At St Sampson’s High School the curriculum is designed to be inclusive, build on students’ prior learning, enabling each student to reach their full potential, develop interpersonal skills, build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers.

We want our students to have the same opportunities and entitlement. We want our students to grow into healthy and successful adults. We want them to know about their Island and become global citizens. We want them to learn the knowledge and skills they need for their futures.

The six principles of our curriculum are:

• High Aspiration and personal development
• Life-long learning
• Knowledge based
• Communication and teamwork
• Equality and diversity
• Love of Reading

Assessment of the curriculum compares the actual outcomes of students with the intended outcomes of the curriculum. Each department plans the assessments that will be used to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum and uses these to adjust the curriculum of future units to minimise any gaps in the narrative of the subject.

In all departments, teachers utilise live marking, corrections in class and whole-class feedback to ensure students learn and remember more. Staff review the achievements of their classes, provide verbal or written or feedback at least every three weeks and then plan lessons to address misconceptions or extend progress.

Our three summative assessments cumulatively test students’ learning over the year. Revision is built into the curriculum to support our students’ progressive understanding of how to learn independently. Alongside this, all departments implement a variety of formative assessments and quizzes to test and reinforce their learning and feedback into teaching.

At Key Stage 3, all students follow programmes of study in 14 subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Art, Citizenship/Careers Design Technology, Drama, Geography, History, ICT, Modern Foreign Languages, (French, German and/or Spanish), Music, PE, and RS.

At Key Stage 4, all students study English, Mathematics, Science, ICT, RS, Games, Citizenship, and a programme of Careers Education and Guidance.

In addition, students have the choice to study courses in the following subjects: Art, ASDAN – Certificate of Personal Effectiveness, Business Studies, Catering, Child Care, Computer Science, Construction, Drama, Engineering, French, Geography, Graphics, Health & Social Care, History, Media Studies, Music, Physical Education, Additional Science, Photography, Prince’s Trust Achieve, Psychology, Public Services, Resistant Materials, Statistics/Further Maths.

During Year 10 all students will be provided with the opportunity to gain work experience through a week-long placement with local employers.

The school encourages students to avail themselves of the Island Schools Peripatetic Music Service Provision and other music tuition made available through the music department.

To find out more about the curriculum please see the States of Guernsey Curriculum Information page or contact us directly.