Curriculum

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Curriculum Vision

Hope Academy is a family, guided by Christian love, in which we serve our whole community with empathy and compassion, helping every member to flourish so all can pursue a rich and full life.

Our curriculum is designed to encourage a love of life-long learning, guided by the ultimate Christian value of love. We work to ensure that our curriculum makes our school’s vision a reality and that every member of our Hope family can flourish and be the best that they can be.

Curriculum Aims

At Hope we aim to ensure that our students…

  • Have access to a broad and rich curriculum, which meets National curriculum Archdiocesan and Diocesan requirements.
  • are provided with equal access to a full range of learning experiences
  • enjoy and are committed to lifelong learning
  • are challenged and stretched to achieve their potential
  • can fully access all aspects of the curriculum
  • enjoy and engage in Academy life
  • are able to effectively use high quality literacy, numeracy and computing skills
  • have employability and higher education skills to prepare them for their future.
  • can make informed and appropriate choices at key points
  • develop moral values, respect for religious values and acceptance of different beliefs and ways of life

As a joint denominational Academy, we pride ourselves in providing a curriculum which encourages students to live "Life in all its fullness"  [John 10:10].

Character Development & Our Core Values

We are passionate about ensuring that students evolve to become rounded individuals who can engage with the world around them with confidence and maturity.

As such, our curriculum not only covers a broad range of subjects, ensuring that students have opportunities to nurture academic, technical and sporting skill, but focuses on the development of students social and interpersonal skills, which are all so vital to their future outside of the Academy.

“Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day.” (Heraclitus)

At Hope Academy we believe there are five core learning attributes that are essential for ensuring our students become powerful learners: Leadership; Organisation; Resilience; Initiative; Communication. We refer to these as ‘LORIC’ attributes. We believe that by developing these attributes we will give all students the intrinsic motivation and the necessary skills that will enable them to maximise their time with us and every opportunity in their future.

Our core values of Respect, Courage, Ambition adn Hope are at the centre of everything we do and are the driving force behind our focus on students’ character development. We believe that by focusing on developing in each of the five 'LORIC' attributes means that students can successfully uphold these values throughout their academy life and beyond.

Through each of the attributes we aim to ensure that our students:

HOPE to flourish in the future and live a rich life.

Leadership – have the COURAGE to lead.

  • understand what leadership is, the role of a leader and how to be an effective leader.
  • understand the different leadership methods.
  • have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in different contexts throughout the curriculum.

Organisation – have AMBITION to plan to reach their future goals.

  • understand the importance of being organised and how this skill will support their future.
  • reflect on organisational challenges that they might face.
  • understand the importance of organising themselves and their time and can organise activities that will support their future goals.

Resilience – have the COURAGE to overcome barriers to success.

  •  understand how to have a ‘growth mindset’ instead of a ‘fixed mindset’ and understand the importance of the individual steps that they take to strive towards achieving an end goal.
  • can identify what motivates them.
  • can effectively self-evaluate without being self-critical and use feedback in subject areas to help focus their resilience and determination for improvement.

Initiative – have AMBITION to be the best that they can be.

  • understand the importance of being able to act on their ‘own initiative’ and how this supports them with being solution driven and solving problems.
  • take responsibility for their learning and seek opportunities to develop their skills in line.
  • develop a readiness to take on new challenges

Communication – have the COURAGE to communicate their ideas and RESPECT for those of others.

  • can confidently express their ideas and understand what effective communication looks like.
  • understand the importance of communicating emotions and opinions respectfully and empathetically to others.
  • understand the impact that developing their communication skills in a range of contexts, such as debating and presenting will have on their futures.


Hope has developed a bespoke curriculum which supports and challenges learners of all abilities. To find out more information about the curriculum we are following please contact Mr J Ellis (joe.ellis@hopeacademy.org.uk) on 01744 671930.

An overview of subjects for each year group can be found in the subjects section. 

KS3 Curriculum Information September 2023

We operate a two week timetable and the number of 60 minutes lessons stated are per fortnight.

Year 7
English 8 lessons 
Maths 8 lessons
Science 6 lessons
Religious Education 4 lessons 
Spanish/French 5 lessons
Geography 3 lessons
History 3 lessons 
Technology 2 lessons
Art 2 lessons
Drama 1 lesson
Music 2 lessons
Physical Education 4 lessons
Computing 2 lessons
Year 8
English 8 lessons 
Maths 8 lessons
Science 6 lessons
Religious Education 4 lessons 
French/Spanish 5 lessons
Geography 3 lessons
History 3 lessons
Technology 2 lessons
Art 2 lessons
Music 2 lessons
Drama 1 lesson
Physical Education 4 lessons
Computing 2 lessons
Year 9
English                                   8 lessons 
Maths 8 lessons
Science 6 lessons
Religious Education 4 lessons 
French / Spanish 5 lessons
Physical Education 4 lessons
History 3 lessons
Geography 3 lessons
Computer Science 2 lessons
Art 2 lessons
Technology 2 lessons
Drama 1 lesson
Music 2 lessons

KS4 Curriculum Information September 2023

Year 10
English 9 lessons
Maths 9 lessons
Combined Science 9 lessons
Religious Education 4 lessons 
Geography/History (all students choose a humanity subject) 5 lessons
Core Physical Education 4 lessons 
All Option Subjects 5 lessons

Option Subjects (students choose TWO of the following subjects)

  • Art
  • Business
  • Computer Science
  • Construction
  • Design Technology
  • Drama
  • Engineering
  • French
  • Geography
  • History
  • Photography
  • Physical Education
  • Separate Science
  • Spanish
  • Child Development
  • Digital IT
  • Enterprise
  • Health and Social Care
  • ICDL
  • Sports Studies

 

 

 

 

Year 11
English 8 lessons
Maths 9 lessons
Combined Science 9 lessons
Religious Education 4 lessons
Geography/History (all students choose a humanity subject) 4 lessons
Core Physical Education 4 lessons
All Option Subjects 4 lessons

Option Subjects (Students choose three of the following subjects)

  • Art
  • Business
  • Computer Science
  • Construction
  • Design Technology
  • Drama
  • Engineering
  • Geography
  • History
  • Photography
  • Physical Education
  • Separate Science
  • Spanish
  • Arts Award
  • Child Development
  • Digital IT
  • Enterprise
  • Hospitality and Catering
  • ICDL
  • Sports Studies

 

 

For more detailed information on each subject please click HERE 

 

  • 19/03/2024 This morning it was Year 8s turn to take part in their Big Lent Walk! A combined total of 246km was completed, taking us closer to our target of 1000km! Thank you those who have donated so far - you can still donate to Read more to help us reach our £250 target! 😊 pic.twitter.com/09PhmljrsF
  • 17/03/2024 Congratulations 🙌💪👏🌟 Read more
  • 15/03/2024 Principals Blog Read more
  • 15/03/2024 Well done to all of you. We at Rotary are so proud to have such great students in our town. Kavita B has packed numerous shoe boxes for us that we have sent to children in Easter Europe who have nothing Read more
  • 15/03/2024 Our fantastic Y9/10 students enjoying their rewards breakfast this morning!☕️ 🍞 💚💛💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/n423GRjU6J
  • 15/03/2024 Inspirations of the week! For all the amazing hard work in lesson and all their kindness around the academy! I am so proud of you all! Smashing it for 😁 Hope- 8H Mrs Banks and Mrs DoughtyRespect- Harrison P Courage- Livia GAmbition- Alyssa A pic.twitter.com/KECo5KdLtD
  • 15/03/2024 Our fabulous Craft Club students were busy making Easter cards in our library this lunchtime🤩🐣🌼 A huge thanks to Samuel and Nicholas for leading the session so brilliantly today 🌟🌟🙏🙏 There will be more Easter crafting next Friday! pic.twitter.com/2uDmsSST2m
  • 15/03/2024 Here's a little video of some of Y9s walk! 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️#ServeOthers 😊 pic.twitter.com/ARPB8eM9JF
  • 15/03/2024 Well done Y9 for taking part in the Big Lent Walk this morning🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ A combined total of 375km was walked over 20minutes by everyone making 3 laps of the MUGA! Amazing 😊 Sponsorship and donations can still be made to Read more 🙏 pic.twitter.com/RqQFUuzvdl
  • 14/03/2024 Inspiration of the week! Congratulations to these 4 wonderful students who have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the Academy, this week.Respect - Izzy C Courage - Ben CAmbition - AlexHope - Thomas P pic.twitter.com/BAuQwKgvtt
  • 14/03/2024 Our fabulous Silent 🤫 Reading 📖 Club students created a magical reading experience in our library this lunchtime! 🤩❤️📖 Thank you to everyone for this calm and enjoyable time in our busy day 🌟🌟👏👏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/sC1qs9gBId
  • 14/03/2024 This week’s winners! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼‘Congratulations’ to our wonderful winners who have demonstrated our core values this week. WELL DONE! 💚Respect Award - FajrCourage Award- Jack Ambition Award- Olivia & Alfie Hope Award - 10E pic.twitter.com/oAnM9zMqx9