The school provides a broad and balanced range of subjects throughout all key stages, including an appropriate balance between academic and work-related subjects in Years 10 to 13 – OFSTED 2014 The school’s motto of ‘enjoy and excel’ is embraced by both students and staff – OFSTED 2014Curriculum Overview
We want our curriculum to give students an understanding of the world around them and humanity’s place in it, informed by the most reliable knowledge available. This understanding is the entitlement of all young people, regardless of background or prior attainment, and it is a goal in its own right rather than merely a means to an end. It is the source of the independent thinking, creativity and self-expression which we are so keen for our students to develop. We believe that it is best achieved through a wide range of subjects, so we enter the great majority of our students for the full EBacc and encourage them to select options, especially the arts, which ensure further breadth beyond it. Our provision is designed to ensure that: The curriculum does not only consist of the timetabled lessons which students experience on a daily basis at school, but also of the pastoral time which they spend with their tutor, Curriculum Enrichment Days and other activities which supplement and enhance their learning. Parents/carers are requested to inform the school in confidence if they anticipate that an aspect of the school’s curriculum might cause a particular difficulty for an individual student. In most cases, contact with the class teacher or Form Tutor will be more than adequate, but the Head of Year or Mrs Powdrell (Pastoral Deputy Headteacher) should be contacted if the information is especially sensitive or difficult. Students are also encouraged to inform the school if they are aware of aspects of the school’s curriculum which might cause them distress. KEY STAGE 3 The table below shows the number of lessons per week in each subject. The percentages are estimates of the time devoted to each subject over Key Stage 3 as a whole; they cannot be exact because they do not include the time spent on Personal Development Days and other activities.
| Subject | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | % of Total |
| English | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13% |
| Mathematics | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12% |
| Modern Languages | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15% |
| Science | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12% |
| Design & Technology | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7% |
| Physical Education | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9% |
| Geography | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6% |
| History | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6% |
| Art | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3% |
| Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3% |
| Music | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3% |
| Religious Studies | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3% |
| PSHE & Citizenship | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4% |
| Computer Science | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3% |
At Key Stage 3, all Beaumont students study two modern foreign languages. In Year 7, all students begin Spanish and either French or German. The second language is determined by their tutor group on entry to the school, with half of the cohort studying French and the other half German. The same two languages are pursued through Key Stage 3 to give students the best possible foundation for the choice they make at GCSE. KEY STAGE 4 At Key Stage 4, students continue with a core curriculum which will usually involve preparing for the following GCSEs: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science (Dual Certificate or Triple Science), Geography and/or History and a Modern Foreign Language. The language can be any one of French, German or Spanish. The core curriculum also includes Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic Education in Year 10 (PSHCEE), including aspects of Religious Education, and PE. Through following this core curriculum, students are able to achieve the English Baccalaureate performance measure. In addition, students will choose four optional subjects, in consultation with parents and teachers. They are encouraged to choose a balance from the different families of subjects – the Humanities (Business/Financial Education, Geography, History and Philosophy, Ethics and Religion), the Arts (Art & Design / Graphics, Drama, Performing Arts-Dance or Music), Languages and Technology (Product Design, Food & Nutrition and Textiles) and Computing (Computer Science and iMedia). Please visit the Year 9 Options section of this site for more details about the current Key Stage 4 curriculum offer. The table below shows the number of lessons devoted to each subject per week. The courses with three or more lessons per week usually lead to GCSE examinations.
| Subject | Year 10 | Year 11 | % of Total |
| English | 5 | 5 | 15% |
| Mathematics | 4 | 5 | 14% |
| Science | 6 | 6 | 18% |
| Modern Languages | 3 | 3 | 9% |
| Physical Education | 2 | 2 | 6% |
| PHSCEE | 1 | 0 | 2% |
| Option A | 3 | 3 | 9% |
| Option B | 3 | 3 | 9% |
| Option C | 3 | 3 | 9% |
| Option D | 3 | 3 | 9% |
The range of courses and opportunities for choice between options is reviewed annually to reflect the changing nature of demand for different qualifications. Year 9 students and their parents are asked to make their choices in the Spring prior to starting their Key Stage 4 courses in the second half of the Summer Term. Detailed course information and advice on choices is made available at that time. KEY STAGE 5 The statutory requirements for Guided Learning Hours for each Sixth Form student (recorded in their individual Learning Agreement) are met through a combination of subject lessons, supervised study periods, PSHCEE lessons, assemblies, Tutor Time and the Personal Development Day programme. Information about the Key Stage 5 programmes of study is available in the Sixth Form section of the school website.
