Here at St. Cuthbert’s, our curriculum is rooted in our Catholic faith and the principles laid out in Catholic Social Teaching. Our goal is to help every child shine, feel valued, and make a positive mark in the world. With our core CARE values—Catholicity, Aspiration, Respect, and Excellence—guiding us, we aim to nurture each child’s academic, social, emotional, and spiritual growth. We strive to foster an environment where every student feels secure, included, and supported, both inside, outside, and beyond the classroom.

Catholicity:
The word ‘Catholic’ means ‘universal,’ and so too is our curriculum; universal in scope and inclusive of all. These aren’t just words; they shape how we care for others and understand our place in the world. We truly believe that every child is unique and created in the image of God. Our educational approach reflects the Church’s mission to engage the whole person, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, preparing students to thrive in a global and interconnected world. That’s why we work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere where every child, regardless of their background or abilities, feels safe and valued.

Our lessons are built on the teachings of the Catholic Church, emphasizing values such as justice, peace, and love. We encourage our students to practice kindness, look after the vulnerable, and strive for the greater good. By following Christ’s example, we hope to instill a sense of compassion and justice in everything our students do.

Aspiration:
At St. Cuthbert’s, we strive to ensure that every student has the potential for greatness and to be the best that they can be. We inspire our students to set personal goals and place importance on hard work to achieve them.

Our aim is to help each student recognise their potential. We want them to shoot for the stars, tackle challenges head-on, and learn from their mistakes. Aspiring to be their best will help them grow into strong, capable individuals ready to thrive in a world that’s always changing.

Respect:
Respect is central to everything we do at St. Cuthbert’s. We believe everyone deserves kindness and dignity. Our curriculum teaches students the importance of respecting themselves, others, and the world around them. We focus on building positive relationships where everyone feels safe, heard, and included. We also emphasise caring for others, especially those who might be different from us. Embracing diversity and practicing empathy are key to creating a community where everyone feels they belong.

Excellence:
Excellence is what we strive for in all aspects of our work. We expect our students to aim for their best selves—not just in their studies but in every part of their lives. Our curriculum encourages critical thinking, curiosity, and the application of knowledge, all while fostering individual growth. We want every student to build a solid foundation of core knowledge that they can build on as they continue their education. By developing confidence, reflection, and independence, our students learn to apply this knowledge in varying contexts. We truly believe that intelligence can grow through hard work and practice. But excellence isn’t solely about grades. It’s about becoming resilient and confident individuals who consistently try their hardest. We want students to leave St. Cuthbert’s ready to tackle the ever-changing world with the skills and mindset to keep growing and positively impacting their changing communities.

At St. Cuthbert’s, our curriculum is designed to:

• Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make positive decisions and thrive in the world around them. – Foster resilience, leadership, and empathy, all while staying true to our Catholic values of justice, peace, and love.
• Spark a lifelong love of learning, encouraging personal growth and a spirit of service to others.
• Create a safe, nurturing environment where each child’s well-being is a top priority. In this environment students will feel comfortable expressing themselves, making mistakes, and blossoming into confident individuals prepared to contribute positively to their communities.

At St Cuthbert’s RC High School, our core purpose is to ensure that “all” students receive the highest quality education possible. Excellent teaching and learning is at the heart of this mission. As a staff team, we will be united in our commitment to providing consistently effective, evidence-informed practice in every classroom, every day.

To support this, we have outlined “The St. Cuthbert’s Way”. This is a shared framework for high-quality practice across the school. These principles are rooted in educational research, shaped by professional expertise, and aligned with our values as a school community. They reflect what we believe great teaching looks like and help ensure all students experience ambitious, inclusive, and engaging lessons.

Why These Principles Matter:

• Clarity and Consistency: By having a common language and shared expectations, we support each other in delivering the best possible lessons.
• Professional Growth: The principles provide a reference point for self-reflection, coaching, lesson planning, and ongoing professional development.
• Equity for Learners: A consistent approach helps reduce variation and ensures that every child, regardless of class or teacher, receives high-quality instruction.
• Collective Responsibility: Teaching is a team effort. These principles help us pull in the same direction, share effective practice, and hold each other to high standards with professionalism and mutual respect.

These principles are not intended to restrict creativity or reduce teaching to a checklist. Instead, they are a foundation:  a set of non-negotiables that ensure strong, consistent pedagogy, while still allowing teachers to bring their own personality, passion, and subject expertise to the classroom.

We expect all staff to engage with the principles actively, reflectively, and collaboratively. They will underpin our lesson observations, CPD sessions, and departmental discussions, and form the basis of what we celebrate and seek to improve.

Together, through a shared commitment to great teaching, we can transform learning and open doors for every student in our care.

Culture and Standards:

Warm Welcome: Staff greet pupils at the door during the first 5 minutes of the lesson, reinforcing a calm start and setting the tone.

Ready to Learn: Embedded and clearly communicated routines mean that pupils enter quietly, take out all necessary equipment, and engage in a short ‘Do Now’ task.

Clear Uniform and Conduct Checks: Uniform and coats are checked promptly and consistently.  Where uniform is missing this is logged on arbor.  Mobile phones are out of sight and confiscated if seen.

Seating Plan Followed: Pupils sit in assigned seats (on arbor) designed to maximise learning and minimise disruption.

Calm Transitions: Transitions between activities (or when receiving books/paper) are done calmly and purposefully due to embedded and clearly communicated routines.

Positive Framing of Instructions: Staff give clear, concise, and positively worded instructions.

No Opt Out: Staff use names, cold calling, and “no hands up” to ensure all pupils are included.  They use a variety of teaching methods to ensure this.  Pupils are encouraged to track the teacher e.g. pupils do not put their heads on the desk.

Consistency in Behaviour Response: All staff apply the behaviour system fairly and proportionately.  C1 C2 C3 are used to remind pupils to correct their behaviour.  These will be visual to pupils and clearly communicated.  Staff will use a variety of tools to encourage pupils to behave well, examples include verbal and non-verbal cues and praise.

Learning Environment Ownership: Teachers ensure displays, work on the board, and the classroom environment are tidy and purposeful.

Calm Dismissal: Pupils are dismissed row-by-row, ensuring order and a positive end to the lesson.

 

Quality of Education:

Positive Relationships: All teaching starts with high expectations and consistent, respectful relationships.

Clear Instruction: New learning is explained in small steps using expert modelling and scaffolding.

Guided Practice: Teachers check for understanding before asking pupils to work independently.

Purposeful Practice: All pupils engage in independent tasks designed to embed and extend learning.

Responsive Teaching: Teachers adapt in real time, using checks for understanding to close gaps.

Pace with Purpose: Lessons move with energy, balancing thinking time with learning momentum.

Precise Feedback: Feedback (verbal or written) is timely, actionable and helps pupils improve.

Reading and Vocabulary: Academic language is taught explicitly, and key vocabulary is reinforced.

High Quality Questioning: Staff ask challenging questions, prompting pupils to explain, justify and explore ideas.

Inclusive Practice: Lessons are designed with the needs of “all” learners in mind.

The Key Stage Three curriculum covers the content of the National Curriculum. This ensures students study a broad and balanced curriculum that builds on, but not repeats, students’ learning in Key Stage Two.

The curriculum is knowledge rich and supports students to remember the core knowledge required to progress to the next stage of their learning.

Subject:	Time allocated per fortnight:
Maths	8 Hours
English	8 Hours
Science	6 Hours
RE	5 Hours
History	3 Hours
Geography	3 Hours
Spanish	4 Hours
Computer Science	2 Hours
Music	2 Hours
Drama	2 Hours
Art	2 Hours
Food Technology	1 Hour
Product Design	1 Hour
PE	3 Hours

Key Stage 4 provides the opportunity for all students to study a strong academic core of subjects and qualifications appropriate to their aspirations.

Students in Year 10 have the opportunity to personalise their own curriculum pathway and specialise in subject areas most appropriate to their needs, interests or future career paths.  The additional time dedicated to these specialism subjects enables students to master the subject, fostering deeper conceptual understanding. This will build powerful knowledge which ensures students are sufficiently challenged and grasp the key concepts needed for success in Year 11 and beyond.

All students study Religious Education which develop religiously literate, engaged and spiritual young people with the knowledge, understanding and skills to positively contribute to the world in which they live.

The majority of students at Key Stage 4 will study the full English Baccalaureate range of subjects, which includes English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science, Humanities (Geography or History) and a Modern Foreign Language (French or Spanish). This core curriculum will provide a solid basis for further and higher education.

Please click here to view the exam boards that we use at St Cuthbert’s.

Subject:	Qualification:
Maths	GCSE
English	GCSE
Science	GCSE (Double Award)
RE	GCSE
History	GCSE
Geography	GCSE
Spanish	GCSE
Computer Science	GCSE
Music	GCSE
Drama	GCSE
Art	GCSE
Food and Nutrition	GCSE
Food VCert	VCert
Creative Product Design	VCert
Sociology	GCSE
Health and Social Care	BTEC
PE	GCSE
Sports Studies	Cambridge National Certificate
Child Development	BTEC
Core PE	Not assessed

Personal Development:

Student’s personal development is delivered throughout every area of the curriculum, and this should be seen in all lessons and all schemes of learning. We also have some bespoke lessons and programmes which are aimed at enriching pupils’ lives, helping them to prepare for the real world after leaving St. Cuthbert’s and developing their cultural capital.

Skills for Life Programme:

Every student in KS3 and 4 will have one 45 minute lesson each week, which will cover the following topics:

• Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
• British Values
• Citizenship
• Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Education
• Careers Education
• Character Education

This will be taught through three broad themes – Living in the Wider World, Health and Well Being and Relationships. Each year group will visit each of the themes twice per year to ensure a spiral and age-appropriate delivery. This will be delivered by form tutors through an extended form time (8.25 – 9.10)

Character Education:

Character Education will be delivered through the form tutor programme which will be delivered throughout the Autumn term based around 5 key foci:

• Leadership
• Oracy
• Resilience
• Initiative
• Communication