RIS Mansfield School
Our curriculum is based around three key principles that are at the heart of what we do. Our curriculum aims to be:
- Broad and balanced
- Bespoke
- Prepares for Adulthood
By having a broad and balanced curriculum, learners can explore, experiment and expand their strengths and interests.
Bespoke means tailoring the curriculum to individuals needs and meeting learners where they are. We recognise everybody has different skills, strengths and challenges and that a curriculum needs to to be built around the learner to ensure that everyone can make progress and experience success.
We keep a keen eye on the future and aim to prepare our learners for the world of work by developing careers, education and vocational skills. It is also critical we prepare learners for success in adulthood through a robust personal development programme.
Curriculum Pathways
We recognise everyone’s educational journey is different and that learners come to us with a range of previous experiences. Our pathway system progresses from a less formal and highly person centred approach to a more formal approach to the curriculum and delivery. Our pathways ensure that we take account of a learner’s individual needs and meet them where they are along their own journey. We set expectations and design programmes based on each learners’ pathway. This might determine how much of their journey is based at a school site, the proportion of vocational skills taught and amount of subjects on a particular programme.
Our Thematic Curriculum
We aim to make learning relevant and meaningful to learners. We explore exciting and engaging topics across the year which have been carefully selected. By exploring the same themes and topics across a range of subject areas, learners develop a rich depth to what they learn and can apply skills and knowledge across different disciplines.
These themes change each half term. We have explored exciting topics such as ‘Our Future World’, ‘Justice vs Injustice’ and ‘Light and Dark’.
Qualifications
Regardless of the Curriculum Pathway a learner follows they have access to a broad range of qualifications in KS4/KS5. These can range from Entry Level all the way up to GCSE/A-Level. The main exam boards that we use are listed below-
- Pearson- Btecs, English, Maths
- NCFE- Creative Media/Design
- IMI- Mechanics
- BIIAB- Food/Catering
- AQA- Science, English, Maths
- AIM- Aim Award
Vocational Learning
We have a proud history of vocational learning. We offer a wide range of in-house alternative provision in areas such as Sports and Public Services, Adventure, Land Based Studies, Construction, Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Catering and Hospitality, Digital Arts, and Creative and Performing Arts. We also have partnerships with other experts in this field. When learners access these areas of learning they work in environments that are industry related.