thinking

Independent learning skills

Extra curricular projects

Curriculum Leader: Mr D Harper

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Miss L Etheridge

Subject Teacher: Mrs B Korab

Subject Teacher: Mr D Williams

Subject Teacher: Ms K Taylor

Subject Teacher: Mrs K Watton

Subject Teacher: Mr M Doyle

Subject Teacher: Mrs M Speight

Subject Teacher: Mr S Cardy

Subject Teacher: Mr S Grindrod

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: dharper@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of this subject.

This subject is compulsory at K3/4 and is available at A Level in our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying this subject at university.

If you enjoy English as a subject you may want to consider the following career paths

• Digital copywriter
• Editorial assistant
• English as a foreign language teacher
• Social Media
• Magazine journalist
• Newspaper journalist
• Publishing copy-editor/proof reader
• Secondary school teacher
• Writer
• Plus many more…

Our unique and individually tailored curriculum aims to underpin what it is to be an Alder Granger.

There is a clear and ambitious vision for high quality Health Education. The curriculum is well planned, sequential, relevant and purposeful and supports the progression of all pupils from their starting points to their end points, demonstrating improved skills, competencies whilst developing detailed knowledge, understanding and the cultural capital to succeed in life. They feel safe and there is a culture of safeguarding that supports effective arrangements.

Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:

access an inclusive broad range of subjects – all pupils successfully complete their programmes of study in PE, Food and Nutrition and Health and Social Care.

discover and develop their knowledge and passions – there is a wide and rich range of extra-curricular experiences that enhance and extend pupils’ interests and talents. There is a positive climate for learning, allowing pupils to be motivated, engaged and participate willingly, responding positively to the sporting, practical and cultural opportunities on offer through traditional and vocational routes.

be prepared for the future – the curriculum contributes exceptionally well to the development of pupils’ character, confidence, resilience and independence and supports their persistence in the face of challenges and difficulties. Pupils will learn how to eat well, maintain an active lifestyle and keep physically and mentally healthy. The curriculum will prepare and provide an exciting vision of their potential futures. We aim to empower pupils to have a lifelong enthusiasm for their own health and wellbeing.

be good citizens – pupils will appreciate how all aspects of health can make a difference to their attitudes and behaviour across the school and wider community, and how to be responsible, respectful and active citizens. The Health provision contributes strongly to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and effectively meets different pupils’ needs, including pupils with SEND.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

Inclusion

Culture & the Arts

STEM & Digital technology

Language Mastery

Numeracy

Reasoning

Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship

Mastery

Critical thinking

Independent learning skills

Extra curricular projects

Curriculum Leader: Mrs L Archer

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Mr S Bibby

Subject Teacher: Mr A Burrows

Subject Teacher: Mr A Good

Subject Teacher: Miss F Mitchell

Subject Teacher: Ms K Kolbuck

Subject Teacher: Miss R Haworth

Subject Teacher: Mrs V Holland

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: larcher@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of this subject.

This subject is compulsory and is available to study at our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying this subject at university.

If you enjoy Physical Education as a subject you may want to consider the following career paths:

• Fitness instructor
• Gym instructor
• Leisure centre assistant
• Lifeguard
• Outdoor leisure
• PE and school sport coach
• PE teacher
• Personal trainer
• Physiotherapist.
• Professional sportsperson.
• Sports and exercise science
• Sports coach/consultant.
• Sports policy at local and national level.
• Uniformed public services

The Humanities department is made up of a passionate and enthusiastic team who are highly dedicated to their subject area. Staff are committed to delivering high quality, challenging and inspiring learning experiences to all of our students.

Our Humanities curriculum is a continuum that ensures pupils are nurtured, encouraged and taught to develop a range of key skills. Through enquiry, pupils make connections to help them understand their impact on the world, react to challenges and make reasoned judgements about events and their consequences.

Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:

Access an inclusive broad range of subjects

Humanities pupils are encouraged to learn in a creative and safe environment where they are able to observe the world around them, question why things are the way they are, make links and connections between different people, places, cultures and understand implications of present and past events.

Discover and develop their knowledge and passions

Our Humanities curriculum enables students to develop an interest about the world around them and make links with people, cultures and places in the wider world. They know that their actions have local and global consequences and what they can do to have a positive impact in the world they live in. We explore key themes of power at a local, national and international level. This helps pupils understand cause and consequences in the world they live in.

Be prepared for the future:

Humanities pupils learn about current affairs and draw on learning from the past to help influence them into making positive future choices. Humanities at KS5 help to prepare pupils for study at University and the wider world of work.

Be good citizens

Humanities lessons are pupil focussed, intent on the positive wellbeing of our young people – producing a well-rounded individual who can succeed in their future in the communities that they live in. Our pupils draw on the positive experiences from classroom and outside classroom experiences, to help them become informed and active citizens.

Humanities pupils learn about current affairs and draw on learning from the past to help influence them to make positive future choices. Humanities at KS5 help to prepare pupils for study at University and the wider world of work.

Be good citizens

Humanities lessons are pupil focussed, intent on the positive wellbeing of our young people. We help create well-rounded individuals who can succeed in their future in the communities in which they live. Our pupils draw on the positive experiences from classroom and outside classroom experiences, to help them become informed and active citizens.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

• Culture & the Arts
• STEM & Digital technology
• Language Mastery
• Numeracy
• Reasoning
• Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship
• Mastery
• Critical thinking
• Independent learning skills
• Extra curricular projects
• Inclusion

Right to Withdraw
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and/or collective worship.

From age 16, pupils can choose for themselves to opt out of collective worship if they wish. However, they cannot opt out of receiving religious education without parental consent until they are 18.

Curriculum Leader: Mr S Ali

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Mr N Haworth

Subject Teacher: Mrs C Strachan

Subject Teacher: Mr C Reynolds

Subject Teacher: Mrs D Ashworth

Subject Teacher: Ms J Bennett

Subject Teacher: Mrs R Hesketh

Subject Teacher: Mr S Haydar

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: sali@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of these subjects.

Geography and History are available to study at A Level in our Sixth Form, ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying these subjects at university.

If you enjoy Geography and History as subjects you may want to consider the following career paths:

Transport planner

Academic researcher

Archivist

Astronomer

Cartographer

Environmental consultant

Geographical information systems officer

Heritage manager

Historic buildings inspector/conservation officer

International aid/development worker

Landscape architect

Museum/gallery curator

Nature conservation officer

Planning and development surveyor

Secondary school teacher

Sustainability consultant

Tourism officer

Town planner

Mathematics is an important creative discipline that helps us to understand and change the world. We want all pupils at Alder Grange School to experience the beauty, power and enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding.

At Alder Grange School,we place great emphasis on installing a growth mindset in our learners, where pupils feel at ease in taking risks. Mistakes are expected and respected; excellence is nurtured as we drive to deepen understanding of mathematics. We believe in challenges for all our pupils and promoting independence and love of learning in conjunction with the National Curriculum for Mathematics. Our motto is ‘enjoy and achieve the best you can’.

One of our focuses is to develop the confidence of our young mathematicians and the awareness of the academic and practical significance of mathematics in real life, dispelling any negative perception associated with the complexities that mathematics can bring.

Our curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to be:

Access an inclusive broad range of subjects – . We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to cover a wide range of mathematics knowledge with an emphasis on investigation, curiosity, numeracy fluency, application of mathematics in real life situations, problem solving skills and the effective use of ICT in maths.

Discover and develop their knowledge and passions – Lifelong mathematicians- we want our students to think like mathematicians, not just DO the math. We believe that during the learning experience students should ; explore, wonder, question, conjecture, experiment and make theories in order to guide their own journey in life

be logical thinkers and reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry and develop and present a justification, argument or proof using mathematical language

become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics – through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.

Be prepared for the future – Our curriculum prepares pupils to achieve their academic goals, alongside developing the fundamental mathematical skills to allow them to succeed in the next stage of their education, training or career path. Opportunities are given to GCSE pupils to pursue post – 16 options, including A- level Mathematics, A-level further mathematics. be able problem solvers by applying their mathematics to a variety of problems with increasing sophistication, including in unfamiliar contexts and to model real-life scenarios

Be good citizens – Through the mastery approach and diverse set of contexts, the mathematics department aims to develop responsible citizens with an awareness of the world around them. We provide opportunities for pupils to develop transferable mathematical skills which also aid their progress across the STEM and other curriculum areas.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

• Culture & the Arts
• STEM & Digital technology
• Language Mastery
• Numeracy
• Reasoning
• Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship
• Mastery
• Critical thinking
• Independent learning skills
• Extra curricular projects
• Inclusion

Curriculum Leader: Mrs S Billington

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Mrs J O’Connor

Subject Teacher: Mr G Harter

Subject Teacher: Mr J Carr

Subject Teacher: Mr J Emmott

Subject Teacher: Mrs K Lawrence

Subject Teacher: Mr L Fielding

Subject Teacher: Mr M Anthony

Subject Teacher: Miss M Gibbons

Subject Teacher: Mr P Butterworth

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: sbillington@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of this subject.

This subject is compulsory at K3/4 and is available at A Level in our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying this subject at university.

If you enjoy Maths as a subject you may want to consider the following career paths

• Actuarial analyst
• Actuary
• Astronomer
• Banking
• Chartered / certified accountant
• Data analyst
• Data scientist
• Engineering
• Financial manager
• Financial trader
• Investment analyst
• Research scientist (maths)
• Secondary school teacher
• Software engineer
• Statistician
• Plus many more…

The science curriculum intent aims to help pupils make pertinent links between what they learn in science lessons and the real world. The curriculum endeavours to expose pupils to relevant contexts and applications to the theory they study and where possible these should stem from a local/regional setting. Teachers in the department recognise that great teachers don’t just teach their subject, they teach and use the language of the expert.

Our Science Curriculum intent aims to ensure that all pupils at Alder Grange are able to:

Access an inclusive broad range of topics – Schemas are used to populate our Schemes of work and make best use of the children’s time. This includes establishing the fundamental components of topics and the order they need to be covered, as well as informing which topics make up the taught and which make up the learned curriculum.

Discover and develop their knowledge and passions – The curriculum encourages engagement in practical activities whenever possible in the form of both whole class activities and teacher demonstrations. Time in lessons is ring-fenced to deliver the essential skills scientists require and the department sees this aspect of science as important as exam board theory. Where opportunities arise, STEM ambassadors are brought into school to compliment the work undertaken in lessons.

Be prepared for the future –When this curriculum intent is implemented, the result should be that pupils are inspired to be the best that they can be and find that they have started paving the way for a potential career in STEM should this be the path that they want to choose.

Be good citizens – The department recognises its role in delivering the whole school cross curricular themes, especially given the unique moral and social responsibilities bestowed upon the field of science and the importance of science in the wellbeing of people and nature.

The curriculum is intended to promote and value equally, the following cross-curricular themes:

Inclusion

Culture & the Arts

STEM & Digital technology

Language Mastery

Numeracy

Reasoning

Wellbeing – both physical, mental and social

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness & Citizenship

Mastery

Critical thinking//

Independent learning skills

Extra curricular projects

Curriculum Leader: Miss S Hartley

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Mrs H Price

Subject Teacher: Mr A Malik

Subject Teacher: Mr B Campbell

Subject Teacher: Mr D Birtles

Subject Teacher: Mr D Careless

Subject Teacher: Miss G Sharp

Subject Teacher: Mr M Guest

Subject Teacher: Mr S Varley

For further information or to discuss any subject within the department, at any key stage, get in touch via email: shartley@aldergrange.com

There are a massive range of future study and careers options available following study of these subjects.

These subjects are compulsory at K3/4 and are available at A Level/BTec in our Sixth Form ‘ag6’.

The learning and skills developed in KS5 lessons support further studying these subjects at university.

If you enjoy Science as a subject you may want to consider the following career paths:

Plus many more…

Agricultural scientist

Biology researcher

Biomedical engineer

Biomedical researcher

Biomedical scientist

Cell biologist

Data scientist

Earth scientist

Forensic scientist

Gene analyst/geneticist

Immunologist

Marine biologist

Microbiologist

Molecular biologist

Oceanographer

Pathologist

Pharmacologist

Pharmacist

Toxicologist

Veterinarian