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Exceptional Education at the Heart of the Community

Exceptional Education at the Heart of the Community

Advisory Curriculum

We deliberately design each Academy Day to maximise opportunities for students to develop and practice key skills. Each day, students meet their Advisory teachers for 45 minutes for a deliberate curriculum designed to further prepare them as young people and citizens of the future. Our advisory teams are the in-house families that each student belong to. 

Our Advisory curriculum aims to ensure that our students have access to a range of learning opportunities. Our Advisory curriculum explores aspects of our whole Academy Character curriculum within a secure and safe setting. In addition to this we utilise time to develop numeracy and literacy skills, not as an add on to Maths and English, but to build the foundation blocks for lessons to enable our students to achieve beyond their target levels.

At Key Stage 4 in Y11 advisory sessions; time for greater depth and support with English and Maths is offered and time to explore careers education and future aspirations included. Y10 students will experience RE and revision skills as part of a more personalised advisory curriculum.

Celebrating student success is a key driver behind our Advisory curriculum, PRIDE assembly forms an essential part of this culture of celebration and the OADV challenge allows time to reflect on achievements linked to Academy targets.

The Advisory curriculum is part of our promise to deliver ‘exceptional education in the heart of the community’.

Character: Engaging all students to express feelings and thoughts around themselves, who they are becoming and why this is important for their wellbeing and development in modern Britain. Students will have many opportunities to learn and discuss knowledge and skills that will support them to have fulfilled lives, this will take place in OADV focus sessions, targeted assemblies, and careers exploration.

Competence: Students will develop fundamental skills for success and practice is given to them with numeracy and literacy planned activities. Reading and explicit teaching of vocabulary will act as building blocks to greater depth in subject curriculum.

Community: Students will discuss and understand their own place within the local, national and global community with particular focus on the Oasis family. Students will have an opportunity to engage in our Pupil Parliament, representing their advisory group and year.  Regular opportunities to support the Academy development and positive community impact will be afforded to all our students. We will celebrate and reward OADV students regularly – done weekly in PRIDE assemblies and with opportunities throughout the year. As an academy we will celebrate our triumphs and improvement as a year group, together.

 

Character Development (Y10 and 11) and Assembly programme

Assemblies and Character development sessions provide the core of our personal development offer. Both sessions will introduce themes and foci to encourage critical thinking. The program of assemblies and character development lessons are designed to cover a range of topics throughout the year ensuring that students have opportunity to explore aspects of SMSC, PSHE and Citizenship.  Through assemblies and Character Development sessions students will be provided with the tools and essential knowledge to become educated, well-rounded citizens. It is in these lessons and time that our students access the RSHE statutory curriculum. Y7-9 have PSHE lessons on their timetable to further expand on this curriculum.

OADV Challenge and PRIDE Assembly 

Every week, during OADV challenge students will have opportunity to reflect on their achievements from the previous week and explore how they have embedded the Academy values. PRIDE assembly forms an essential part of the Advisory curriculum, during this session student achievements are celebrated. The PRIDE assembly is an integral part of the Academy instilling the culture of celebration into our Academy. Students are rewarded by their Advisory teachers, Pastoral teams and Academy Leadership, as well as being celebrated for attendance, behaviour, homework and enrichment participation.

Guided Reading

Reading is a priority at Oasis Academy Don Valley.

Year 7

The Bone Sparrow, Z Fraillon

Year 8

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, J Boyne

Year 9

Frankenstein, M Shelley

Year 10

Death on the Nile, A Christie

Text choices for directed Guided Reading were selected as part of the student voice discussions, in addition to looking at suggestions for recommended reading lists. The texts have been confirmed for Term 1, however, in order to evaluate and allow time to select books with students, texts have not yet been confirmed for Terms 2 and 3. There will be a real focus on oracy and engaging students in meaningful discussions with the teacher and also with each other about relevant topics within each text. The sessions have been comparatively stripped back from how we previously delivered reading so that an emphasis can be placed on reading and understanding a full text.

Versatile Vocabulary 

A large and rich vocabulary is the hallmark of an educated individual. Therefore, to enrich our student's knowledge of vocabulary OADV, all students are introduced and exposed to a KS3 and KS4 Versatile Vocabulary list. Versatile Vocabulary are words that can be used across the curriculum and applied to a range of contexts. The vocabulary is arranged in pairs or binary opposites (extreme opposites that contrast with each other). They are words that will help students express their ideas in a confident way if they are used carefully and correctly. They should be learned and used to help improve written expression in all subjects.

Students will receive a list containing 30 pairs and will learn, practice and utilise new vocabulary every week.

Numeracy 

The activities used in the advisory sessions dedicated to maths should serve two main purposes. The first is to enable students to secure a strong foundation in the basic numeracy skills that allow access to all areas of maths. The second is to develop an enjoyment of maths by celebrating the success and progress made by different students.

Key Stage 3

Sumdog is an app-based programme that students will complete and compete in weekly.  We can also compete across the UK and students will have opportunities to represent the Academy whilst developing their skills.

Timetables rockstar is designed to work on both accuracy and speed of recall of the timetables. This knowledge is vital to accessing all areas of maths. Students’ complete questions independently on their iPads, with options of challenging other students or even teachers. The program differentiates for students, setting questions at the correct level following an initial set of questions to work out the level of the students.

Kay Stage 4

Sparx and GCSEPod are app-based programmes that support greater depth and practice in areas of Maths development. Students will be able to learn, practice and retest their knowledge as they seek to secure their numeracy skills and learning. Students will be working independently on their iPads, but this will be informed by their present attainment within Maths.

OADV Focus

At numerous times throughout the year, we will utilise this session to explore, learn and celebrate our Academy community further. Within these sessions, students will continue to extend learning beyond assemblies, guest speakers, and national days/ events. Here we will develop student’s knowledge about learning, on our values and expectations as well as exploring current issues and themes within the news and media.

CEIAG support and applications

Y11 students have sessions that support them to secure their Post 16 destinations.  These sessions will include an opportunity to search and find out about future industries, applications using UCAS Progress and support to be successful with college, training and sixth form interviews. CEIAG sessions will also include the chance to talk to professionals about future aspirations. These sessions are designed to support students to confidently aspire and secure their future destinations.

 

Lines of communication

At times it might be necessary for you to contact the Academy about your Child. Please use the following information to contact specific staff and pastoral teams, thank you:

Year 7:

Staff Member

Role

Email

Ms Z Horsfall

Year 7 Pastoral Manager

Zoe.horsfall@oasisdonvalley.org

Ms D Abdulkarim

Year 7 ALT Link

Dana.Abdulkarim@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss Forrest

Head of Key Stage 3

Nadine.Forrest@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr A Myers

(7AMY) Head of Health

Adam.Myers@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss M Kelly

(7KKE) Teacher of English

Megan.Kelly@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr C Cosens

(7CCO) Teacher of Maths

Callum.Cosens@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss L Stanley

(7LST) Teacher of Health

Lauren.Stanley@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs B Thompson

(7BTH) Teacher of Languages

Bianca.Thompson@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr H Frost

(7HFR) Teacher of History/ Humanities

Harry.Frost@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Year 8:

Staff Member

Role

Contact details

Mr J Ahmed

Year 8 Pastoral Manager

Jahed.Ahmed@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs S Wildes

Year 8 ALT Link

Sara.Wildes@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss Forrest

Head of Key Stage 3

Nadine.Forrest@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss F Nelms

(8FNE) Teacher of Geography

Ffion.Nelmes@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Miss S Rafique

Miss S Diallo

(8SDI/ SRA) Teacher of Maths

Teacher of Science

Sonia.Rafique@oasisdonvalley.org

SaraAicha.Diallo@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr A Khan

(8AKH) Teacher of Creative

Ali.Khan@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss N Naji

Mr M Hunt

(8NNA/ MHU) Teacher of Maths

Teacher of Maths

Nosheen.Naji@oasisdonvalley.org

Matthew.Hunt@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss RKO

(8RKO) Teacher of Languages

Romina.Kofler@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Ms N Snape

Mrs F Shahid

(8NSA/ FSH) Teacher of English

Teacher of English

Andrew.matthews@oasisdonvalley.org

 

 

Year 9:

Staff Member

Role

Contact details

Mr M Amir

Year 9 Pastoral Manager

Mohamed.Amir@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr P Mills

Year 9 ALT Link

Paul.mills@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss Forrest

Head of Key Stage 3

Nadine.Forrest@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss L Balding

(9LBA) Teacher of Science

Leigh.Balding@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr A Grant

(9AGR) Teacher of Science

Arron.Grant@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Mr J Leigh

(9JLE) Teacher of English

Jason.Leigh@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Miss Caitlan Stanley

(9CST) Head of Science

Caitlan.Stanley@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs T Siviter

(9TSI) Teacher of Maths

Thomas.Siviter@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Year 10:

Staff Member

Role

Contact details

Mrs K Benefer

Year 10 Pastoral Manager

 

Kelly.Benefer@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Mr M Wainwright

Year 10 ALT Link

 

Matthew.Wainwright@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Miss C Berriman

Head of Key Stage 4

Camille.Berriman@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr G Fish

(10GFi) Head of Humanities

 

Gregory.Fish@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Mrs N Harper

(10NHa) Head of MFL

Nicola.Harper@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss A Kelshaw

(10AKe) Teacher of Art

 

Annabelle.Kelshaw@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Miss S Khan

(10SKn) Teacher of Humanities

 

Sana.Khan@oasisdonvalley.org

 

Miss O Salter

(10OSa) Teacher of Geography

 

Olivia.Salter@oasisdonvalley.org

 

 

Year 11:

Staff Member

Role

Contact details

Miss Oliver

Year 11 Pastoral Manager

Rebecca.Oliver@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs A Gormal

Year 11 ALT Link

Anna.Gormal@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss C Berriman

Head of Key Stage 4

Camille.Berriman@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss N Flinders

(11NFL) Teacher of Performance

Nicole.Flinders@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss C Hinchliffe

(11CHI) Teacher of Science

Caitlin.Hinchliffe@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr J Holmes

(11JHO) Head of Maths

James.Holmes@oasisdonvalley.org

Mr A Matthews

(11AMA) Head of Science

Andrew.Matthews@oasisdonvalley.org

Miss C Tolley

(11CTO) 2nd in English

Chiara.Tolley@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs V Towne

(11VTO) Head of English

Verity.Towne@oasisdonvalley.org

Mrs J Whitehead

(11JWH) 2nd in Maths

Jessica.Whitehead@oasisdonvalley.org

 

KS3 Advisory Curriculum Learning Journey