KS3 Curriculum Overview
For every student, regardless of background or circumstance, to acquire the knowledge and develop the qualities which will open the door to the future of their choice.
Laurus Trust schools provide an excellent and rounded education for all their students, regardless of their individual backgrounds, preparing them well for their future careers.
Our curriculum ensures that every student recognises what it takes to succeed, sets aspirational goals and works hard to achieve them with the support of a highly qualified and dedicated team of education professionals. It is shaped by the students as it responds to their individual needs and is underpinned by the Cornerstones of the Laurus Trust: Academic Aspiration, Leadership and Service, Competition and Physical Endeavour and Culture, Creativity and Rhetoric.
Our approach to the curriculum also complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2014. For further information on how we ensure the curriculum is accessible to those with disabilities or special educational needs please see the Equality Policy and the SEND information report which can be found under the policies and useful documents section of our SEND webpage.
We operate a one-week timetable with 28 lessons in a week. Each lesson is 55 minutes long.
Key Stage 3 Overview
Year 7
Year 8
We have a very similar arrangement in for classes in Year 8 as Year 7.
Students are taught in mixed prior attainment groups for all their subjects.
View the Year 8 Knowledge and Skills Guide for more information.
Year 9
In Year 9 most subjects are taught in mixed prior attainment groups. However, students will be placed in a set for their languages class. These sets will be based on the students’ performance in languages over the previous two years.
View the Year 9 Knowledge and Skills Guide for more information.
View the KS4 Options Booklet 2024 – 26 for more information about option subjects.
Curriculum Structure
| Key Stage 3 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| English | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Maths | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Science | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| RS/PSHE/CZP | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| PE | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Geography | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| History | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Languages | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Art | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Applied Science | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Performing Arts | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Computing | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total lessons per week | 28 | 28 | 28 |
All subjects follow the relevant national curriculum programme of study. For more information please click here.
Useful Documents
Further Information
Religious Studies
Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Studies, this is in accordance with the 1988 Education Reform Act. Parents/carers considering withdrawal from RS should contact the head teacher to arrange a discussion. (Parents/carers can only withdraw their child from RS, not other curriculum areas. For example, students can’t be withdrawn from a study of religious art in an Art lesson, or parts of the History curriculum such as the study of Christian conversions).