Welcome to Psychology

We offer opportunities for all young people to develop their understanding and implementation of a range of soft skills.

Implementation Key Principles:

• Curriculum has been divided between research methods and key topics to enable students to both have a scientific rigour and ability to apply it to contemporary research, theories and issues.  Lessons and home learning is sequenced building in difficulty and specialism (from general data analysis to specific statistical analysis & determining significance). From knowledge of specific theories to broad, overarching debates.
• Content is rich, relevant and reflective of the diverse world in which we live.
• Learning is sequenced to enable young people to develop knowledge and skills.
• Literacy is explicitly delivered across the curriculum.
• Learning is adapted to support the specific needs of individuals.
• A sustainable approach is supported through the curriculum.
• Resilience is promoted for students by frequent (low stakes) assessment to inform teaching

In classrooms, this may look like:

• Moving from definitions of theories (in do now) to application of knowledge to real life scenarios to explain behaviour (body of lesson) before evaluating said theory and evaluating it's validity in exam/ assessment scenarios. Building from A01-A02-A03
• Carefully planned shared schema, developed by experts and tailored by teachers to meet the needs of teaching groups
• DO NOW tasks drawing on prior learning
• Signature strategies used for Checking Understanding, such as Show Call, Show Me, Intentional Monitoring
• Shared literacy and reading strategies in place, such as Inside Outside Beyond and whole class reading work
• Precise pedagogical decisions made for students with additional needs (EHCP, SEND K, PSP, Behavioural, PA) including additional adults, alternative resources or outcomes, seating arrangements, precise deployment of signature strategies
• Teaching which alters according to student understanding demonstrated both from assessment points and within lessons

In work produced, this may look like:

• Summaries of key research (A01), A02 exam questions, self marked and pre prepared essays and plans. Rigorous note taking, against lesson PP. Private study includes Uplearn (A01 -A03) revision, timed assessment questions (both writing and planning).
• Regular feedback, which addresses knowledge or skills gaps
• Opportunities for conscious practise by students (reteach episodes, ‘fix-it’ sessions, revision)
• Opportunities for self and peer assessment, engaging with success criteria
• As relevant to Key Stage, opportunities to engage with exam-style content
• Home learning will promote digital literacy in line with school strategy

For students, this experience may include:

• Students have a coherent understanding through:
• WeeklyTeams Private Study and Tri Weekly Assessment data tracked and reassessed when gaps in learning have been identified.
• Students follow a clear ‘I do, We do, You do’ lesson sequence.
• Lessons are differentiated for all students using scaffolding and challenge tasks. Opportunities for discussion and debate.
• Consistent staffing in lessons with teachers who know them and similar learning journeys across year groups
• Regular opportunities to engage with feedback on progress (parents’ evenings, progress grades, reports, assessment feedback, in-class feedback, marking)
• A clear sense of the curriculum journey leading to CEIAG – how can you pursue this field of study? What might it lead you to?
• Where students are taught by professionals at the start of their career, they can expect additional adults in classes supporting through a range of strategies (live coaching, learning walks, observations, team teaching)

In evaluating the impact of our curriculum, we will consider:

• Outcomes data, such as A level and BTEC Results, GCSE results, Additional qualifications (sports leaders, community languages, Entry level qualifications) and the performance of vulnerable groups within that data
• Destinations data at common points of transition from the school (Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5)
• Internal and external Quality Assurance processes (Ark review processes, governor accountability processes, internal audit processes, Ofsted)
• The development of professionals into experts in their field through their work in supporting colleagues, supporting other schools, developing curriculum resource, becoming examiners etc.