Week A

Curriculum Mix 2023-24

This is how we break up the curriculum for each subject in terms of teaching time in minutes each fortnight.

Key Stage 3

Subject Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Accelerated Reader 60 60 0
Art 120 120 120
Computing & ICT 120* 120* 120*
Design and Technology 120 120 120
Drama 120 120 120
English 480# 480 420
Geography 180 180 180
History 180 180 180
MFL (French/Spanish/Chinese**) 240 180 240
Mathematics 420 420 480
Music 120 120 120
Physical Education 240 240 240
CCC (includes assembly) 170 170 170
Religious Education 60 60 60
Science 360 420 480
STEAM 60 60 0

* Plus technology rotation

** Students following the Mandarin Excellence Programme will have additional lessons per week

# Students close to, or below, expected standard will have additional 60 minutes per fortnight of English teaching

     

Key Stage 4

Subject Year 10 Year 11
English* 480 480
Mathematics 480 480
Science 600 540
Physical Education 120 120
CCC (includes assembly) 170 80
Religious Education/Ethics or Citizenship (a GCSE option for Year 10) - 240
Option A 300 360
Option B 300 360
Option C 300 360
Option D 300 -
Technical qualifications (within options) 300 300*

*Students on Technical 1 or EAL pathway have an additional lesson of English each fortnight and a lesson of LiFB each fortnight.  Students on the MAIN or EBacc pathways studying technical subject will also have a lesson of LiFB each fortnight. 

GCSE Options     Key Stage 4 Course Information   

Key Stage 5, Post-16

Students in Year 12 and 13 will have 600 minutes of taught lessons per subject per fortnight. In Year 12, students will also have timetabled enrichment for 120 minutes per fortnight.

In Year 12 and 13, all students studying less than 4 A-Levels, will have one or two timetabled Supervised Study Sessions (60 minutes each) as part of their study programme. Students studying Level 2 qualifications will have up to 12 lessons of 60 minutes each per week. Students in the Sixth Form attend Mentor period for 250 minutes per fortnight.

PSHCE is taught to year 12 and 13.  Year 12 receive 120 minutes per fortnight and year 13 60 minutes per fortnight of taught time.  PSHCE is also delivered through the Sixth Form assembly programme.

Sixth Form Study Programmes

If you would like more information about our curriculum please contact John Reid, Deputy Head [Curriculum and Professional Learning]. 

If you want to find out more about the Curriculum on offer at Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre then please contact our admin team via office@highdown.reading.sch.ukand they will direct your query to the correct person.