Key stage 3

Years 7 and 8 

A daily diet of English and Mathematics as the first two lessons of the day begins the timetable for pupils in years 7 and 8. This enables us to establish a learning culture which emphasises the need for sound literacy and numeracy as the foundation for success in other subjects and for life beyond school. This is built on through an extensive programme of Science, Humanities, Spanish and Physical Education lessons. Our core curriculum offer is supplemented by subjects which ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to access and study a broad curriculum. The pupils develop their entrepreneurial skills through the Enterprise including Business and IT, Food and Nutrition and Computing and explore their creativity through our Creative Arts subjects of Art, Drama and Music.

Parents of children in year 7 can read this booklet to see details of what their child will learn in each of the subjects. 

Parents of children in year 8 can read this booklet to see details of what their child will learn in each of the subjects. 

In addition to the National Curriculum subjects, a unique aspect of The Reach Free School’s timetable is Reach Beyond this includes ‘Community Common Room’. These sessions allow pupils to take part in activities which will benefit the local community. Pupils work together to reach out to the community by designing campaigns or planning and delivering fundraising events to give back to the local area.

This underpins The Reach Free School’s ethos of teaching children to respect, welcome and contribute to the successes of their local community and indeed national and international society.

Electives run from 2.20pm to 3.10pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, allowing pupils to experience and contribute to the school in various contexts such as playing for a sports team, attending Reach Council meetings or by enjoying the various activities on offer such as ‘Glee Club’ or ‘Insanity Workouts’.

Year 9

The Reach Free School offers an innovative Year 9 curriculum, whereby pupils get a chance to sample each GCSE and vocational option subject for half a term. This gives pupils the opportunity to find out what it is like to study each of the options available to them, in order to then make an informed choice in the March of Year 9 when they choose their Key Stage 4 options.

Pupils then begin their GCSE and vocational courses in the Summer term of Year 9. This gives pupils a term more to study towards their GCSE and vocational subjects, giving them ample time to cover all the course content in depth, and have time for revision prior to their examinations in Year 11.

Parents of children in year 9 can read this booklet to see details of what their child will learn in each of the subjects.

As part of the school’s commitment to the creative arts, we have developed a Music Development Plan which you can view here.