Live core teaching
Natasha teaches core subjects on site, with adaptive teaching and strong adult relationships in the room.
Curriculum
Ambitious learning, personalised pathways, clear evidence
A broad, balanced curriculum matched to age, starting point and next steps. Academic ambition sits with sport, life skills and strong adult relationships so young people catch up, gain qualifications and move on with confidence.
Welcome
Welcome to our curriculum
Our curriculum is designed for young people who benefit from a personalised, ambitious school experience with strong relationships and calm, consistent adult support.
Many learners arrive after disrupted schooling. We keep high expectations in English, mathematics and qualifications, while rebuilding confidence, life skills and readiness to learn.
Academic study, vocational options, sport, personal development and wellbeing sit together so young people are ready for education, training or employment.
Learning in action
Real young people, real progress
Our curriculum is not only on paper. Young people learn in classrooms, kitchens, gyms and creative spaces across the centre.
Staff match teaching to starting points and keep ambition high, so learners catch up, gain qualifications and move on with confidence.
How it fits together
How the curriculum works
Follow this order to see pathways, teaching, assessment and evidence in one place.
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1. Curriculum intent: why the offer exists for young people who need a different school experience.
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2. Seven areas of learning: linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative.
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3. Pathways: KS3 Respite and Recovery (6 to 12 weeks) and KS4 personalised routes.
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4. Core English and Maths: blended live teaching with Natasha and Purple Ruler virtual teaching, matched to engagement and progress.
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5. Assessment journey: referral, baseline, personal plan, teaching, intervention, review, termly report, exit assessment. Evidence comes from the live teacher and/or Purple Ruler depending on the route accessed.
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6. Subjects and year-group plans Years 7 to 11, with schemes of work held for quality assurance.
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7. Personal development, careers and destinations: preparation for adulthood threaded through every pathway.
Core English and Maths
A blended approach: live teaching and Purple Ruler
Core subjects are taught through a mixed model. Natasha, our Core Subject Teacher, delivers live on-site teaching. Purple Ruler provides virtual teaching. Which route a young person uses depends on engagement, progress and the personal learning plan. Many learners move between both as they settle and improve.
Purple Ruler virtual teaching
Purple Ruler delivers live online English and Maths pathways, with ability banding and progress tracking under Evolution Education oversight.
Chosen for the learner
Staff match the method to what helps the young person engage and progress best. The personal plan records the route and when it changes.
Assessment matches the route
Progress evidence comes from the live teacher, from Purple Ruler, or from both, depending on which teaching method the learner is accessing.
How learning is organised
Modular, spiral and personalised
Many young people arrive with gaps after disrupted schooling. The curriculum stays ambitious and modular so learners can catch up on core skills while earning recognised awards.
High expectations
English, mathematics, qualifications and personal development keep ambition high for every learner.
Spiral core skills
Literacy, numeracy and readiness to learn are revisited so gaps close without lowering the ceiling.
Personal learning plans
Baseline assessment shapes each plan. Teaching, mentoring and enrichment adapt to the young person.
Half-termly review
Progress, attendance and next steps are reviewed regularly with families, schools and local authorities as appropriate.
Clear process
From referral to next step
One ordered process so staff, families and inspectors can see how decisions are made.
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Referral from a school or local authority
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Baseline assessment (literacy, numeracy, readiness to learn)
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Personal learning plan with Key Adult oversight
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Teaching across the seven Independent School Standards areas
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Intervention where gaps or engagement need a sharper focus
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Half-termly and termly review
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Qualifications and awards on pathway
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Exit assessment and planned destination or reintegration
Qualifications and awards
Recognised routes alongside core learning
Exact awards depend on pathway, starting point and centre. Typical KS4 and enrichment offers include:
English and Maths
Functional Skills and GCSE routes where appropriate, through live core teaching and/or Purple Ruler, matched to the learner.
AQA Unit Awards
Short, achievable accreditation that builds confidence and evidence of progress.
The King's Trust Achieve
Flexible personal development with optional regulated awards (Developing Resilience and PDE), delivered inside KS4 pathways and careers.
Sports Leaders Levels 1 and 2
KS4 Sports Performance and Leadership with Ismail: six half-term units from warm-up leadership to live events, CV and interview, with PE Life Skills and FA EE Playmaker where studied.
Duke of Edinburgh Bronze
Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition at Bronze level where enrolled.
FA EE Playmaker and practical certificates
FA EE Playmaker sits inside the sports leadership year. Food Safety and other practical certificates support vocational strands where offered.
Breadth and balance
What we include, and what we do not
Every pathway is designed so learners experience the seven Independent School Standards areas of learning. Human and social education is delivered through PSHE and RSHE, Citizenship themes, British Values, Wednesday assemblies and community-linked awards.
We do not currently offer a standalone modern foreign language. Curriculum time prioritises literacy, numeracy, digital skills, applied science, personal development, sport and preparation for adulthood, because that combination has the greatest impact for our cohort. We review the curriculum annually and can expand it if learner needs change.
Short KS3 placements still sample all seven areas within a compact timetable. Year-group plans and schemes of work show how that works in practice.
Pathways
1. Pathways and intent
Start with why we teach this way, then choose the pathway that matches the placement.
Teaching and assessment
2. How we teach and check progress
One assessment story for families, schools, local authorities and inspectors.
Assessment framework
Baseline to exit; live teacher and Purple Ruler evidence
Purple Ruler online learning
Virtual core partner in our blended model
Teaching, learning and assessment
How lessons work
Literacy and reading
Reading strategy and oracy
Exams and qualifications
Formal awards and exam access
Assessment and Pupil Performance Framework
Published policy HTML
Sport and Fitness
Sports Performance and Leadership year map
Evidence pack
3. Subjects, plans and documents
Public evidence for Independent School Standards Part 1.
Subjects and learning
Subject-by-subject pages
Curriculum documents
Year plans and unit overviews
Years 7 to 11 curriculum plans
ISS year-group pack
ISS Areas of Learning 2026 to 2027
Seven experience areas
Curriculum pathways framework
Routes and placement journey
Personal development
SMSC, awards and enrichment
Careers education
Gatsby-aligned guidance
Destinations
Next-step planning
Curriculum in action
Learning that is practical as well as academic
Classroom learning, mentoring and hands-on skill sit together. Young people re-engage through sport, creative work and vocational practice.
Each pathway is personalised, with clear targets so every young person can see progress.
Vision
Our curriculum vision
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Deliver an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum.
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Raise aspirations and improve life chances.
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Develop confidence, resilience and independence.
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Improve literacy, numeracy and communication.
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Prepare learners for adulthood and employment.
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Support positive mental health and emotional wellbeing.
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Celebrate every learner's progress.
Six curriculum pillars
How the curriculum holds together
Academic learning
English, Mathematics, Science and foundation subjects delivered through adaptive teaching.
Personal development
Character, resilience, relationships, wellbeing, SMSC, British Values, sequenced PSHE and planned Wednesday assemblies that prepare young people for adulthood.
Vocational learning
Practical pathways including Hair & Beauty Enterprise, music technology, sport, enterprise, cooking.
Employability
Careers education, work-related learning, employer engagement and enterprise.
Relational support
Mentoring, restorative approaches and emotional regulation support embedded throughout school life.
Enrichment
Educational visits, outdoor learning, community projects, sports and creative opportunities.
Independent School Standards
Seven areas of learning
Every pathway is planned so young people experience linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, and aesthetic and creative learning.
Linguistic
English, speaking and listening, Sports Leaders communication and reflection units.
Mathematical
Mathematics qualifications plus applied number in cooking, sport timing and real tasks.
Scientific
Human body, nutrition, healthy living and pathway science such as sport or beauty science where studied.
Technological
Digital learning platforms, tools and equipment in practical subjects, and safe workplace technologies.
Human and social
British Values, diversity, citizenship, King’s Trust and community-linked learning.
Physical
Sport, PE life skills, Sports Leaders and outdoor awards where offered.
Aesthetic and creative
Art for expression and wellbeing, beauty design and creative making on vocational pathways.
Pathways
KS3, KS4 and qualification routes
KS3 Respite & Recovery
A structured 6 to 12 week programme focused on literacy, numeracy, wellbeing and reintegration.
KS4 Personalised Pathways
Academic, vocational and sports routes shaped around starting points and ambitions.
Functional Skills and GCSE
English and mathematics Functional Skills, and GCSE study where appropriate.
Vocational qualifications
Hands-on routes including BTEC Sport and centre vocational strands where offered.
Pathway emphasis
Three personalised KS4 route emphases
After assessment, learners follow a vocational, sports leadership or academic emphasis. All routes keep English, mathematics, mentoring and personal development.
Vocational learning
Food, hospitality, beauty introduction, enterprise and unit awards that lead toward college or apprenticeships.
Sports and leadership
Sports Leaders, PE life skills, first aid, fitness and Duke of Edinburgh where offered.
Academic and progression
GCSE and Functional Skills pathways with ICT, applied science and broader qualifications where ready.
Principles of learning
How we expect teaching and learning to feel
These sit with the fuller Principles of Learning on Teaching, Learning and Assessment.
Relationships and readiness
Young people learn best with adults they trust. Key Adults and teachers work as one team.
Craft of teaching
High expectations, adaptive teaching, modelling and feedback so ambitious work is accessible.
Literacy and active purpose
Reading, vocabulary and oracy sit with sport, practical learning and real tasks.
Progress and next steps
Plans change when evidence shows something is not working. Destinations stay in view.
Preparing learners for life
Success is more than qualifications
Attendance
Being present and engaged enough to learn.
Confidence and wellbeing
Feeling safer, more settled and more able to try.
Relationships and behaviour
Stronger connections and better choices day to day.
Literacy and numeracy
Core skills recovering so the wider curriculum opens up.
Employability and independence
Habits and skills for adult life and work.
Qualifications and destinations
Recognised awards and a planned next step.
Related policies
Policies that sit with the curriculum
All school policies are published in the Policies area only. These are the curriculum-related documents already available there.
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Adaptive Teaching Policy
Published in the Policies library
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Behaviour for Learning Policy
Published in the Policies library
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Careers Education Policy
Published in the Policies library
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Curriculum Policy
Published in the Policies library
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SEND Policy
Published in the Policies library
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All policies
Full policy library
Curriculum documents
Booklets you can browse page by page
Open each booklet and swipe, drag or tap through the pages. Original PDFs are available to download from each viewer.
Curriculum pathways framework
Routes and placement journey
ISS Areas of Learning 2026 to 2027
How we meet the seven ISS experience areas
KS3
KS3 Respite & Recovery programme booklet, 2026 to 2027
KS4
KS4 Learning Pathways booklet, 2026 to 2027
Student Journey
Admissions, induction and placement pathways overview
All curriculum booklets
Browse every interactive booklet in one place
For schools and local authorities
Discuss a place or partnership
Places are arranged through schools and local authorities. Email admin@evolution-sportsgroup.com.
