Madeley School Curriculum Statement

Our curriculum at Madeley School is underpinned by our core values of:

  • Pride and respect
  • Confidence
  • Resilience
  • Aspiration
  • Positivity
  • Enjoyment
  • Politeness

Curriculum Intent at Madeley School

At Madeley School, our curriculum is more than a series of subjects—it is a carefully structured journey that prepares students to lead fulfilling and successful lives. It is designed to be inclusive, ambitious, and knowledge-rich, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, develops the skills, understanding, and character needed to thrive in modern society.

We are committed to providing a broad and aspirational curriculum that:

  • Is ambitious for all learners, including disadvantaged students and those with SEND.
  • Develops deep and fluent knowledge, building sequentially across all key stages.
  • Encourages breadth at Key Stage 3, ensuring a strong foundation in 14 subjects before specialization.
  • Is logically sequenced, ensuring knowledge builds progressively over time.
  • Uses teaching strategies that support deep learning, retention, and recall.
  • Integrates careers education and employer engagement, linking learning with real-world applications.
  • Encourages cultural capital and British values, equipping students with the knowledge and experiences to contribute meaningfully to society.

Curriculum Implementation

Our curriculum is carefully designed to balance academic excellence with personal development, offering:

  • A spiral curriculum model, allowing key concepts to be revisited and mastered over time.
  • A strong emphasis on Mathematics and English, with additional time allocated to ensure students have essential literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Adaptations for SEND and disadvantaged students, ensuring high expectations are maintained without limiting access to the full curriculum.
  • Carefully planned interventions and additional challenge, ensuring all students make at least national rates of progress.
  • A focus on depth before breadth, ensuring subject content is thoroughly understood before students move on to more complex concepts.
  • A structured approach to CIAG (Careers, Information, Advice, and Guidance), embedding career pathways within subject areas and providing real-world learning experiences.

Beyond the classroom, our extensive enrichment programme includes:

  • STEM clubs, debate teams, arts and music, sports teams, and business simulations, providing hands-on learning opportunities.
  • Masterclasses and intervention sessions, ensuring all students receive additional support or challenge when needed.

  • Opportunities for residential trips, broadening students' personal and cultural experiences.

  • The Duke of Edinburgh scheme from Bronze, Silver and Gold is available to pupils from Y9.


Personal Development & British Values

Our Personal Development Programme (PD) is central to developing well-rounded, responsible students. Through dedicated lessons and drop-down days, we provide:

  • SRE, Citizenship, Financial Capability, and Mental & Physical Well-being, ensuring students develop the knowledge and resilience to succeed in life.
  • High-quality careers education, offering work experience, employer engagement, and clear guidance on future pathways.
  • A focus on social mobility and cultural capital, ensuring all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to enriching experiences that broaden their horizons.

Curriculum Impact

We measure the success of our curriculum by ensuring:

  • Academic outcomes that exceed national expectations.
  • Closing achievement gaps for disadvantaged and SEND students.
  • All students leave Madeley School well-prepared for further education, training, or employment.

At Madeley School, our curriculum is designed to equip every student with the knowledge, skills, and character to make a meaningful contribution to society, ensuring they leave us as confident, capable, and well-rounded individuals.


Key Stage 3 (Years 7 through 9)

The curriculum includes:

  • English – including English mastery (Yr 7 to Y9)
  • Mathematics – Key Stage 3 is part of the 5-year journey with a focus on mastery
  • Science
  • Spanish 
  • History
  • Geography
  • Religious Education
  • Performing Arts – Drama
  • Music
  • Arts (including the Arts Award)
  • Computing
  • Physical Education (two hours per week)
  • Technology, including Food, Preparation & Nutrition
  • Personal Development - Covering PSHEe, CIAG, Citizenship, SRE, Health and Wellbeing and Study Skills


Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11)

Early in the spring term of Year 9 students will choose their option subjects that they will specialise in to GCSE level, examinable at the end of Year 11.  They will choose 3 Option subjects that they will study for 6 hour long periods across the two week timetable. Ebacc is at the center of our curriculum offer, but we offer a more flexible non-Ebacc route 

All students must study the following:

  • English Languages

  • English Literature

  • Mathematics
  • Science - Combined Trilogy Science or separate Triple Sciences - Biology, Chemistry and Physics

  • History or Geography

  • Spanish (if following Ebacc)

  • Physical Education (three hours per 2 week cycle)
  • Personal Development - Covering PSHEe, CIAG, Citizenship, SRE, Health and Wellbeing and Study Skills and financial capability.


In KS4 Personal Development takes place during form time as well as throughout the year  in deep learning days, when the normal lesson timetable is suspended.  These days allow students to learn in different ways including off site experiences, with external providers and a range of students.  These days cover Staying Safe, British Values, Study Skills, Pathways and work ready skills.

Optional Subjects (at least two of the following):

  • GCSE Spanish 
  • GCSE Drama
  • GCSE Music
  • GCSE Art & Design
  • GCSE Photography
  • GCSE Computer Science
  • GCSE Technology (Fashion Textiles / Product Design (Polymers) / 3D Project design
  • GCSE Physical Education 
  • GCSE Food Nutrition & Preparation
  • Btec Health & Social Care
  • Btec Enterprise