At Lodestar Academy, we hold three core curriculum commitments at the heart of everything we do. To ensure that our work meets the needs of our learners, our curriculum:
It is crucial for a school curriculum to be engaging and creative because students learn best when they are interested and invested in their education.
A curriculum that encourages creativity not only helps to develop thinking and problem solving skills, but it also allows students to express themselves and explore their interests. Student voice feeds directly into the curriculum design and development plans.
A curriculum that is designed to be engaging and creative can inspire a lifelong love of learning and help students reach their full potential.
Examples of engaging and creative curriculums at Lodestar Academy include:
A school curriculum needs to broaden horizons, especially when students are living and studying in a geographically insular location such as Torbay. The Burton Academy curriculum needs to expose students to new ideas, perspectives and experiences that they may not encounter in their everyday lives.
A curriculum that promotes diversity and multiculturalism helps students to appreciate different cultures and understand their place in the global community. For example, inclusion of literature and history from different countries and regions helps broaden students’ understanding of the world and fosters empathy and respect for other cultures.
A curriculum that broadens horizons not only prepares students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world but also helps them become well rounded individuals with the cultural capital to contribute to society on a much broader playing field. At Lodestar Academy, we seek to broaden the horizons of every student, supporting them to seek out exciting opportunities to learn and grow.
It is essential that Lodestar Academy provide a curriculum which is designed to close gaps, as our students often arrive having missed significant chunks of their education.
Falling behind their peers can have long-term consequences on a student’s academic and personal growth. When students miss crucial learning opportunities, they can struggle to catch up, leading to a cycle of disengagement and low achievement.
Our curriculum is designed to close gaps, and does so by: