Curriculum Intent

Our curriculum builds upon the concept of ‘Inspiring Excellence’ and embodies our core values: Experience, Endeavour, Attitude, Achievement and Community.  As a school we believe in nurturing the talents of each individual (staff and student) so that they can fulfil their intellectual, creative, physical and emotional capabilities.

Coombeshead Academy has designed an ambitious, broad and balanced, academic curriculum which will give all learners, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, access to the deepest learning experience. Our curriculum has been planned and sequenced towards distinct end points which lead to an accumulation of deep knowledge and broad skills in each discipline.

Inspirational specialist teaching in each subject challenges each student to learn powerful knowledge, engage with the subject and teacher and make progress towards excellent outcomes. The very best teaching will unlock the cultural capital of each subject for every student by using a blend of classic academic content combined with a focus on the present and the future. All students, irrespective of background or need, will have access to the widest curriculum experiences.

Students are central to their own learning as reflective and self-motivated individuals. They will become highly equipped in the process of self-reflection in order to evaluate their own learning and therefore become truly ‘lifelong learners’.

We expect students to attend every day, engage actively with the learning, support their peers to learn and maximize their opportunities. The highest expectations and standards across the school coupled with care, guidance and support enables all students to both access the curriculum but also thrive within it.

Students are expected to work hard both during the school day and beyond when at home. Effective and collaborative relationships, in which all young people feel valued and respected, within a culture of high expectations and standards means that attitudes to learning are positive. The safe environment enables all learners to explore challenging concepts, accepting and learning from failure in order to improve and succeed.

The school is a champion of creativity where the arts, sport and technology play a pivotal role in the socio-economic success of the wider community. The broad and balanced curriculum means that students do not specialise too early, experiencing the full cultural capital of the National Curriculum until the end of Year 9 but also recognises that in our community, choice is vital in the long-term engagement and success of each student.

We want our learners to be creative risk takers and innovators. They will become leaders and team players as well as confident individuals who set themselves challenging professional and personal goals.

Coombeshead Academy is built upon the foundations of community. The school is a collaboration between students, staff, parents / careers and wider community of Newton Abbot and South Devon. The curriculum sits at the heart of the vision of Education South West where all schools in the trust are working towards the goal of advancing the life chances of every student.