Whole School Curriculum

The Lowry curriculum:

• Is academically ambitious, rooted in subject disciplines and national expectations
• Prioritises powerful knowledge that pupils would not otherwise encounter
• Enables pupils to make meaningful connections within and across subjects
• Develops pupils as confident, articulate and knowledgeable learners

Subjects are taught as distinct disciplines, with pupils learning the core concepts, substantive knowledge and specialist vocabulary needed to think, read, write and reason like subject experts.

While our curriculum is nationally ambitious, it is also intelligently contextualised. We ensure learning is relevant to pupils’ interests, local context and starting points without narrowing or diluting what is taught.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that knowledge builds logically over time, from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4.

Across all subjects:

• Powerful knowledge is identified and secured before progression
• New learning deliberately builds on prior knowledge
• Concepts are revisited and strengthened through planned retrieval
• Depth is prioritised over superficial coverage

Curriculum leaders map the progression of knowledge and vocabulary within subjects and ensure that teaching sequences reflect this progression. Where appropriate, cross‑curricular alignment is planned so that knowledge and skills are reinforced across disciplines.

The Lowry Academy implements its curriculum through high‑quality, consistent classroom practice, underpinned by shared routines, agreed pedagogy and expert subject teaching.

All lessons are structured around a clear Teach – Check – Practice cycle:

• New knowledge is introduced in small, manageable steps
• Understanding is checked at regular points
• Practice is structured and purposeful, leading to independent practice.

Teachers adapt their delivery to meet the needs of their classes, while the curriculum content itself remains stable. This ensures coherence for pupils while allowing flexibility in teaching methods. Professional development is closely aligned with curriculum priorities, ensuring teachers have the knowledge and pedagogical expertise to implement the curriculum effectively.

Inclusion is central to our curriculum design. All pupils – including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged – study the same ambitious curriculum.

We adapt how pupils learn, not what they learn. This is achieved through:

• Carefully planned scaffolding which is gradually removed
• Explicit instruction and modelling
• Metacognitive strategies to support planning and self‑regulation
• Consistent routines and language through The Lowry Way

We are careful never to narrow the curriculum. Leaders routinely quality assure curriculum access and classroom practice to ensure that all pupils engage meaningfully with high‑quality subject content.

Reading and literacy underpin our entire curriculum.

• All pupils participate in a daily form‑time reading programme
• Disciplinary literacy is explicitly taught in every subject
• Vocabulary is mapped, sequenced and taught deliberately
• Pupils are taught how to read, write and communicate like subject specialists

Targeted reading interventions ensure that pupils who require additional support can access the full curriculum successfully, without limiting ambition or expectation.

Assessment exists to support the curriculum, not to replace it.

Formative assessment is embedded in everyday teaching, allowing teachers to:

• Check understanding in real time
• Identify misconceptions quickly
• Adapt teaching responsively

Summative assessments are carefully designed to assess curriculum knowledge, not generic skills, and are used by subject leaders to evaluate curriculum effectiveness and inform future planning.

Feedback is purposeful and proportionate, focusing on:

• Correcting misconceptions
• Reinforcing key knowledge
• Supporting pupils to improve the quality of their work

We evaluate the impact of our curriculum by considering what pupils know, remember and can apply as a result of what they have been taught.

We know our curriculum is effective because pupils:

• Secure and retain key knowledge and vocabulary over time
• Apply their understanding in new and unfamiliar contexts
• Demonstrate increasing independence and confidence within disciplines
• Are well prepared for the next stage of their education

Leaders use assessment outcomes, work scrutiny and pupil voice to check that the intended curriculum has been securely learned and refine sequencing or emphasis where necessary.

At Key Stage 3, pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring strong foundations across subjects. Over time, pupils develop increasing depth and sophistication in their understanding.

We ensure pupils have sufficient time to study topics in full, reading complete texts where appropriate and engaging deeply with subject content. This prepares pupils for success at Key Stage 4 and beyond.

Our curriculum extends beyond the taught timetable and includes:

• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• Co‑curricular opportunities
• The positive ethos and “hidden curriculum” of the school

We aim to nurture both the head and the heart, developing knowledgeable, thoughtful and responsible young people.