Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, Common Lane, Wilmington, Dartford, DA2 7DA
01322 223090

Learning

Curriculum Overview

Curriculum
We define our curriculum as ‘the articulation of the knowledge, skills and values we intend our students to learn’

Intent
Our curriculum has been designed to be ambitious, rich, diverse and sensitive to our context. It is carefully sequenced to ensure that key aspects are revisited and built up over time. Departments produce curriculum plans which detail what is to be delivered and when. These are regularly reviewed so that any adjustments can be made. The intent includes lesson planning, so that teachers are aware of what they intend for the students to learn and are able to plan lessons accordingly to ensure that this happens, using information from previous lessons to inform this planning.

Implementation
This is the delivery of the curriculum. The time we spend working with teachers to improve their own practice ensures that time is not wasted. The quality of our teaching is the single most important factor in ensuring that our curriculum is successfully taught.

Impact
This is the extent to which the curriculum has been successfully learned by our students. It is evidenced through key summative assessment tasks as well as through formative assessment, including regular low stakes testing and retrieval practice that informs planning.

Life Programme
All students follow the ‘Life’ programme which encompasses PSHE, RSE and Careers Education. This is delivered in form time, through drop-down mornings and, where relevant through subject areas.

Key Stage 3
English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, RE, Art, Music, Design and Technology, Computer Science, Business Studies, PE and French. In Year 8 Spanish is also studied.

Key Stage 4
All students study English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Combined Science/Triple Science and Religious Studies, as well as Core PE.

All students will study a GCSE in either History or Geography, and French or Spanish and will then choose two further options

Fine Art

Design & Technology

History

Business 

Food Preparation & Nutrition

Drama

Computer Science

Construction and the Built Environment

Physical Education

Geography

French

Spanish

Key Stage 5
Our A level programme is extensive – please see our curriculum booklet here:
In order to support our students, we offer a broad enrichment programme which includes electives, a Scholars programme, careers and next steps advice and a ride range of visits and sporting opportunities.

Curriculum Allocation

Number of Periods per Fortnight

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

English

9

8

8

9

9

Maths

8

8

8

8

8

Science

9

9

9

12

12

MFL

8

8

8

History

4

3

3

Geography

4

3

3

Fine Art

2

2

2

Music

2

2

2

Drama

2

2

Design Technology

3

4

4

Computer Science

2

2

2

PE & Games

4

4

6

4

4

Religious Studies

2

2

2

4

3

Option 1

6

6

Option 2

6

6

Option 3

6

6

Option 4

6

6

Finance

2

2

Life Programme

1

1

1

TOTAL

60

60

60

60

60

In WG6, each subject is allocated 14 periods per fortnight, 2 of which are subject study. Wednesday afternoon is allocated for enrichment and electives. To view our Electives Booklet, which lists our programme of activities please click here. Students in Year 12 attend supervised study during their non-contact time.

Year 10 Option Choices 2024

Subject

Video link

English Language & Literature

Mathematics

Religious Studies

Science Combined & Triple

Geography

History

Fine Art

Business

Computer Science

Design & Technology 

Construction and the Built Environment

Food Preparation & Nutrition

Drama

Please click here to view our curriculum subjects.

To view a digital copy of our Year 10 Options Booklet 2024 by clicking the booklet below

  

Key Stage 5/Post 16 Study

A joint, collaborative sixth form with Wilmington Grammar School for Girls is offered for post 16 students.

Visit WG6 Website

To view our WG6 Curriculum Booklet, please click the booklet below

WGSB Life Programme

At Wilmington Grammar School for Boys we are committed to develop, educate, support and nurture students through, not only their academic life but also to prepare them for their futures. Responsibility is shared between the student themselves, parents and carers, the school and the wider community. Ensuring that students are aware of the many social decisions they will have to make is a complicated and often very subjective and difficult process.

We have a number of structures that help us educate students, so that they are aware of the many issues that face them in their present and future lives. Our job is to, in some way, prepare them for their futures.

‘LIFE’ is a project aiming to support, nurture and educate our students so that they are aware, and responsible for their own outcomes in many different ways. Qualifications are not the only outcome for a student, there are hundreds, if not thousands of different outcomes that students face in our modern society. Our job is now more complicated than it has ever been, the influences on our students are more numerous than they were 10 years ago and considerably more than they were 30 years ago.

Our Life Sessions provide a safe environment to discuss a range of (sometimes sensitive) issues, to offer guidance and support and ensure that everyone’s view and opinion can be heard. This approach ensures that we learn from each other and respect all viewpoints.

We have a number of areas in school that we focus on to ensure a wider perspective:

PSHE (personal, Social, Health Education)
SMSC (Spiritual, Moral Social and Cultural Development)
Careers
Extra-curricular activities
Pastoral education

These five areas are the corner stone of our pastoral education, hoping to develop their spiritual, moral, physical, social and cultural wellbeing.

‘LIFE’ is about bring these elements together so that students can reflect on the education they receive inside and outside of school. They can use the LIFE document that will support them when they go to higher education interviews or the next step in their life journey, a moral CV.

Students in Years 7-13 will complete the LIFE journey, along the way they will reflect on the many issues they have faced through their school career and the various ways in which we have supported them to become who they are.

LIFE Structure
There five main areas to ‘LIFE’, PSHE, SMSC, Careers, Extra-curricular activity and Pastoral responsibility.
Each term, each year group will have a number of tasks that are age specific that they need to complete. Students will need to complete a task in each of the 5 areas of LIFE, or if they are more motivated they can complete multiple tasks.

Please click the below image to enlarge.

Careers Within the Life Programme

Welcome to Wilmington Grammar School for Boys careers information, part of our Life Programme. The Life Programme is created and designed to give students the broadest possible view of their opportunities, support with contemporary issues and strategies to maximise their destination driven focus. The Life Programme covers everything outside of the traditional curriculum and some within it. It covers Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), Character Education, Careers, plus many of the topics that were in the previous PSHE curriculum. Our Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is an integral part of the Life Programme especially around key decision-making points such as Year 10 Option Choices and Next Steps Post 16.

To support these decisions, we have launched the new Morrisby Careers platform. Morrisby is an organisation that works with schools and students helping to identify their career destinations,guiding them to make the right choices so that they can remain focused and motivated through their school life. Students have all used the Morrisby Careers Profile and other resources to assess their own strengths, abilities, interests and preferred learning styles, and see how these relate to different careers.

We recognise the importance of careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and ensure that throughout the year, students have opportunities to engage positively with their futures, both in terms of increasing expectations and exploring the best routes into the careers that interest them. In line with the Department for Education guidance, we have a coordinated programme of careers support designed around the Gatsby Benchmarks to offer a coherent programme embedded within school structures. A summary of our CEIAG programme, student entitlements and policy access statement can be viewed using the relevant links on this page. Details on our destinations are available on the WG6 website.

Education and training provider access
Providing independent and impartial advice and guidance means we are committed to supporting all student pathways. Education and Training Providers are invited to appropriate school-based careers events and a list of such events, together with the school’s access policy, can be found in the provider access policy and Employer page using the links on this page.

How is the impact of career learning measured?
We continuously measure, assess and evaluate the impact of the careers programme, analyse destinations data, track student progression after they leave school and consider student, parent/carer, employer and teacher views. Effectiveness of our programme is further demonstrated throughout the school and assessed using the Compass tool and our destination data providing comparable information on the school’s success. Additionally, our careers programme is continuously developing with a formal review each year, with the next review being due in July 2023.

Could you help inspire the next generation?
If you have skills or expertise which you could share with our students or would like to make suggestions about careers please contact us. We are always looking for volunteers to speak in assemblies, deliver small group talks, speak at careers fairs or run practice interview sessions.

CONTACT US

Mrs Walker, Careers Leader [email protected], coordinates the careers programme in conjunction with Mr Smith, Assistant Head Teacher (Behaviour & Learning). Our CEIAG programme and related information is reviewed annually, however information may be revised throughout the year to reflect new regulations.

We value input from parent/carers, businesses or former students so if you are willing to contribute to our careers programme please email me on [email protected]

Please click here to view The WGSB Careers Policy

Mrs Walker

Careers Leader

Mr Smith

Assistant Head Teacher

SUMMARY OF THE CAREERS PROGRAMME AT WGSB

Students in Year 7 and 8 are at the start of their career journey and the main focus is exploration of careers and raising aspirations. Students use their Morrisby Careers profiles and explore the careers that they are matched to. They also have a Life Programme Drop-down session where we look at identifying their strengths and start to develop their employability skills.

Students in Year 9 use the Morrisby Careers Platform to start looking at what GCSE Options they should choose given their future career path. This happens in a Life Programme Drop-down morning. This is followed up with optional 1:1 facto face GCSE Options meeting with Mrs Walker on request from the student.

Students in Year 10 are given the opportunity to do a more in -depth Morrisby assessment which helps to guide their future choices with more in-depth analysis. They also have a Life Programme Drop-down session on this. All Year 10 students are given a 1:1 Careers meeting with Mrs Walker or an external provider where they can discuss their career paths and next steps. All Students in Year 10 are also given the opportunity to go on 1-week work experience.

Students in Year Groups 7 -11 will have a yearly opportunity during a Life Programme Drop-down session to meet face to face and online with employers and employees and experience a range of career paths that are open to them.

Students in Year 11 have focused Life Programme Drop-down sessions on their Next Steps, and this is followed up with optional 1:1 Next Steps meeting with Mrs Walker which are requested by the students. Students applying for apprenticeships are offered ongoing support as required.

All of the Students in Year 12 are given the opportunity for a 1:1 face to face careers / next steps meeting with Mrs Walker or an external provider. Year 12 are also given the opportunity to go on 1-week work experience.

Students in Year 13 are able to request 1:1 support from Mrs Walker on next steps, university choices, personal statements and apprenticeship support throughout Year 13.

Gatsby Benchmark Document
Labour Market Information

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YEAR 7

To find out more information regarding our Year 7 Careers Programme please click on the below links

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YEAR 8

To find out more information regarding our Year 8 Careers Programme please click on the below links

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YEAR 9

To view a copy of the Options Booklet 2023 together with key dates and curriculum information please click here

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YEAR 10

Please click on the below links to read more

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YEAR 11

YEAR 11 POST 16 AND NEXT STEPS RESOURCES
We take our responsibility to provide you and your child with post-16 guidance very seriously. We also understand that deciding your child’s post-16 course can be difficult. Please find information below on the carefully constructed programme of support for you and your child through this important decision-making process. 

What you study at WG6 or college can affect your options at university and your future career. Use Informed Choices to help you understand which subjects open up different degrees, particularly at Russell Group universities.

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PARENT, CARER & STUDENT RESOURCES

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MORRISBY CAREERS PLATFORM

All students have access to the Morrisby Careers Platform and during their time in school will complete various careers assessments and complete tasks during form time and during the Life Programme Drop-down mornings. Your child can give you access to their Morrisby Profile by going to the Parental Access area on their Morrisby Homepage.
Careers advice and guidance – Morrisby

Subject

Link

Morrisby Profile - Feedback for Students

The Student Experience In Progress

Morrisby My Choices Video

Morrisby Resources Video

Morrisby Action Planning Video

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WEBSITES FOR ALL YEAR GROUPS

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VIRTUAL WORK EXPERIENCE
SpringpodSpeakers for SchoolsThe Parents’ Guide

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Student Support & SENCO

At Wilmington Grammar School for Boys we value and support the individual abilities and needs of all of our students. We take seriously our duty to provide equal opportunities and a safe and fully equipped learning environment for every young person in our care. We strive to ensure that our broad school curriculum is inclusive and that every student can participate in all aspects of school life.

WGSB adopts a holistic approach to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Students with identified needs are supported to fulfil their potential and achieve optimal educational outcomes through high quality teaching and learning. All teachers and support staff are made aware, through regular training and updates, of how to utilise a range of teaching approaches and strategies to have maximum impact. We strongly believe that ‘what works for SEND students, works for all students’.

Students may arrive at WGSB with their needs already identified, or these may be identified later during their time at school. Students are supported and monitored in accordance with their personal and individual needs and there are clear policies and procedures in place to ensure that this provision is kept under review, with support amended appropriately when necessary.

Students with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) are supported in accordance with their plan; they have annual reviews which set individual and personal targets, enabling students to make excellent progress in relation to those targets.

The SENCO liaises with the Heads of Year and the Examinations Officer to ensure that special examination access arrangements are in place for those students entitled to such arrangements. Students are given guidance on how to gain the most benefit from such arrangements.

The Student Support Team includes our SEND team and our Student Managers.

The SEND Team

Mr Sage

SENCO

Mr Hansford

Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Sen Specialism

Mrs Miller

Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, and Pupil Premium Coordinator

Mrs Harrison

Learning Support Assistant

Mrs Ibitoye

Learning Support Assistant

Mr Long

Learning Support Assistant

Mrs Norman

Learning Support Assistant

Our Student Managers

Mrs Taylor

Year 7

Mrs Jones

Years 8 and 9

Ms Mager

Years 10 and 11

Mrs Regan (WGSB)

WG6

Mrs Wheatley (WGSG)

WG6

Our school SEN Policy can be downloaded from our website by clicking here

For information regarding Kent Parent Partnership Service please CLICK HERE. This service offers impartial advice and support to parents with children with SEN.
KPPS aim to empower parents and families of children with SEN to be confident to take an active an informed role in their child’s education and development.

If you are a student who has come to this page looking for support, please click here
YEAR 7 TRANSITION SUPPORT

The SEND team provides several small group interventions for students who are identified as needing extra support with the transition into year 7, for example: Nurture Group, Emotional Intelligence, Organisation, Sensory Circuits, and Social Skills. In addition, students have specified access to separate, quieter spaces at break and lunch time if they need them.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

The SEND team provides a range of interventions for students who are identified as needing extra emotional support, for example: Anger Management, Lego Therapy, and Talk About Teens for anxiety. Our ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), Mrs Miller, is trained to support students individually or in small groups with their emotional needs.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

In addition to any subject specific intervention provided by different departments, the SEND team provides interventions to support specific students identified as needing extra academic support, for example Organisation and Study skills, and Reciprocal Reading. Students may also be referred to Homework Club if they are struggling to keep up with homework expectations.

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUPPORT

At WGSB we promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. This is evident through our strong pastoral structure and core values. Students are encouraged to speak to any member of staff if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental health and wellbeing. They can then get further help and support from their form tutor, Head of Year, or Student Manager.

Students with more complex mental health and wellbeing needs who may require more nuanced support may be referred to our school Time2Talk counsellor. Attendance at any counselling appointment is voluntary, and students may withdraw at any time. The focus is very much on empowering students to formulate their own ways of dealing with the circumstances in which they find themselves. All information discussed during an appointment will remain confidential between the student and the counsellor, unless it relates to a Child Protection issue, in which case the counsellor forwards the information to the DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) who will the take the appropriate action, as is required by law and the safeguarding of the student (see Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy). Brief confidential notes are kept by the counsellor, and a weekly appointment log of the students’ names and times is compiled by a member of the Student Support Team.

PEER-MENTORING SUPPORT

Students who are struggling with organisation, achievement, social skills or low self-esteem may be referred to our peer mentoring support which takes place every other Monday during registration time. Pupils receive one-to-one support from a trained Sixth Form peer mentor. Where appropriate, this support may be delivered in a group setting. Parents/guardians are informed of the referrals to peer-mentoring, and their support is important to ensure the students meet the targets set. The scheme is co-ordinated by Ms Kemp, who is the Head of Year 12 and 13, and Student Wellbeing Leaders.

The aims of the mentoring programme are to:
establish and promote good organisational skills
support those who are underachieving in academic subjects
promote self esteem
develop personal and interpersonal skills
create positive relationships between junior and senior students
encourage and enable students across the school to take increased responsibility in a leadership role.

“There is a huge variety of extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities for pupils to enjoy”

WGSB Ofsted report

Curriculum Support & Enrichment Clubs

Wilmington Grammar School for Boys offers students a number of opportunities to develop skills and gain experiences outside of the normal curriculum. There is a great breadth of extra-curriculum subjects and activities offered by WGSB teaching staff or via visiting personnel. Additionally, staff schedule regular revision sessions for those nearing exams. Further activities will be added as they become available.

Inter-House Activities take place every break and lunchtime. We encourage students to take part in our broad range of Inter-House competitions; activities include Rubik Cubes, Five-A-Side Football, Chess, Board Games, Tug of War and Human Hungry Hippos!

Our WG6 Electives booklet showing the breadth and range of opportunities available to our sixth form students can be read by clicking here

Overview of Extra-Curricular Clubs


KS3 Extra Curricular Timetable – September 2024

Click image above to enlarge


KS4&5 Extra Curricular Timetable – September 2024

Click image above to enlarge

Independent Learning

Students are expected to become adept at working independently. The school provides a range of resources to help them. In particular as our students prepare for exams they are expected to develop revision strategies to help them.

To view our Independent Learning Policy, please click here
KNOWLEDGE ORGANISERS

2024-2025 Knowledge Organisers