The focus at Thomas Gainsborough School is on educating the whole person and providing young people with the experiences and opportunities that will help them to achieve success wherever their talents and interests might lead.
Our Curriculum
The curriculum at Thomas Gainsborough School is designed to meet the needs of all our learners. It is a broad and balanced curriculum, characterised by stretch, challenge, specialisms and the development of the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of students within both formal time tabled lessons as well as the wealth of extra-curricular activities and experiences promoted through the year.
In a curriculum described as “innovative” by OFSTED, students are provided with a choice of Pathways right from their admission in Year 7 to Year 13 and beyond. We aim to ensure that a students’ learning journey is smooth and seamless from the day they join the school through to sitting their final exams in our Sixth Form before they leave us at 18 to go on to University or the world of work.
Curriculum Content
All students study the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, and PE throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. In addition, KS3 all students study the full range of subjects that you would expect to see in a Secondary school; Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages, Drama, Art, Music, Technology and ICT/Computer Science.
Innovatively, however the Grammar, Arts, STEM and Access Pathways model at Thomas Gainsborough School allows students to follow a curriculum that plays to their strengths, aptitudes, interests and needs from Year 7.
All subject areas are represented in each of these four pathways; the Grammar Pathway has a greater emphasis on Humanities and Languages whilst the STEM Pathway sees a greater emphasis on Science and Technology.
The Arts curriculum follows a pattern typical of most secondary schools. For more information about the make up of the pathways, please see the KS3 Pathways page.
At the end of Year 9, students choose from a wide range of subjects, informed by their choices made in Key Stage 3. More information on this process is shared with students and parents in the autumn term of Year 9 to ensure ample time for individual advice and guidance conversations to take place.
Our curricular and extensive range of extra-curricular activities actively encourage students to take responsibility for their learning and develop a clear understanding of British values such as democracy, mutual respect and tolerance.
Progression through the curriculum is seen as students develop a wide range of skills, knowledge and understanding.
Organisation of the curriculum
Classes at KS3 are set based on students’ prior attainment following consultation with parents and partner schools, within each of the Pathway models. The curriculum that students then study is then based on each student’s strengths, skills and aptitudes.
At Key Stage 4 students are set based on prior attainment and progress within core subjects and are usually taught within mixed ability classes in option subjects.
Our learning environment
We are fortunate to work in a very modern, very well equipped, purpose built main building, augmented with outstanding Sports facilities, excellent Media Studies, Dance and Drama Studios. Furthermore, the suiting of 6th form provision has created a highly purposeful, specialised environment for students studying A levels and other Level 3 courses.
We continue to develop the learning environment to meeting the changing needs world that we live in and to ensure that our students continue to thrive; for example, we have a specialised 6th form Art facility.