Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

Teaching and learning at Chailey School is research led, context driven.

Our approach to teaching and learning is driven by our school values and is codified in the Chailey Charter.

The Chailey Charter for Teaching and Learning

Our classrooms are:

• Talk-Rich
• Inclusive
• Responsive

1.  We facilitate total participation. We deliver intentionally planned oracy activities, we use questioning and assessment for learning to ensure all pupils are engaged.

2. We build independence. We model effectively so pupils have the confidence to work independently in lessons and at home. We support pupils with scaffolding and plan for the fading of support.

3. We are all kind. We create calm and productive learning environments with happy pupils. We use the behaviour and rewards system to maintain very high standards of behaviour for learning.

4. We are a community of learners. Everyone belongs at Chailey because our classrooms are inclusive. We have high expectations of all pupils, we assess robustly and intervene effectively when we identify gaps.

5. We boost resilience. We teach pupils metacognitive strategies so that they are able to remember and apply what they have learnt. We use spaced retrieval practice and low-stakes testing to build knowledge.

6. We are creative. We plan engaging lessons for curious pupils. Teaching and learning is joyful!

Curriculum Overview

Chailey provides students with a rich variety of learning experiences in and beyond the classroom. In this section you will find information on the subjects on offer together with a taste of the many other learning opportunities, as well as the support provided for learning.

Students at Chailey School are entitled to an excellent curriculum and quality of education. Whilst ‘academic outcomes’ (e.g. GCSE results) are very important, they alone will not determine the structure of the curriculum as a whole and for individual students from all backgrounds and abilities. An engaging and challenging curriculum, well-taught, leads to excellent academic outcomes – those outcomes will reflect what students have learnt and what they have learnt to do through the curriculum. In addition to this, Chailey School Values play a vital role in the structure and nature of our curriculum intent.

We therefore see our curriculum intent as being shaped by four overlying principles or elements:

1. Curriculum Design

The ‘formal’ curriculum at Chailey School will be engaging, challenging, ‘broad and balanced’, and also designed to prepare our students for success in the modern world; to maintain this, Key Stage 3 is of three years in length for non-core subjects and Key Stage 4 two years.

Beyond the core subjects, other subjects such as the arts, humanities, modern foreign languages, technologies and PE remain vital to what students study at KS3 and to the offer and opportunity at KS4.

Disadvantaged students and those with SEND will be encouraged through the design of appropriate individual pathways in the curriculum to access that offer and those opportunities.

 2. Coherence and continuity

Shaped by the overall intent identified in this document, faculties and subject areas will determine the ‘what and when’ - what students should know and be able to do, for instance, in those subjects by the end of Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

This ‘subject curriculum intent’ will be evident in sequences of lessons (and their objectives) planned in subject areas – knowledge, skills and understanding will be built on and applied in a cumulative manner.

Assessment, testing of knowledge, skills and understanding, and effective feedback on this in a planned and coherent manner will support this.

3. The ‘Informal’ curriculum

This develops the experience and opportunity for students beyond a set of exam results and is very important to the community at Chailey School.

Included within this are all aspects of ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’, the elements of the ‘Chailey Way’ from ‘transition’ to ‘Leavers’ that sequence and build upon experience and opportunity, learning and understanding about life and work beyond Chailey, and the emphasis laid on taking the broader and enriching opportunities the school offers through the ‘Chailey Award’ and ‘Chailey Diploma’.

The development of cultural literacy (including those of other cultures) as well as inspiration, even ‘awe and wonder’, is part of this.

Building character and values in the curriculum. Running through the formal and informal curriculum and through the values of the school is an emphasis on building character and a ‘moral compass’ in Chailey’s young people, including a healthy and happy lifestyle. These are the features, in particular, which the school encourages in day-to-day interactions, formal learning, and also in more organised ways such as assemblies and ‘drop-down days’: kindness, creativity, curiosity, support and tolerance of others and diversity, self-confidence and self-respect, resilience, global and environmental awareness, independence and responsibility in work.

If you would like further details on our Curriculum please contact: