Curriculum Offer

The Upper Site aims to provide a personalised curriculum combining core subjects with more specialist choices where the learner's individual needs are paramount. 

Curriculum Philosophy (Intent)   

Trinity Academy Newcastle's curriculum is an extension of this belief; it is our platform to enable our learners to go on and achieve success. The principles of kindness, honesty and calm are well established throughout. We are proud to be creating confident, competent and kind citizens of the future.

Trinity Academy Newcastle's culture is deeply rooted in supporting learners with their social, emotional, and mental health needs. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that allows learners to develop the knowledge, skills and experiences that support them throughout school and into their adult life. Core skills of literacy, numeracy, positive communication, reading, and vocabulary development are central to our offer, delivering a full range of National Curriculum subjects and allowing learners to direct their own learning pathways as they progress through the school.   

Ability is not seen as permanent or pre-determined; we relish the opportunity to work with learners, irrespective of any disadvantages they may face, to reach their potential.   

Educating the whole person is pivotal to developing secure moral and social bases from which our learners can prosper as positive citizens. We prepare our learners for life, including adulthood, relationships, and the possibility that one day they may become a capable parent.   

We strive to offer high quality opportunities and activities outside of the main school curriculum. These activities are an exciting feature of our learners' experience of life at Trinity; they also contribute enormously to our learners’ social, emotional, and academic development. We believe all our learners should experience success in as many aspects of school life as possible and the extra-curricular activities are designed as a tool to enable this realisation. All learners, regardless of their background, have opportunities to participate in all extra-curricular activities and experiences.   

Curriculum Implementation   

Trinity Academy Newcastle's curriculum is implemented to allow every learner the right to access a full range of subjects, knowledge, and experiences relevant to them, allowing skills development and success in future endeavours. Leaders provide high quality professional learning opportunities. Teachers are empowered to support curriculum design, set the direction of, and engage in high quality CPD and can articulate their role in Trinity’s curriculum and the difference it is making to our learners.   

The curriculum is mapped using interim reference points supporting sequential progression. Key concepts are revisited to build on prior knowledge. Lessons are designed to be creative, practical, and engaging and enable learners to work collaboratively, developing teamwork and friendship skills.  

Working towards individual Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) goals/targets is central to the delivery of our curriculum. Progress towards these goals/targets is evaluated periodically by the team around the child.   

In Key Stage 4, learners alter their curriculum by choosing two Pathway subjects, most of which lead to accredited qualifications; this is alongside core subjects and much of our wider curricular offer/experiences. Pathway choices promote personal development and incorporate key issues such as choice, academic ability, career aspirations and special educational needs; examples include sports coaching, art, food technology, DofE, PSD and careers. The key aim is to support learners to gain both skills and qualifications to equip them for future life and employment opportunities.   

Health and well-being, learner safeguarding, protection against extremism, personal safety, online safety, the promotion of Fundamental British Values and community cohesion all feature heavily in the school’s wider curriculum offer. Trinity utilises a range of initiatives and activities that promote the spiritual, moral, social, and emotional needs of our young people aimed at protecting them from radicalisation and extremist influences. We do this through our wider learning opportunities, including tutor time, assemblies, drop down days, the use of guest speakers and transition events.   

Careers education and progression routes are also a key part of our commitment to preparing our learners for the future. Lessons and learning experiences are planned to make explicit links to careers and employment opportunities. We evaluate our careers offer using a nationally recognised GATSBY framework and are working towards a Quality Careers Mark.   

Learners’ learning across the curriculum is assessed formatively and summative, ensuring that knowledge is embedded and applied effectively. Teachers clearly define the next steps in learning to support learner's progress. Pupils are encouraged to embrace our “Learn, Remember, Achieve” approach. This is underpinned by our expectations of learners to be “In the Right Place, at the Right Time, doing the Right Thing,” which is integral throughout our culture.   

There is a broad range of extracurricular activities and experiences to support holistic development; this includes arts, sporting provisions, cooking, outdoor adventure, and team building activities. We also offer learners the chance to experience learning in different settings, to visit educational venues linked to different curricular and cultural areas and by providing visits, for example, to a variety of National Trust venues.  

Our curricular offer is reviewed annually, taking into consideration the views of our learners, their parents, teachers, and leaders. The reviews begin early in the academic year and support curriculum development.   

For any additional information please contact the Deputy Head: Mr Tchalla Greaves

Music Action Plan

 


Vision Statement

 

At Trinity Academy Newcastle, we encourage learners to develop a keen interest in music using digital media, offering singing, composing personalised pieces and listening to lots of different kinds of music across our curriculum. We strive to provide a range musical opportunities, including the attendance of professional musicians and workshops, and to effectively communicate additional enrichment with families so that learners can continue to develop their skills and love of a range of music. Our long-term vision is that all learners access high-quality weekly music lessons and can progress their learning by taking up an instrument, using digital music software to compose or joining a musical group. All learners will be given the opportunity to experience the joy of live performances.

Curriculum Music:

Vision is to ensure all learner can access high quality music provision.

At Trinity Academy Newcastle, we work closely with the Music Hubs to ensure we gain the absolute best experiences for our learners. Through our collaborations, we will continue to invite several music professionals on site to support our drive for greater involvements and appreciation of a myriad music. Following student input, we have invested in a digital music platform called Charanga, which has been developed by the Music Hub and offers a range of musical styles for learners to investigate. Learners are also able to compose their own pieces of music, in their chosen style, then continue the development outside of school time.

Co-Curricular:

Vision is to ensure small group/individual lessons are free of charge and that there are a range of groups that learners can take participate in.

Trinity Academy Newcastle is one where learners are encouraged to develop their love of learning in a range of ways. Our work with the Music Hub enables us to provide opportunities for professional musicians to work with learns to foster a lifelong love of music. Every learner can access our musical instruments free of charge and are encouraged to try new instruments to enrichment their life experiences.

Enrichment:

Vision is to make links with a range of organisations so that our learners can access a variety of live performances, supporting their wider development and enrichment.

Learners are encouraged to develop a range of musical pieces across a variety of styles then perform these in a safe and calm environment where they feel comfortable and secure. Our aim to run a number of events where learners are able to showcase their progress and talents to parents and carers to develop confidence.

 

Upper Site Subject

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4

English 

5

5

Maths 

4

5

Science 

2

3

Humanities 

2

  

Art

2

 

Physical Education

3

ICT/DS

1

1

Food Technology

2

 

Preparing for Adulthood

3

  3

PSHE

1

1

Careers

1

 1

Forest School

3

  

Pathway 1

 

4

Pathway 2

  

4

 

Pathways 4, 5 and 6

Monday lessons

 DOFE

Art

Level 2 Food Tech 

Pathways 4, 5 and 6 

Tuesday lessons

PSD

GCSE English

Sports Leaders

Careers

   Pathway 5 

Wednesday lessons

DOFE

Art

Level 2 Food

 

Pathway 5 

Thursday lessons

PSD

GCSE English

Sports Leaders

Careers

 

RSE Curriculum Intent & Framework

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Drop Down Days 2025/26 

To complement our curriculum, we offer drop down days during the academic year. These sessions replace structured classroom lessons with activities used to strengthen learners' knowledge and application of skills and provide a deeper learning experience into different key topics. 

Religious Education is covered within our drop down days, but if parents or carers wish for their child not to take part in the lessons around RE, please contact school and let us know as soon as possible.

  

KS3 - 4 

 Activity Ideas – AM drop down days 

Half term 1 

Healthy Minds 

10th October

10th October Let’s Break Barriers Day (A day to discuss misogyny and how to improve our awareness)

Link to world mental health day - lots of resources out there – 10th October 2023 – Wear yellow day 

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/helloyellow/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7eSZBhB8EiwA60kCW7qsZsNir6Z1LCgIp012nGvjGwyAyVJRYj8EeRk_Ji68bAacq2lPjRoC-o0QAvD_BwE    

Half term 2 

Healthy Living and Fresh Starts 

US – 21/11/25

Healthy schools and Healthy lifestyles – Heritage Day (Food and Culture)

Mindfulness drop down day around team building/goal setting/problem solving and well being (7th February)

Idea of discussing the heritages within school and healthy living 

Diet, exercise and lifestyle: The effect on health 

Additional options 

PE: Traditional games and sporting activities 

https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-vedic-math-1770682

Half term 3 

Healthy Relationships  

 10/2/24 

  LS and US

Breaking Barriers – Tolerance – British Values

How do we show tolerance to all learners regardless of where they are from? What does this British value mean and how can we support other values in school?

Chinese New Year – 10th February 2024 

Exploration of Chinese traditions and cultures 

Modelling/ making of Chinese celebratory decorations 

Half term 4 

RE – SMSC 

24/3/25  

US  

Possible Activities 

Safeguarding drop down day delivered by Changing Lives on extremism, radicalisation and D.V. (24th March)

School nurses, discussing puberty and SRE (24th March)

Half term 5 

Music from the cultures of the world 

12/5/25 

LS and US 

Learners write and create their own music based on cultural ideas and music that they identify with.

Visitors from external musical provision e.g. The Glasshouse 

Preparation for the BIG SING (2026)

  • Possible activities:  
  • DJing 
  • Drumming 
Visits - Glasshouse 

Half term 6 

Healthy Choices for the Summer

7/7/25  

Career Day (2nd of July)

POL-ED – Violence against women / Online Grooming / Peer on Peer abuse (8th July)

Staying safe in the community over the summer.

Gang culture, knife crime, drugs and alcohol. Edge etc would support these activities (include laws on these activities) 

Measuring the Curriculum’s Success (Impact)   

As Trinity Academy Newcastle's curriculum model has several elements to it and sets out to achieve several different aims, it is appropriate to view impact in several different ways. Primarily, knowledge accumulation and learner learning will be tracked and evidenced via assessments and outcomes.   

The success of preparing learners for the next stage of their education or employment will be evaluated using destination data and progression routes for Key Stage 4 learners.   

Parent voice, Learner voice, Attendance and Behaviour data will form learner engagement evaluation.   

Well planned lessons, taught by enthusiastic and engaging practitioners will be evidenced via lesson observations, learning walks, quality assurance and work scrutiny. This forms part of the quality of education evaluation.   

A learner’s personal (holistic) development is measured through personalised targets as derived from their EHCPs. Progress towards these targets is pivotal to the development of the “whole person.”