Curriculum

At Leigh Academy Tonbridge we set the highest of expectations to ensure that every pupil excels across all aspects of academy life. As an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme candidate school, we ensure all students develop all the skills of the IB Learner profile in order to be successful in their future lives. 

All students at Leigh Academy Tonbridge will:

• experience a broad and deep curriculum encouraging a rich knowledge base for all students, including those with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• build a global character base through the learner profile
• secure a strong foundation for progression that promotes independence
• be literate, numerate and digitally literate 
• have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement
• develop their mental, physical, cultural, social and moral development
• provide careers guidance in line with the Gatsby benchmarks and ensure all students have a successful onward destination.

The Leigh Academy Tonbridge curriculum is rigorous, broad and balanced, with the acquisition of knowledge at its heart. Our diverse curriculum stimulates academic curiosity and challenges our students to constantly develop; regardless of ability, needs or background. Horizontal integration through the core elements support the retention of knowledge and acquisition of applicable skills, to prepare students for their onward destination and chosen career pathway. 

The Key Stage 3 curriculum is broad and balanced, following the International Baccalaureate Middle Years’ Programme (MYP) and this is studied in Years 7, 8 and 9. This ensures students acquire a deep understanding across eight key subject disciplines. To ensure knowledge is fully embedded, lessons are constructed to ensure students are guided and supported, with opportunities skillfully provided to secure the need to recall and retrieve prior learning.

The curriculum at Key Stage 3 masters the fundamental skills required to fully prepare students for our Key Stage 4 curriculum. The MYP approaches to learning and learner profile continue to be a core element of our curriculum for Key Stage 4, with courses carefully planned to ensure teachers can provide subject specific guidance and modelling, with curriculum time carefully planned to ensure students are fully prepared for external examinations at the end of the course.

The curriculum is reviewed and developed to ensure accessibility for all, enabling all students to maximise their progress. Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress and that the curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning. In line with National guidance, the academy staff engage with Quality First Teaching to support students with special educational needs. The SEND team collaborates closely with teaching staff and leaders to ensure all students have access to a robust curriculum that goes beyond the National Curriculum. 

At the academy, we are totally committed to improving the life chances and aspirations of pupils, with the aim of developing a global character. Our main curriculum, pastoral programme and co-curriculum support the IB learner profile so that all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them. It is our intention that students are resilient to change and challenge, with a strong set of skills developed through the IB learner profile to maximise their independence.

The development of language and literacy skills are paramount and underpin our curriculum. Our aim is to build confidence in communication skills to support student progress in school and prepare them for working life. Our literacy programme includes bespoke time and focus for reading throughout the curriculum. Pupils who have a reading age below their chronological age are supported through interventions to close this gap as quickly as possible. Numeracy skills are embedded across the curriculum and supported during our tutor time programme. Pupils below expected progress from Primary school are provided with interventions to quickly catch-up through incisive intervention. Our digital strategy ensures students that digital literacy is embedded into each curriculum area and supported via our pastoral programme. Our students are taught to utilise digital access responsibility to enhance their skills ready for the world of work.

The academy is inclusive and we have high expectations of each student. Our behaviour policy promotes and celebrates positive behaviours, linking directly to the IB learner profile. Our highly positive and engaging culture is built on understanding and respect. These key features form the foundations of our pastoral programme.

To support the core curriculum, our SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) programme is fully integrated into academy life, with a key focus on mental wellbeing. Each pupil develops their character as a whole to ensure they are fully prepared to be outstanding global citizens. Our co-curricular offer enhances the student experience, supporting all aspects of development and contextualises the learning for our students.

The academy intends to provide all students with secure foundations for progression into further education and apprenticeships. Full coverage of the Gatsby benchmarks starts from Year 7, with all students receiving regular updates on relevant careers information. High aspirations are instilled in our students to ensure that all students achieve their potential and move forward successfully into their intended career pathway.