Induction Booklet
Essential information about Paddington Academy is available at the following link.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Subjects offered at Key Stage 3 include: English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, RE, Art, Music, Drama, Technology, ICT, PE, Modern Foreign Languages (Spanish and French), Media, Learning Guidance, PSHE.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
The full range of subjects on the curriculum includes: English, English Literature, Maths, Science, Additional Science, Applied Science, Arabic, Art, Astronomy, Business Studies, Catering, Dance, Drama, Economics, Fashion, Geography, Graphics, Health & Social Care, Home Cooking Skills, History, Hospitality, ICT, Media Studies, PE, Performing Arts, Photography, RE, Resistant Materials, Sociology, Spanish, PE, Travel and Tourism and Social Enterprise.
Key Stage 5 Curriculum
At post-16 we recognise that students have different desires or designs. Some have clear ideas on careers they wish to follow at 17 or 18 whilst others have plans to move onto Higher Education. In order to meet these different demands we offer different pathways which lead to Advanced Levels, Applied ‘A’ Levels or BTEC qualifications. All students are expected to take advantage of the optional enrichment courses available.
AS and A2 Courses
A Level courses are now available in all major subject areas. Additional subjects such as, Dance, Economics, Law, Media, Photography, Psychology, Philosophy and Ethics have been introduced alongside more established courses. Present subjects available include English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, French, Spanish, Sociology, Economics, Law, Media and Drama. A Sixth Form student can achieve additional qualifications through GCSE subjects.
Learning Support
The Academy has the additional benefits of a Learning Support department which provides individual help and classroom support for children with learning difficulties. It is important to recognise that children who experience education, social and/or behavioural difficulties require individual help. Wherever and whenever it is appropriate, children with learning difficulties are integrated into mainstream lessons. Their progress is carefully monitored. What will you learn at Paddington Academy? We welcome applications from students with physical disabilities, access for the disabled was an important consideration in the design of the new premises.
The Best in Everyone
At Paddington Academy, we believe that all of our students are talented and we aim to bring out the best in everyone. All students will become an ‘expert’ in the area of their choice; we know that every student has a gift, and we are determined to help them to discover it, and make it flourish. This belief underpins the curriculum our students follow, the manner in which they learn in lessons, as well as our after school clubs, trips, performances and wider experiences. Our most talented students have opportunities to demonstrate their high calibre skills within the local community and at a National level.
Target Setting
A fundamental objective of Paddington Academy is that each child achieves the highest standards possible. We believe that target setting plays a crucial role in ensuring that students set themselves short and medium term targets which will stretch them and encourage them to go further. Consequently, each student’s progress is closely monitored throughout his/her Academy career. In so doing, under-achievement can quickly be addressed and proven success can be applauded. It is our policy during Years 10 and 11 to keep parents and students fully informed of syllabus content, assessment requirements and assignment deadlines. We are confident that a close working relationship between Home and Paddington Academy during these two vitally important years is an effective means of enabling students to achieve.
Homework
Regular home learning has been proven to increase the success of our students. All students receive a range of homework tasks every day from at least 2 different subject areas. KS3 students should spend approximately 30-40 minutes per subject each night, and KS4 and 5 students should spend approximately 1 hour per subject each night. KS4 and 5 students will also have coursework to complete. There is a daily homework club in school to support students with all subject areas, and all homework is posted on our website.
Careers and Guidance
Students of all ages are given the opportunity to learn about the world of work, to learn from experiences of work and to learn skills for work. Opportunities to learn are developed through the curriculum and through a varied programme of enrichment activities. Specific guidance is given to students at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 about how to progress into further education, training or employment.
Paddington Academy works in partnership with employers to give students at Key Stage 4 a work experience programme which matches their skills and aspirations. In addition, opportunities are developed to link vocational programmes of study to local employers. A wideranging careers programme, together with links to external organisations such as Connexions, means that all students have access to high-quality guidance and are able to make a successful transition to higher education, training or employment.