Curriculum – City of Rochester School

Curriculum Overview

Curriculum Approach

At City of Rochester School we offer our pupils a bespoke education package that is matched as closely as possible to the National Curriculum. In addition, there is an experiential learning element which ensures our children are immersed in their learning programmes and the subject matter – this includes links to the outside world where pupils can connect with nature.

Phonics and Reading Schemes

All Aboard Phonics is our systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programme. All aboard phonics have created a scheme that specializes in making sure struggling readers are not left behind. All aboard phonics has a complete set of short decodable books that integrate with the curriculum, week by week and a soon to be published complementary home reading app.

Phonics Overview

KS4 courses available

Each student is an individual and will learn at different rates and to different standards. While at City of Rochester School, our aim is for all KS4 students to achieve a pass grade in Maths and English GCSE (or equivalent) as a minimum. Some students will be better suited to other courses which have a more practical element to them – this could include BTECs or OCR awards.

Post 16 study programme and qualifications

All 16-18 learning programmes are individually tailored to the student’s abilities and goals. The 16-18 programme provides more focused goals and activities that students will be able to use in adulthood.

More about the City of Rochester School Curriculum

To request additional information regarding The City of Rochester School Curriculum and courses please complete the “contact us” form on the link below:

Experiential Learning 2023-2024

Guildhall Creed Outdoor Leisure

To complement our Learning means the World communication them Creed will provide weekly workshops which will encourage the pupils to communicate with each other whilst at the same time allowing them to take part in outdoor and adventurous challenges.

Royal daBASE

DaBase specialise in providing bespoke workshops which develop confidence, raise self-esteem and tackle challenging behaviour using creative arts. The result is fun and engaging music projects. We will be forming a music group, writing and then recording our own song which will complement our learning in music.

OpenView Education

OpenView Education’s mission is to empower students with the skills, knowledge and confidence that they need to stay safe and live successful, happy lives.

Jumpers Rebound Centre

To develop the students gross motor skills and core strength they will be taking part in trampoline sessions.Trampolining is a great way to develop skills and core strength. All pupils will have the opportunity to learn the basics of trampolining including jumps, turns and how to stop safely in a well-balanced position.

The Hub Challenge

The Hub Challenge incorporates over 30 different team building and problem solving tasks which the students tackle in groups, in a round robin style activity. Some of the tasks are more physical, whilst others are more logical, which allows the different strengths of the members of the team to shine. Designed to inspire the students to plan, communicate, work together and motivate themselves and others throughout the session, the tasks encourage groups to self-reflect at regular intervals.

Overview

CoR Curriculum

Subjects

Maths curriculum

English curriculum

Science curriculum

Experiential curriculum

Art and Design curriculum

Experiential Learning 2022-2023

Guildhall Museum and Great Leaps

To complement our Learning means the World “Lindow Man”, geography-based unit lower age classes will be visiting the Guildhall Museum. The children will learn that the Stone Age is separated into three distinct periods.The workshops will be delivered by a local historian, there will be a heavy focus on prehistoric collections. The children will explore concentrate objects and the workshop lead will take their understanding forward through discussion and sharing. The children will explore the museum during a break in the middle of the workshops. To complement our Learning means the World communication theme. Great Leaps provides weekly workshops to inspire, develop and deliver innovative and educational experiences, to support every individual’s ambition in reaching their full potential. Great leaps provide educational and mental health experiences using an outdoor setting.

Royal Engineers Museum and Mini First Aid

To complement our Learning means the World theme on conflict. The children will take part war themed workshops. Catapults at the ready
Zulu warriors
Paws, claws, and Whiskers
Turrets, Tracks and TanksTo complement our PSHE curriculum and life skills sessions the children will become qualified first aiders. Mini First Aid Teens is for children aged 11-16. This class enables them to deliver first aid if no adults were available. Teens learn to carry out CPR and deal with choking, deal with head injuries, burns, breaks, bleeding, asthma attacks and allergic reactions. This class meets the KS3 National Curriculum Requirements in England & Wales. The class is practical, lots of fun and involves lots of activities for the children to enjoy.

The Problem Solving Company

To complement our maths curriculum, providing hands on opportunities to apply maths skills, as well as opportunities to build on team work and communication skills.
The Problem-Solving Company will provide maths workshops. The workshops follow the national curriculum, using large resources to enable maximum participation and help encourage communication and team skills. As well as developing thinking skills, maths concepts and dialogue the maths activities will help foster a can-do attitude amongst students.

Chatham Dockyard

To complement our LMTW Land Ahoy pirates unit. The younger children will take part in pirate themed workshops:
Pirates Ahoy- Pirate role play
What’s in the bag?
Full Speed Ahead
Ready Aim Fire
To complement our Design and technology curriculum and LMTW conflict units. The older children will take part in the following themed workshops:
Full Speed Ahead
Take cover
Gun Deck Challenge
Rocket Squad

Beat Goes On

To complement our music and drama curriculum. The children will take part in drum/stomp style workshops.
The children will take part in the following weekly workshops:
· stomp style,
· samba drumming,
· boom whackers
· bamboo tamboo and junk percussion.

Cyclopark and Mote Park Watersports

To complement our PE curriculum and gross motor skills.
The children will take part in weekly sessions at the Cyclo park. They will enjoy cycling on the track and build on their cycling skills.
To complement our PE curriculum and gross motor skills.
The children will take part in weekly sessions at the Mote Park. They will:
· SUP
· Kayaking/canoeing
· dragon boating
· Surfing or a repeat of one of the other activities whichever one they prefer.

Experiential Learning 2021-2022

Lower Grange Farm and Anna Outdoors

Lower Grange Farm will run for a 4-week block where upper primary pupils will take part in a range of different adventurous activities. Pupils will attend an offsite placement located at Lower Grange Farm, Maidstone. The aim for pupils is to engage with a variety of adventurous activities that they may not have experienced before. As well as focusing on Geography, PSHE and PE curriculum objectives, the experiential visits will help to strengthen the pupil’s confidence and resilience when faced with tasks. Lower Grange Farm is an adventurous outdoor and event centre

Anna Outdoors will run for a 4-week block for pupils from lower primary. Pupils will have the opportunity to attend Ranscombe Farm Reserve in Cuxton. The aim is for pupils to engage with the natural world and to link as many real-life learning experiences as possible in with our new school curriculum – Learning Meets The World. Anna Outdoors inspires and engages children to enjoy outdoor learning through the creation of innovative and inspiring workshops and activities. For Term 1 Anna has created a bespoke programme of Lottery Funded visits for the City of Rochester School.

Swimming

Students will have a four-week block of sessions at swimming. Swimming lessons will be held on separate days for both Primary and Secondary groups of students. Sessions will focus on building confidence in the pool, alongside the development of swimming skills. An instructor will work alongside support staff to identify current competence levels and tailor a programme to target swimming skills for each specific student. Where students are already confident and competent swimmers, they will have the opportunity to develop techniques in different swimming strokes alongside the correct breathing required to become a proficient swimmer. For students who are beginners the programme will allow for the use of flotation devices and aim to build up their confidence in the water as they progress to being able to swim unaided. Students will also have the opportunity to develop social and teamwork skills as they interact with their peers.

Bricks for Kidz

Bricks 4 Kidz is an enrichment programme designed to help children and young people develop a range of STEM, social, and interpersonal skills through the use of LEGO. Sessions will take place on the school site and have four main aims. These are to: • awaken curiosity and inquiry • stimulate observation and exploration skills • enrich and enhance school curriculum • link the science concepts learned in school to the larger world The goal of Bricks 4 Kidz is to provide a learning experience for students that encourages critical thinking, creativity, organizational skills, problem-solving, and teamwork. Through the building of different models, students will come to understand various elements of STEM.

Maidstone Museum

A 4-week programme of workshops at Maidstone Museum will cover a range of science and history topics that link explicitly to the Learning Means the World curriculum. Students will engage in the following workshops during this experiential unit: Roman Britain – students will learn about the Roman invasion of Britain, contrasting Roman arms and armour and finding out what benefits the Romans brought to Britain. (Links to LMTW ‘You’re not invited’) Dinosaurs and Fossils – students will have the opportunity to handle real dinosaur bones and use role play to learn about how fossils are formed. (Links to LMTW ‘Jurassic Hunter’) Animal Encounters – based in the gallery, this workshop will give students the opportunity to become a scientist investigating the varied habitats of Kent and animal food chains. (Links to LMTW ‘Going Wild’ and ‘Under the Canopy’) Rocks and Minerals – students will explore and identify the different formation of rocks and minerals. (Links to LMTW ‘In your element’)

Rich Rhythms

Rich from Rich Rhythms will be teaching Djembe drumming. West African Drumming workshops can do the world of good for body and soul. It is uplifting, fun and at the same time stress relieving. Richard’s African drumming workshops have been highly recommended. We will be focussing on following instructions, listening to rhythm and engaging in a group task.

Artist in Residence

A series of weaving experiences from bags to willow to help create a snail structure that can be used for growing in the school garden.

School Council

Here at City of Rochester School we have a School Council which meets half termly.

The School Council comprises one representative from each class, chosen by student election.

Topics discussed are chosen by the students and then minutes are typed up. The students discuss various topics such as forthcoming events, the Curriculum, behaviour, Ofsted and fundraising events.