Previous: Organisation and Activities/Complaints Procedure | Next: Extra-Curricular Activities

The Curriculum

Subject Organisation

Our curriculum is subject to the National Curriculum as regulated by Parliament, but we retain elements distinctive to Trinity. The National Curriculum is regarded by the school as a minimum entitlement for all students. The school annually publishes a Handbook for each of Years 7, 8 and 9, describing the curriculum for that year. For Years 10 and 11 the relevant examination syllabi are available.

The curriculum will cover English, Mathematics, Science (including Physics, Chemistry and Biology), Information Technology, Humanities (including History and Geography), Religious, Personal and Citizenship Education, Music, Dance, Drama, Art, Design Technology, (incorporating Food Technology, Textiles, Construction, Control Systems and Communication), European languages (chosen from French and Spanish) and Physical Education.

Additional music and instrumental tuition will be available. All students develop their skills of enquiry in our Learning Resource Base.

Senior members of staff lead the teaching in each of these areas. It is organised in courses within departments and in some cases across the whole curriculum. For example, Information Technology features as an option that students may study in depth for external examinations, but it is a necessary feature of the work of all courses. Health education is an essential feature of the education of all students, but several courses, including Science, Food Technology and Religious Education, make a significant contribution to its study.

Students sit the National Curriculum Tests towards the end of Year 9. In Years 10 and 11 they study courses leading to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and Vocational Qualifications. Each student enters a ‘pathway’ with a balance of courses most appropriate to them. This may include advanced courses for some and taster courses at partner Colleges of Further Education for others.

All of Years 10 and 11 will study the following curriculum: English (often separate Language and Literature); Mathematics; Balanced Science (a double award examination incorporating Physics, Chemistry, Biology and other Sciences); Design Technology and Religious Education. They may also choose languages (from French or Spanish); Humanities subjects (History, Geography or Business Studies); and aesthetic subjects (from Art, Music, Dance, Drama and examination-level PE). In addition, all students pursue Physical Education, Citizenship and Work Related Learning.

Grouping Arrangements

Initially, groups are arranged on a mixed ability basis to allow students to settle in and to respond to the new subjects being offered. After this period, arrangements will be modified to meet the varying levels ability and progress of students and the demands of different curriculum areas. A flexible pattern is operated with setting where necessary.

Flexible and Personalised Learning

Recognising the need to link the best of primary school practice with the requirements of continuing education, training and employment, we aim to develop abilities in learning, study and observation and other personal qualities throughout the compulsory secondary school years.

Linked with this is the need to have times in the week when planned activity is flexible so that individual interests may be pursued and individual needs more easily met. This is the task of the department responsible for Learning Resources which has, as its base, a large part of the ground floor of one building.
The school also accommodates a CLC (City Learning Centre) providing ICT facilities for students of local primary schools, Trinity students and adult members of the local community.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

Modern technology has a natural place in our curriculum that aims to foster an awareness of its potential and an appreciation of its part in our society. It is our aim to ensure that all students become confident users of ICT on completion of Key Stage 3 courses. All courses at Key Stage 4 have access to networked computer services.

As examples, Learning Support uses SuccessMaker, data logging takes place in Science, integrated learning packages are used in Mathematics and French, while computer-aided design and manufacture is used in Design Technology.

Access to computers is available before and after school with technical assistance available for all students. The entire school is networked with computers in almost all teaching rooms and offices. This network has a 1 gigabyte broadband connection to Manchester Computing Centre, giving us fast Internet access.
The school offers a variety of evening classes for parents and other members of the local community. Our website and Intranet are used as tools to assist teaching and learning. Our website and Intranet are used as tools to assist teaching and learning.

Technology College Status

As a school with a national reputation, it was not surprising that we should have been among the first schools in the country to be designated a Technology College. We have a rich experience of sharing expertise within this family of schools.

Financial support, as a result of our Technology College status, meant that our cross-curricular ICT provision was greatly enhanced and its potential realised through building on our existing Enquiry Skills Course. Our targets were many but those relating to improved interest and performance in Science, Mathematics, Design Technology and ICT have been fully realised.

As a Technology College, we undertake partnership work with other schools to help them in their development of using ICT in teaching and learning. Our Beacon school status saw this collaboration expand and this was enhanced further with our Leading Edge status.

Music

There is a clear emphasis on music in the school, witha large number of students pursuing instrumental tuition. Music has a special place in the curriculum and plays an important part in extra curricular activities. We make good use of the opportunities presented by our being a short walk from the Royal Northern College of Music.

We have excellent facilities which include a Recital Room, Keyboard Room, Percussion Room, Audio Room and a number of Practice Rooms. For several years the choir and orchestra have undertaken concert tours abroad as well as completing a full programme in Manchester. Recent tours have taken place in the Alsace region, Brussels, Italy, Massachusetts, Dublin, Edinburgh and Paris. Highlights have been performances in Strasbourg Cathedral, the Basilica in Brussels, Harvard Memorial Chapel and Chartres Cathedral.

Homework

Homework is required from all students. Homework timetables indicate not only the subjects to be set for particular evenings, but the appoximate amount of time to be devoted to such work. When for any reason students do not have homework set, they should ask for it.

Previous: Organisation and Activities/Complaints Procedure | Next: Extra-Curricular Activities