Our Curriculum Model Rationale and Entitlement

The architecture of our curriculum model designs the structure and allocation of our subject and wider curriculum delivery across each year group and key stage. Our curriculum model is designed to ensure we effectively deliver our Trust’s shared curriculum intent by providing a broad and balanced curriculum and rich educational experience. We also design our academy’s curriculum model to best meet the needs of our students and locality reflecting upon courses that support the local and national job market and those that have been positive destination subjects for our students. 

At Outwood Academy Riverside, we want our students to leave us as well-rounded, kind and empathetic pillars of the community. We want our students to understand and appreciate the value of a positive and productive school experience. Our Values Programme underpins everything we do at Outwood Academy Riverside. We want our students to understand how to master their emotions, develop their knowledge and wisdom, become kind and compassionate individuals, learn how to protect themselves and their ideals, develop a healthy respect for staff and other students, see the importance of truth, integrity and wisdom, be courageous in situations that are difficult, be proud of who they are and be lionhearted and fearless in the pursuit of their own happiness. 

Our curriculum rationale reflects the value we place on developing our students’ personal growth and understanding of themselves, others and the community around them. Our academy is committed to promoting positive mental health, academic excellence and a strong sense of self-efficacy. We support a broad and balanced curriculum at Outwood Academy Riverside. Students study a range of subjects that develop a vast array of skills, such as: problem solving, inference, creativity and an awareness of the world around them and how we arrived here. Through this form of education, we are confident that students will not only leave with a strong level of employability, but the social skills and capacity to overcome any challenges they may face in the future. We are passionate that our five-year experience will be progressive, exciting and balanced.

Our curriculum rationale is reflected through our curriculum model. Each subject receives a fair allocation in our timetable to inspire, motivate and develop a love of learning in our students. Tutor time is used to teach, re-teach and develop values that will transform, not only the lives of our students, but the community around them. Through recitation of times tables and spellings of the week in our outdoor space, we hope to, not only be a reflection of the community around us, but a beacon for change and positivity for the community. It is through this change that students will secure their own success and inspire the next generation of children at the heart of Middlesbrough. We have strong links to local theatres, MFC, the digital industry and community facilities that we use to educate our children and teach them about the power of our local area. 

Speech and Drama

Speech and Drama lessons focus on students’ personal growth through the acquisition and development of communication skills and the creation of a personal ‘toolkit’, equipping individuals to compete in an ever changing job market and function with confidence in social and personal situations. Listening carefully, speaking clearly and putting others at ease are very valuable attributes to possess. Good communication skills remain the most sought after by employers, and the power of positive self-confidence and self-esteem in managing relationships and life’s challenges cannot be underestimated. There are three main strands in the Speech and Drama curriculum:

Using a wide range of stimuli, students participate in a variety of activities to explore and develop the following:

Students will be given many opportunities to exercise these new skills, the success of which will be validated by LAMDA and ESB examinations.

Speech and Drama lessons empower pupils to choose how to speak, communicate, interact and present in order to achieve their desired outcomes. They are also so much fun!