Our Fantastic Curriculum Tailored Especially for Our Students!

This week, all Year 7 students submitted their Year 8 Trial subjects for 2021-2022. Thank you to all 304 students and families who took the time to discuss and submit their options with careful consideration – balancing enjoyment and the opportunity to challenge themselves!

Although students are picking trial subjects as part of their bespoke Key Stage 3 programme, students are also aware that this is an excellent opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ and find out whether each subject is suited to them before they select in Key Stage 4.

Students have been given the choice to trial three subjects to give them time time to discover different pathways that work for them – in Year 8, at Key Stage 4, and in the future. More importantly, we want students to learn about themselves and discover new passions by studying a different subject with no pressure.

In April, The Farnley Academy conducted a Student Voice with the current Year 8 students who trialled their three subjects this year. A whopping 96.4% enjoyed their trial subjects and said that they ‘enjoyed the lesson format’ and found their subjects ‘interesting’.  What’s more, a spectacular 100% found the experience of the Year 8 subject trial programme useful in some way to help them pick their subjects for Key Stage 4. The fantastic feedback affirmed our ambitious programme, and proved that the personalised approach for each student is successful at providing a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as experiencing a Key Stage 4 subject

At the start of this half-term, Mrs Girling (Assistant Principal for Key Stage 3 Achievement) delivered an assembly to launch the Subject Trial options and explained the process to students. With a wealth of information provided to both students and parents, they chose their three trial subjects carefully.

Students displayed maturity and excitement, and understood the importance of the subjects. They all made the most of opportunities available to discuss their choices with their form tutor, subject teachers and careers advisors. In addition to this support, Miss Sunderland (KS3 Achievement Progress Leader) also spoke to students to ensure they were confident with their choices.

We look forward to hearing about their experience in 2021-2022!