The programme has three core elements: interdisciplinary learning, rich subject-based lessons and co-curricular activities.

A strong pastoral ethos embodied in ‘Crew' runs through the programme, connecting the year groups and providing support from staff and peers.

Inter-disciplinary Enquiry (IE) has two elements. First, using an enquiry approach to learning; second, putting subjects together in combinations to create a richer learning experience.

Why enquiry?

Enquiry-based learning has a long and distinguished history and is used in many of the most forward-thinking international education systems and schools.

Students work on investigations, driven by compelling questions or real-life problems. Teachers ask questions, impart knowledge and design tasks to help pupils ask questions, make predictions, gather and analyse information, and reflect on their learning. Where possible students will present their work to an audience of fellow pupils, parents, visiting ‘experts' or members of the public.

Enquiry is a significant step beyond ‘topic' learning. Students become leaders of their own learning, supported by highly structured planning. Knowledge is vital in every investigation, and the deeper learning happens when students are challenged to process this knowledge in order to complete more creative and demanding tasks. The ‘magic' happens when a fire is lit within the students so that they want to find out more and lead their own learning.

Why inter-disciplinary?

Our inter-disciplinary approach is inspired by education in Finland, Singapore and globally through the International Baccalaureate. These systems have recognised that there are significant advantages to putting subjects together. This approach motivates students by explicitly connecting what they are learning to the real world.

Alongside this, it leads to deeper learning. It requires pupils to apply skills and knowledge learnt in one discipline to the context of another, which is the hallmark of a more sophisticated cognitive level.

Each interdisciplinary enquiry is planned and taught by a team of subject specialists to ensure that the knowledge base is at least as strong as it would be in a single subject approach. This methodology is also able to go much deeper than ‘topic work' familiar from primary schools, which relies on one primary teacher covering all the knowledge areas.

We have two combinations of subjects. Science, Design and Maths (sometimes known as STEM) and Humanities, English and Art.

We have allocated additional resources into the IEs, which means every pupil will receive additional and individual attention.

This element is similar to a more traditional secondary school programme. During the week, students attend 50-minute lessons in discrete subjects with specialist subject teachers.

English: As well as being part of the interdisciplinary learning, English is also taught as a discrete subject. This core subject at GCSE therefore has more curriculum time. Students build specific disciplinary language skills and study a broad range of literature and genres.

Science: Like English, Science is central to the inter-disciplinary learning as well as being taught as a discrete subject from Year 7. Core skills and knowledge are covered in Science specific lessons which provide a strong grounding in Scientific literacy.

Maths: As with Science and English, Maths is a core GCSE subject and therefore sits in both disciplinary and inter-disciplinary elements of the curriculum. The more applied Maths skills (e.g. data handling) are developed mainly as part of the IEs, whilst the pure Maths skills (e.g. trigonometry) are developed mainly in discrete Maths lessons.

French: This subject is taught as a discrete discipline. The curriculum builds on the Lower School French programme by developing further the formal grammatical elements of the language.

Spanish: Like French, this is taught as a discrete discipline. This is introduced at beginner level in Year 6 and combines communicative, cultural and grammatical approaches.

Music: Music is taught as a discrete discipline once a week to enable the core skills of musicianship to be systematically developed over time.

Drama: Drama is taught as a discrete discipline once a week. The curriculum covers basic skills and concepts and will on occasion relate to themes from the IEs.

PE/Games: Pupils have PE lessons and Games lessons each week. This part of the curriculum may relate to the IEs (for example during an enquiry about science, health and fitness) and at other times it will be self-contained.

Co-curricular learning is very important part of these years. It enables students to become fully immersed in the community of the school and develop strong personal bonds with others. They learn skills that they might not normally try and have the chance to find new passions.

We use the term ‘co-curricular' rather than ‘extra-curricular' as we see these activities running alongside the other elements of the curriculum, rather than as an addition. For example, in Crew sessions and we ask students to reflect on their co-curricular learning and gather evidence of their skills development in their learning portfolios.

Special weeks
Throughout Years 6-8, the regular timetable is suspended for one week per term.

The Village Project is a seminal experience which happens towards the end of Year 8. It is very much a rite of passage at the end of the 6-8 experience and is integrated into the curriculum as an IE in its own right. Students apply the skills and attributes they have developed to create a unique self- governing and self-sustaining community, living in self-built huts in a secluded corner of the school grounds.

Each year there is a camp, providing students with the experience of living in a community away from home. These camps are not all under canvas, though students are mostly responsible for their own cooking and cleaning. They engage with a wide range of activities.

Once a year there is a Creativity Week. Students can choose from a range of creative projects (e.g. Art, Drama, Music, Literature, Design, Technology) and work in a sustained way towards an informal exhibition at the end of the week. In challenge weeks, students are supported to work in teams to complete projects, many of which reflect the UN sustainable development goals. Students learn to collaborate, organise time and resources, apply thinking and communication skills and reflect on their successes and difficulties. The outcomes may be physical products, presentations or reflections upon a community service experience.

Choice
One afternoon per week, the Year 6-8 students join with other Upper School students in a Choice programme that offers a wide range of activities. These include, for example, photography, the forge, sailing, film studies, cooking, football, hockey, song and dance, costume, art projects or helping in KAS Lower School. We encourage them to challenge themselves to try something new, and to select a combination of physically active choices, creative choices and activities that include an element of community service.

Clubs and activities
KAS offers a wide range of sports, arts activities and curriculum enrichment. Whilst these are not compulsory, we strongly encourage all Year 6-8 students to take part in order to be a fully participating and thriving member of the KAS community

Crew is an essential element of the 6 to 8 curriculum - it is both a culture and a part of the timetable structure. It ensures that our students have a sense of belonging to a close-knit team, it is the central hub which joins all their learning experiences together, and it gives them a safe place to reflect on their own development and that of their crewmates.

Every student is part of a crew, a team of 8-9 students. They meet at the start of every school day and for a further 50-minute session on most other days. Each crew has a crew leader, a teacher. This crew becomes the student's ‘family' at school, which supports, guides and challenges them to become the very best version of themselves.

Pastoral support:
In morning welcome meetings, Crew members greet each other and check in with their Crew leader to make sure that everything is going well. They reflect on what they have been doing in and out of school, and set themselves up for the learning experiences for the day.

Personal, Social and Health Education:
In PSHE sessions crews work on themes such as identity, inclusion, puberty, health and relationships.

In discussion sessions, Crews tackle global issues as well as matters that affect their own communities at school and beyond.

Belonging and responsibility:
In team-building sessions, students undertake activities which forge stronger relationships and require them to reflect on their personal growth.

In callover meetings, Crews come together to listen to a student or teacher speak about an issue important to the school or wider community.

Academic support:
In learning conversations, groups of 2-3 students meet with their Crew leader to discuss the work they have been doing. They give feedback to help each other overcome difficulties and redraft work to make it their best. They also celebrate their successes.

In skill sessions Crews receive coaching on particular academic and personal skills. For example, they may work on specific literacy or numeracy skills.

In portfolio building sessions, students update their learning portfolio and learn to reflect purposefully on their progress in and out of the classroom.