Welcome to Secondary School

We believe that students should be given a broad and balanced curriculum which equips them for life beyond the school gates in the 21st Century. This sees the aims of education as being firstly to cultivate children's knowledge, skills, experience and imaginative understanding and thus their awareness of moral values and capacity for enjoyment. Secondly, it enables them to enter the world after formal education as active participants in society and responsible contributors to it, capable of achieving as much independence as possible. We also ensure that the education we offer ensures progression to Post 16 Education and into Higher Education or employment.  

Our main aim is to engage and inspire all students to excel in their learning, to encourage and develop independent, inquisitive, resilient young minds, and to prepare our students to become eloquent, knowledgeable and responsible global citizens, who are capable of flourishing in the 21st Century. Our curriculum is not about ‘delivering’ knowledge, but encouraging our students to develop learning skills to resolve problems for themselves. 

 

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

KEY STAGE 3 (Years 7 & 8) 

Please CLICK HERE to view the Curriculum Booklet for Y7 & Y8.

Our Key Stage 3 programme is designed to give students opportunities to explore a wide range of subjects and curriculum content. The breadth and depth enables them to build fundamental skills and experience subjects which they might choose to pursue in Key Stage 4.

 

WSO students  begin to design their own curriculum pathways from the end of year 8 when they choose their options for year 9. By having choice early on, students are able to take ownership of their studies, focus on their strengths and the subjects they love and, crucially, change their minds before beginning year 10. Having the freedom to choose at this point truly enables students to write their own story.Through the GROWELL programme, their study skills lessons and the pastoral programme, we help our students flourish and enable them to be world class, world ready!

 

 

 

KEY STAGE 4 (Y9 - Y11)

Students beginning Year 9 are embarking on the next phase of their educational journey.

This is an extremely important part of your child’s education which will ultimately culminate in terminal exams and help shape the further education choices your child will make. The Key Stage 4 curriculum is made up of compulsory and optional subjects.  Students will have the opportunity to study for 5 compulsory GCSEs and select 4 optional subjects of which one will be a Modern Foreign Language/Arabic A/Arabic B.

Please click here for all the information regarding KS4 subject choices. Year 9 is a year in which students develop the skills required for their GCSE subject choices and begin learning some of the content.

For more detailed topic maps for year 9, please click here.

 

Secondary Timings

Year 7 - Year 13: Registration 07:45am - End of day 3:20pm

In secondary we offer an exciting Extra Curricular program which provides every student with broader and deeper learning experiences outside. At WSO, we believe that every child should have access to a range of self-selected learning experiences to complement their academic studies.

“Character is important – a CV may get you the interview, but character will get you the job” - Tim Peake (British astronaut living and working on board the International Space Station for six months)

Here at WSO we place a huge emphasis on students having the opportunity to extend their personal growth and build their individual character; as producing ‘world-class, world-ready’ students encompasses so much more than just academic achievement. Our ECA programme promote life-skills, whilst giving students the opportunity to pursue and harness their interests and passions outside of the classroom.  The transferable skills learnt throughout the programme are significant; boosting self-confidence, developing leadership, instilling self-motivation and can evidence good time-management.

Our programme allows students to extend their learning prospects by developing and harnessing a true passion, to gain life skills outside a classroom setting and to experiment and take risks without implications, without being graded or compared. Relationships are of paramount importance at WSO as we to create an inclusive community spirit within the school; this time facilitates bonding between students from varying year groups, with different skillsets and personalities and, as a result, fosters development of further skills, such as teamwork, communication and commitment.

In secondary, all students have the option to attend an extensive range of Extra Curricula Activities, (ECA’s), they are split into three broad categories, Academic, Physical Education and Performing Arts. These are teacher-led, within school and free of charge. Academic ECAs run Monday, Tuesday and Thursday after school from 3.20pm until 4.20pm and students can sign up to as many activities as time will allow. The activities immerse students in learning experiences that foster personal growth and character discovery through a wide array of activities outside of the more traditional classroom setting.  Activities range from participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and building a team project to enter the Global Innovation Challenge; to cooking sustainably from our WSO gardens, and unearthing prehistoric life in archaeology club, debate club and Model UN.

In addition, students are encouraged to run their own ECA activities with the support and supervision of their teachers.  Students guiding their peers maintains interest, promotes positivity and compassion, builds confidence and nurtures empowerment.  ECA’s help us to create an inclusive school community spirit; facilitating collaboration between students from varying year groups, with different skillsets and juxtaposing personalities; fostering teamwork, communication, and empathy.  Student run activities range from subject specific societies, such as Medical Society, preparing students for university applications and life beyond WSO, to Planetology club, Lego robotics club and subject specific tutoring.

All the activities on offer develop a learning skill, these range from practice time with sporting or performing arts squads and groups to knitting ECA. Some ECA’s on offer focus on developing innovation; from App design to building a team project to enter the Global Innovation Challenge and Sphero and Lego Prime robotics activities. Innovation is a huge part of WSO and we are pleased to see that so many of our students invest time and energy in this area. Success in the Global Innovation Challenge is an additional activity where participating teams use technologies to address the world’s most pressing problems throughout a range of topics which includes healthcare, education, disaster resilience and prosperity. Students go on to exhibit at events, which are part of the annual Global Innovation Challenge. Over the past few years, WSO students have achieved great success at this event.  

Our Eco Ambassadors encourage more sustainable practices around the academy and promote sustainability and COP28. This ECA has a focus on sustainability. Entrepreneurial skills also feature highly in our ECA offering in partnership with 8Billionideas, we launched their student platform with every pupil in secondary having access to the bespoke offering.

In addition, the ECA programme demonstrates the students strong sense of social responsibility as demonstrated by pupils leading the ‘Liter of Light’ and the Plant a Legacy program and WSO Junk Kouture, the ECA’s on offer develop social responsibility of the students.

Students selected their ECA activity from over 64 options to pursue this term, 33% of activities focus on an activity which develops their wellbeing, undertaking activities such as Mindfulness art and peaceful vibes.  Through these activities, WSO students gain ‘real-life’ transferable skills; holistically shaping ‘world class, world ready’ young adults who are able to self-regulate, equipped to make a real difference to the world.