An innovative and
exciting curriculum
providing a first-class learning experience for
all our pupils
As leaders in education, with a clear vision for the curriculum we wish to deliver, the staff at Kneller Hall will provide a first-class learning experience for all our pupils, drawing on the very best expertise, research, and innovation. Crucial to this will be the pursuit of academic excellence including, but going well beyond, outstanding examination results, as each pupil will be empowered with a deep love of continuous learning and agile critical-thinking skills to help them navigate the challenges they will face in their lives.
Our curriculum vision
Our vision is of a curriculum that inspires as well as challenges, with the hallmark of a Dukes Education that our pupils will approach new knowledge with assurance and skill. When they leave school, they will earn places at their first-choice universities and other appropriate institutions, manifesting the skills, knowledge and confidence to make a positive difference in the wider world.
tHE sENIOR SCHOOL
YEAR 7 TO YEAR 11
Kneller Hall pupils will study a wide range of subjects, which will include English, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Sciences, Humanities and Creative & Performing Arts, as well as a broad programme of competitive sports, both individually and in teams. All learning, both inside and outside the classroom, will be as bespoke to each individual as possible.
There will be high quality coaching in football, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, rowing, swimming, and personal fitness, taking maximum advantage of the top-quality facilities available. Sporting opportunities will be supplemented by an extensive co-curricular programme catering to all pupil interests, with a clear expectation of participation across a range of areas of personal interest.
It is crucial that our pupils learn the importance of respect – for self and for others – and that they understand the complexities and challenges they will face while navigating the modern world. To this end, pupils will participate in a Reflections programme, which encourages full, frank, honest conversations and debate as part of the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) provision.
Pupils in Years 7-9 will also undertake an innovative, inter-disciplinary minicurriculum, called Konnections and focused on creativity, accountability and collaboration. Designed specifically for Kneller Hall, the Konnections programme will tackle traditional barriers to learning; it will develop an appreciation of skills that are transferable across the curriculum, encourage pupils to see through the confines of classroom walls, and result in the production and curation of ‘beautiful work’ through a contextual, thematic approach, rooted in the local community. There will also be the opportunity for pupils to undertake the Foundation and Higher Level Qualification (FPQ &HPQ) to better develop their skills in independent learning and research enquiry.
With a proven track record of success at GCSE we offer a broad range of subjects. The core consists of Maths, English Literature and Language, Biology, Chemistry, Physics. The options are: French, Spanish, Geography, History, Business Studies, Religious Studies, Drama, Music, Art Craft and Design, Design Technology (Food/Graphics/Product design). Some students will also take a Further Maths level 2 certificate
We are also proud to belong to a group of schools who form part of the School-Directed Curriculum Consortium. The SDCC is a group of schools who are designing and delivering their own curricular offerings at KS4 in order to enhance the student experience with richer, more broadly assessed alternatives. Designed as courses which provide real life application and alternative forms of assessment to GCSE, they do not replace GCSE’s but they may be sat alongside a smaller number of traditional GCSEs. We call this offer “Kneller Horizons.”
sixth form
preparing for success
Intellectual development and a love of learning are at the heart of what we will offer in the Sixth Form at Kneller Hall to provide the ideal bridge between the final years at school and the world beyond.
Being in the Sixth Form at Kneller Hall will be less about being taught and more about intellectual challenge and further discovering a love of learning, with excellent examination results naturally following. We will not ‘spoon feed’ a diet of facts dictated by course specifications – we want instead for pupils to share ideas, explore around and across subjects, take unexpected directions and break new ground.
Our A Level courses will be taught by inspirational teachers whose aim is for the pupils to achieve the very best they can, learning from teachers who are keen to share their passion for their subjects and encourage pupils to be the best they can be. Intellectual curiosity and academic achievement will go hand in hand.
THE KNELLER LAUREATE
academic and personal enrichment
Involvement and achievement in school from Year 7 through to Year 13 will earn the pupil’s enrichment credits, which will contribute towards their completion of the Kneller Laureate – a rounded programme to recognise their personal achievements, both inside and outside the classroom, to help them develop their skills across a broad range of opportunities.
A Digital Portfolio for the Modern Student
Powered by our innovative MetaMirror digital tool, the Laureate enables students to:
> Capture meaningful moments of achievement across all aspects of school life
> Reflect thoughtfully on their experiences, fostering deeper personal growth
>Receive personalised feedback from form tutors, creating an ongoing dialogue about development
>Present a comprehensive portfolio of accomplishments for work experience, university and job applications
The Four ‘Areas of Opportunity’
The Laureate program is structured around 28 carefully designed objectives, categorised into four essential “areas of opportunity” that encompass the complete educational experience:
Students aren’t expected to excel in every objective but are encouraged to engage broadly across all four categories, creating a balanced profile of achievement that reflects their unique strengths and interests.