Use the drop down menus below to explore the different areas of the Duke’s Secondary School curriculum.
‘Inspiring Achievement – Encouraging Compassion’
Develop a culture of learning, success, high expectations, aspiration, challenge and inclusion in all aspects of school life to encourage life-long aspiration. This is reflected through the curriculum, the leadership and daily practices of pupils and staff, aspiring to be compassionate global citizens with a sense of community and social responsibility.
Duke’s Curriculum Intent
Our intention is to ensure that all of our students make outstanding progress and that our curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning. We recognise the diverse community which we serve and aim to create a curriculum which supports the needs and aspirations of all our students, is closely aligned with the NCEAT vision and also encompasses the four key principles which underpin the Church of England’s vision for education.
1. Educate for wisdom, knowledge and skills:
- We will continue to develop our curriculum to engage, inspire and motivate all of our students, regardless of background or ability, ensuring that our curriculum enables students to leave us with the best possible outcomes which enable them to successfully move onto the next stage of their development.
- By fully integrating our DNA into our curriculum plans we will establish the highest of standards of teaching and learning which allows all of our students to access their learning effectively and fulfil their potential.
2. Educate for Hope and aspiration:
- ur new key stage 4 options process and key stage 3 curriculum will enable students to enjoy their education and flourish in their chosen speciality whilst also experiencing aspects of wider cultural experiences.
- We will develop a strong information, careers and guidance programme which allows our students to develop into good citizens and contribute positively to their communities and wider society.
3. Creating a deeply Christian, inclusive, nurturing and aspirational culture
- Our curriculum will allow our students to engage in activities which broaden their cultural and sporting interests and contribute to a wider enjoyment of school.
- Through our revised PSHE (inc RSHE) and our Religious Studies curriculum we aim to celebrate a culture of diversity and respect.
4. Developing an inclusive learning community
- We strive to set the highest expectations of student behaviour and proactively develop the learning behaviours of our students so that all students can participate in disruption free learning in classrooms
- Through our specialist Beacon provision, we aim to provide a fully inclusive school environment where all students can flourish.
Digital Learning – Vision, Strategy and Delivery Mission Statement
Mission
As part of the Northumberland Church of England Academy Multi-Academy Trust, Duke’s Secondary School strives to:
- Provide a distinctively Christian inclusive and diverse learning environment which honours God. Every learner, adult and child here is enabled, nurtured and challenged to be the best they can be.
- Encourage staff and pupils to aspireto fullness of life [John 10:10]that they may achieve their full potential.
- Promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, personal and physical development of individuals within a Christian framework.
- Sustain a community in which everyone is respected and valued.
Vision
Our vision is to ensure that Educational Technology is used to support student progress and learning, and deliver an all-encompassing school framework and systems for technology use that further enables us to want to enable everyone in our communities to ‘let their light shine’.
this end, our vision includes developing the use of Educational Technology to foster an aspirational culture in our school and community, to encourage ambition for every child to maximise their potential, to develop independent learning skills which will contribute to our students becoming successful lifelong learners and to provide a relevant and modern curriculum that stretches and challenges.
Through increased use and integration of Educational Technology our vision is also to further ensure that teaching excels in all area and that behaviour enables learning at the highest level to occur; This learning will further embed the strands of our DNA Culture Code, namely Creativity, Questioning, Reflection, Independence, Collaboration, Resilience and Stretch and Challenge.
Aims
- Improve the use of technology in classroom and remote learning settings through practical resourcing via capital investment, community and parental donations.
- Encourage 21st century digital pedagogy practices in which effective use of technology informs learning, teaching and assessment
- Ensure that all students are equipped and prepared with the necessary skills for the digital world outside of the classroom
- Ensure that all staff are supported through professional development and have the skills to create non-traditional teaching and learning practices for their students
- To foster a vibrant digital culture amongst staff and students, which reflects and inspires the strands of our DNA Culture Code.
- To simplify, streamline and improve the efficiency of IT systems, data management software, processes and procedures in all areas of school.
Educational Technologies (Edtech)
Educational Technologies (Edtech) is increasingly important to us here at Duke’s as we look to take advantage of the benefits this provides in supporting high quality teaching and learning, communication and in preparation for further study, higher education and the workplace. The following is a list of applications, websites and platforms that are used regularly across the curriculum and by individual subject areas.
Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is built on developing the knowledge and skills acquired at Key Stage 2 and our aim is to ensure that students in years 7, 8 & 9 are able to experience a curriculum which inspires and enthuses them so that they develop a long term passion for learning, while fully preparing them for transition into Key Stage 4.
We have planned a curriculum that increases vocational and practical content, rationalises foreign language study, and supports upskilling of those who have not met the required standard for secondary education. We firmly believe that students in KS3 should enjoy their time in school through an innovative and diverse range of subjects as well as experience academic rigour in the more traditional subjects. For students who are behind their chronological age in reading we offer extra support through a bespoke programme of support throughout KS3.
Key Stage 3 allocations
| Subject | Lesson per cycle |
| English | 8 |
| Maths | 8 |
| Science | 9 |
| PSHE | 1 |
| Religious Education | 3 |
| PE | 5 |
| Humanities | 5 |
| MFL | 3 |
| Food Technology (Healthy Living) | 1 |
| Art | 2 |
| Design & Technology | 1 |
| ICT | 1 |
| Drama | 1 |
| Music | 1 |
Our Key Stage 4 Curriculum offers a range of subjects for pupils to study throughout Years 10 and 11. Some subjects are core, where all pupils will follow these subjects, and some are chosen by the pupils during Year 9.
Key Stage 4 Topic Maps
Our Key Stage 5 Curriculum offers a range of subjects for pupils to study throughout Year 12 and 13. We offer a range of Level 3 courses and pathways in both academic and vocational subjects. All applicants to the Sixth Form are counselled regarding the choices of subject that they make.
If the KS5 prospectus does not automatically load in the frame below, please click on the downward facing arrow in the top right hand corner of the frame to download a copy of the document as a PDF file.
Mr Line is the Deputy Principal, and has responsibility for KS5.
Dear Parent / Carer,
Reminder that our subject Google Classrooms are still regularly updated so that any student that is unable to attend school can continue their education from home. Work for each lesson is placed on Google Classrooms for all subjects from Year 7 to Year 13 so that students are not disadvantaged in their education by any enforced absences through illness or isolation.
We do understand that all students are ill from time to time and that when they are ill they are unlikely to be able to immediately access work that they are missing. However, the use of Google Classroom after the period of illness presents an opportunity for students to catch up any work missed and ensure that they do not have significant gaps in their knowledge compared to their peers.
We will be reminding all of our students of how to access catch up work via Google Classroom during tutor time over the next couple of weeks, but if you, as a parent or carer, are unfamiliar with how the system works then you can access a range of self-help resources focussed on the use of Google Classroom by clicking on the Remote Learning drop down menu within the Pupil Hub area of the website.
If you need specific help with Google Classrooms or have any issues with remote learning access, you can use the Google Classroom helpdesk button to be directed to a member of staff who will be able to contact you to assist. This button can be accessed by using the link above.
We hope that you will help us to ensure that students are effectively using Google Classroom to catch up on work missed during or after an absence from school. With all year groups having missed so much curriculum time over the last couple of academic years it is imperative for students of all ages that disruption to learning is minimised as much as possible over the coming months.
Kind regards,
Ben Line
Deputy Principal
For further information about the Duke’s Secondary School Key Stage 3 or 4 curriculum, please contact Mr Atkinson, Principal, on 01670 816 111.
For further information about the Duke’s Sixth Form Key Stage 5 curriculum, please contact Mr Line, Deputy Principal on 01670 816 111.
