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The Curriculum
Pre 16 Curriculum
The school follows the full national curriculum, taking account of current statutory requirements. In the younger classes, subjects are often taught in an integrated way through topic work and language programmes. As pupils progress through the school, the programme becomes more subject-based and specialised, with additional learning and language support as necessary.
Curriculum Maps show the learning journey that each class will take over the year giving a brief outline of the topics that are covered in different subject areas. They are updated each year as the school's curriculum develops. Please click here to access current curriculum maps.
Areas of study include: English, Maths, Science, Information Communication Technology, Music, Design and Technology, Art, Physical Education, Topic Based Learning – which encompasses aspects of Geography, History, Religious Education, Citizenship and Modern Foreign Languages, Personal Social and Health Education, Careers Education and Guidance, Environmental Education, Home Economics, Child Development, Drama, and areas of study leading to external examinations and accreditation (Unit Awards, Entry Level Certificate and G.C.S.E.) as appropriate to the ability of the individual. The pupils are encouraged towards greater independence and accepting more responsibility for their own learning, with preparation for leaving school as the ultimate goal.
The school is organised into year groups and pupils are usually placed in their chronological age band with a class teacher. Class sizes generally vary in number with approximately 12 pupils in each and rooms are busy and welcoming. Work is differentiated in order to always provide an appropriate challenge. Self-esteem and confidence is raised through reinforcement, recognition and reward (a number of incentive schemes operate within school). Independence is further encouraged through a structured in-school programme as well as regular work experience. The school won the Kent Education Business Partnership Award for the quality of its work preparation programme.
Language Development
The school offers a language programme with speech and language therapists working with staff to ensure that the communication needs of the individual are met. This is achieved by construction programmes based on formal and informal assessment of the strengths and presenting needs. A "language rich" environment enables access to literacy, social communication, keyworking, meeting new people, analysis of video, performing arts, interviewing, negotiating, student committees, telephone, community activities, circle time and many others.
Independence Training/Life Skills
Independence training/life skills play an important part in our pupils' education, this covers the 24-hour curriculum and each pupil has an individual programme of life skills activities. These programmes are carefully designed to provide a range of experiences in preparation for independent living and adulthood.
Topic Based Learning
This year we are introducing a new approach to curriculum delivery through our Topic Based Learning programme. Topic Based Learning encompasses Geography, History, Religious Education, Citizenship and Modern Foreign Languages in a more holistic, cross curricular approach to learning. Pupils have the opportunity to learn through topics such as Anne Frank and World War II, The Elements, and All About Us. This allows the pupils to see a wider picture and to draw together different areas of learning which have in the past been quite separate entities.
Religious Education and Collective Worship
Religious Education is now part of our Topic Based Learning programme, and is still an important part of the Curriculum. Pupils have the equivalent of one lesson per week and per the National Curriculum guidelines. The school seeks to help pupils gain knowledge of Christianity and other principal religions from across the world. A variety of teaching and learning strategies are used within lessons and R.E. also supports other aspects of the curriculum.
Daily assemblies and the school's equal opportunities policy, where all forms of discrimination in school are challenged, have close links with religious education. The R.E. Policy is fundamental to the promotion of spiritual development amongst the pupils. This is further strengthened by the ethos of the school, good relationships, environmental awareness and collective worship.
Careers Education and Work Experience
All pupils from Year 9 follow a basic Work Related Learning programme which encompasses Careers Education and Guidance. This is a shared responsibility throughout the whole curriculum. The aims are to develop a self-awareness that results in a realistic, but positive appreciation of abilities, skills, values and potential. The school has an assigned Careers Consultant who meets the pupils on a regular basis. The careers library and resource centre offers specialist information, which can be accessed by everyone.
A comprehensive programme of Work Experience begins in Year 11 with all pupils having equal access to placements. We hold the City and Guilds Quality Award for Work Experience.
The Careers programme is designed to prepare our pupils for adulthood and working life enabling them to take their place in society as responsible independent citizens.
Information Communication Technology
The school has a comprehensive I.C.T. policy which covers all key stages, reflecting the needs and strengths of the individual.
Through this programme we are able to offer our pupils a differentiated curriculum developing independent learning, creative thinking and problem solving skills. Each class has access to an interactive whiteboard which enables a wider use of ICT in different subjects across the curriculum. We have a strategic commitment to I.C.T. through the Government's National Grid for Learning.
Art
At Broomhill Bank School we feel that art should be fun, challenging and stimulating. We aim to increase awareness of the world and to develop creativity whilst promoting a sense of achievement and self-worth with pupils showing respect towards their own and others' work. This is reflected in the many art displays around the school and we have also aim to show pupils’ work within in our local community on a regular basis. In addition to this pupils have been successful in Art competitions and had their work displayed at The Turner Gallery in Margate. We produce a yearly school ‘art’ calendar which shows many examples of pupils’ work and all year groups within the school are encouraged to use a wide range of media. This includes: painting, drawing, textiles, batik, fabric painting, fabric crayons and embellishment, paper mache, printing etc. All pupils are involved in helping to make props and scenery for our regular school productions.
All pupils in the lower school have art lessons in our well equipped art room and every pupil passes an exam in the subject at the end of Year 11. We run Entry Level and GCSE courses in Art and Design and we are very proud to have been awarded ArtsMark status. Mrs. Whitbread is subject coordinator for art and she is supported by Mrs. Colebrooke, the subject teaching assistant.
Maths
At Broomhill Bank School we recognize that mathematics is essential in everything we construct, everything we calculate and in almost every problem that we have to solve in our daily lives. The special power of mathematics lies in its capacity to describe, explain and predict possible answers to practical problems. Mathematics provides a means for organizing, communicating and manipulating information. The ability to communicate mathematically is fundamental and pupils need to learn how to communicate to others using the language/medium of mathematics.
Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics develop as they use it in practical activities, to solve relevant and meaningful problems, and to explore the patterns and relationships on which mathematical concepts depend. A broad mathematical education is essential for all our pupils.
The ability to apply mathematical knowledge to unfamiliar problems has to be learned by all pupils. The relationship between mathematical skills and techniques and their practical use is not always self-evident to pupils. Problem solving and investigational work will help to develop this ability. Qualities of perseverance, imagination and flexibility, self-management and team working skills can also be developed through these skills.
At Broomhill Bank School our programmes of study are informed by the Key Stage 3 curriculum. We structure these programmes in a way that recognises the needs of our pupils; using methods and organisation, which best promote teaching and learning.
Each pupil’s annual review specifies a target to aim for by the time of the next review. Staff engage in agreeing these targets with the pupils if possible, making use of the national curriculum assessment, teacher assessments and other available data and progress expectations for the individual child. Further information on these targets is also found in pupils’ IEPs. Maths data helps inform both the school’s annual and statutory target setting process.
At Broomhill Bank nearly all pupils prepare for the Mathematics Entry Level qualification in Year 11. Some years a small group of pupils complete this process in Year 10 so that they can attempt GCSE Mathematics (Foundation Level) in Year 11. We now also prepare students for Maths Functional Skills at Key Stage four and five.
Music
Music at Broomhill Bank is offered as a weekly lesson to all pupils in the lower school. They follow the National Curriculum guidelines regarding listening, performing and creating music. Singing is a particular strength at this school and this is highlighted in the annual Christmas Production when there is a performance combining music and drama. All pupils are given opportunities to enable them to develop their musical skills to the best of their ability.
Performance Arts (Music, Drama, Dance, Film Studies, Sound and Lighting)
Over the last 2 years Performance Arts within Broomhill Bank School has grown and developed into a collaborative partnership with the Music Department led by Mrs. Potter, the Drama Department led by Mrs. Rees and the Art Department led by Mrs. Whitbread and in addition the FED team . In doing this the school regularly shows off the students' talents with in-school productions. Last year we also introduced film studies and consequently won 2 awards at the National Youth Disability Film Awards held in Cambridge and introduced “Broomhill’s Got Talent” which was a fabulous success. 
“Drama” and “Music” lessons feature on the weekly timetables for all students and during these sessions students are engaged in a variety of different activities from music appreciation to music production, using and performing with play scripts to learning to use the lighting/sound desk for a performance and creating props/costumes and scenery. Many students also enjoy the extended day activity of Drama club which also produces an annual performance.
At Broomhill Bank School we believe that the Performance Arts allow students to channel their energy and desires in ways that they may have not experienced before. From working with the students it is clear that they all do have an imagination and the Performance Arts allows them to showcase their true potential.
Physical Education
The school aims to provide enjoyable physical activities for all pupils. They are encouraged to develop positive attitudes through competition and to appreciate their own and others' achievements and limitations. Pupils are encouraged to be competitive in individual and team competitions and are taught to accept winning and losing with grace and dignity. The school follows the statutory P.E. requirement. The curriculum, activities offers a broad range of activities that include swimming, dance, games, gymnastics, athletics and cross-country running.
In Years 10 and 11 pupils participate in an Entry Level PE qualification.
Annual events include a Dance and Gym Display, an Easter Egg Hunt, a Cross Country Competition and Sports Day.
Outdoor education is included as much as possible. There are annual visits to the Kent Mountain Centre in North Wales, an Outdoor Education Centre in the New Forest as well as local walks and camping trips.
Extra -curricular sporting activities are provided through our extended day program. This includes specific sports that pupils want to participate in such as table tennis and cross country and general fun activities.
A key feature of PE lessons is pupils learning how to set up and play games that they can participate in at home, with their siblings, friends and in time, with their own children. The value of this playing games with others helps to build an emotional attachment that is especially important to the parent child relationship and can have long term benefits to the emotional and social well being of that person throughout life.
Science
All students are taught science throughout their five years in lower school.
In recent years there has been a change of emphasis within Science away from factual recall of knowledge, towards development of scientific skills such as recognising how science is used in every day life, and being able to plan, review and risk assess investigations. 
The programmes that the year groups follow at Broomhill Bank aim to develop these skills through a range of activities and at a range of different levels. As far as possible lessons have a fun and practical focus, particularly in years 7 and 8 with plenty of hands on experiences to support learning. We are extremely lucky with the location of the school, it provides a wide range of natural habitats to support learning about the environment. Whenever possible we use outside resources to supplement the ideas and concepts we are learning about in class. In the last school year this involved a visit from Folly wildlife complete with hedgehog; a visit to the Otford Solar System; a litter picking article in the local newspaper; and a visit to the water treatment works in Tonbridge. We have also hatched and raised our own chickens, which live at school for most of the year (they go on their summer holidays to a staff home).
In year 9 classes currently begin an OCR Entry Level Science course which runs for two years. This takes the form of short topics from biology, chemistry and physics at the end of which students take a short (15 minutes) written test. These tests along with assessed coursework enable the students to work towards either Bronze, Silver or Gold awards at the end of the course.
In year 11 students either follow a GCSE science course linked to the Entry Level course they have completed, or combine Science and PSD to learn about baby and childcare, a practical environment project and a topic on healthy lifestyles.
Sex Education
This aims to promote a healthy, well-balanced and moral life-style, the teaching will cover:
- Personal relationships and responsible behaviour
- Developing self-esteem
- Family relationships
- How bodies change; reproduction and methods of birth control
- Developing their ability to make informed and responsible decisions