Purpose Of The Curriculum

The general aims of our curriculum are detailed below. The curriculum at Woodford has been shaped, not only to ensure it fulfils the requirements of the national curriculum, but also to meet the needs and aspirations of our particular student body. Here at Woodford we have students with great academic ability from a diverse range of backgrounds. They and their families are ambitious for their futures and regard a strong, multi-disciplined academic grounding as being the best way to access further opportunities in the future. They are also keen for their daughters to become well-rounded individuals with a strong sense of social responsibility.

We very much share this view, and the design of our curriculum reflects it, so as well as fulfilling the basic requirements of the national curriculum and examination board specifications we have shaped it in other ways to meet our needs, for example by the establishing of a Creative Technologies Department, facilitating the teaching of Triple Science to all student in Key Stage 4, instituting a flexible and broad GCSE options system and allowing students to study texts, events and ideas from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds.

Overview Of The Curriculum

The aims of our Curriculum are articulated in our Curriculum Policy (see School Policies page for the full policy):

"Woodford County High School for Girls aims to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, relevant to the needs of all students, which in keeping with the stated aims of the School will:
a. encourage the intellectual and personal development of all students and build on their prior experiences and achievements;
b. encourage students to develop maturity, confidence and independence of thought;
c. help students to acquire the understanding, knowledge and skills relevant to adult life in a fast changing world
d. Help students to develop moral, democratic and spiritual values, along with respect and tolerance, which enable them to appreciate and understand races, religions and ways of life different from their own;
e. help students to understand the world in which they live and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations."

The planning of the curriculum throughout the school is shaped by these aims. The Curriculum Map below provides an overview of our curriculum from Year 7 to Year 13. Greater detail on the curriculum rationale for each Key Stage can be found in the sections of the website devoted to the Years 7-9 Programmes of Study, Years 10-11 and the Sixth Form (Courses We Offer).

Curriculum Map

We operate a two-week timetable of 50 one-hour lessons. Below these are broken down by Year Group.

A downloadable version of this map available at the foot of the page.

Explanatory Notes
Key Stage 3

• Technology runs on a carousel consisting of Electronics, Food & Nutrition and Product Design
• 50% of the cohort studies Latin and the other 50% German
• Girls complete the full Key Stage 3 curriculum in Mathematics and Science in Year 8.
• Girls commence GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics in Year 9
• The curriculum is thus designed to maximise the number of students entering and achieving the more specialised Triple Science examinations without narrowing the curriculum in Key Stage 4.

Key Stage 4

• All girls study non-examined courses in Core RS & PE, thereby promoting critical thinking, British Values and fitness and sportsmanship respectively.
• All girls must study a language plus Geography or History

Sixth Form

• Most girls study 3 A Levels, plus the Extended Project Qualification. Working towards an EPQ provides invaluable preparation for study at undergraduate level.
• Some study four A Levels, including Further Maths
• A small number study 3 A Levels only, with additional supervised study to promote their maximum progress.

Our Vision In Action

As well as fulfilling our Curriculum Policy aims, we expect what we teach to be in line with the vision we have for our students' experience here at Woodford (see Our Values & Vision page). A taste of how we do so can be found in the document below.