Curriculum

Barton Court operates an innovative curriculum structure and has done so for the last six years, at a recent KCC training session where many schools across Kent were represented the speakers were advocating our approach or something similar as the natural progression for schools. Our timetable consists of three 100 minute lessons per day, starting at 8.40am and finishing at 2.40pm with a break between lessons 1 and 2 and lunch between lessons 2 and 3. An extensive extra-curricular, or Enrichment Activity, programme is available and activities are organised every evening Monday to Friday. Details of the current programme can be viewed via the Enrichment Activity button on the home page.

KS3 follows the National Curriculum and includes all its subjects but from September 2008 KS3 was condensed into Years 7 and 8 allowing for a much more flexible approach to study at KS4 over three years. Students will start their options at the beginning of Year 9 and take four or five subjects at the end of Year 10 with the remainder at the end of Year 11. This will enable students to experience activities that we have not previously been able to offer in the same way, these will help prepare students for sixth form study and entry to university.

As a Language College all students will study at least one language in all of the years from Year 7 through to 13. When students join in Year 7 they will study French and Spanish with some taster lessons in other languages also organised, further languages are offered at both KS4 and KS5. The current KS4 booklet can be downloaded here and the KS5 booklet will soon be available for download.

A new innovation for 2008-09 was the introduction of Focus Days. There are currently seven days, spread across the year, when the timetable is suspended and the whole school becomes involved in further enrichment activities. Coordinated by Mr Fairfax, each Faculty in the School will organise a range of activities for each year group in rotation. For example Year 8 might participate in a Geography Field Course, Year 11 could attend a Poetry Day in London, Year 12 might focus on a cross-curricular IB project or Year 9 could look at careers and their plans for the future.

Homework is an integral part of the curriculum and is set by subject staff according to a timetable organised for each teaching group/year group. A copy of the Homework Timetable can be viewed here.

Many subjects organise trips and visits for students across the school. They may be day trips or residential. All Year 7, for example, have been France bound within five weeks of them joining the School for a three day/two nights residential for the last eight years. Further information will be available via the Enrichment Activities icon within each subject area or the link from the home page - this will include cross-curricular, year group and whole school opportunities such as the ski trip or the Year 8 camp.