Curriculum Policy

1. Curriculum aims

Our curriculum aims/intends to:

• Provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all students that’s coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge for skills and future learning and employment
• Enable students to develop knowledge, understand concepts and acquire skills, and be able to choose and apply these in relevant situations
• Support students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to become productive citizens of the UAE
• Develop students’ 21^st centuryskills that would enable themto become global citizens
• Support students’ physical development and responsibility for their own health, and enable them to live healthy lifestyles
• Promote a positive attitude towards learning and for students to be lifelong learners
• Ensure equal access to learning for all students, with high expectations for every student and appropriate levels of challenge and support
• Have a high academic/vocational/technical ambition for all students
• Equip students with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life and be responsible, productive UAE andglobal citizens
• Provide subject choices that support students’ learning and progression, and enable them to work towards achieving their goals
• Develop students’ independent learning skills and resilience, to equip them for further/higher education and employment as part of their college readiness

2. Roles and responsibilities

2.1 The Governing Body

The governing body will monitor the effectiveness of this policy and hold the principal to account for its implementation.

The governing body will also ensure that:

• A robust framework is in place for setting curriculum priorities and aspirational targets
• Enough teaching time is provided for students to cover the Curriculum and other statutory requirements
• The school is providing a "broad and balanced curriculum" which includes English, maths, and science, Arabic language and Islamic Education
• The curriculum is underpinned by UAE cultural heritage and Islamic values
• Proper provision is made for students with different abilities and needs, including students with special educational needs and the more- able students
• All courses provided for students below the age of 19 that lead to obtaining a high school diploma and MOE equivalency to enter into higher education institutions in the UAE and abroad
• The school implements the relevant SPEA assessment arrangements and international benchmarking tests
• It participates actively in decision-making about the breadth and balance of the curriculum
• Ensure that the school offers careers guidance for all students:Students from year 9 onwards are provided with independent, impartial careers guidance, and that this is appropriately resourced

2.2 Principal

The principal is responsible for ensuring that this policy is adhered to, and that:

• All required elements of the curriculum, and those subjects which the school chooses to offer, have aims and objectives which reflect the aims of the school and indicate how the needs of individual pupils will be met
• The amount of time provided for teaching the required elements of the curriculum is adequate and is reviewed by the governing board
• The school’s procedures for assessment meet all SPEA and MOE requirements
• The governing body is fully involved in decision-making processes that relate to the breadth and balance of the curriculum
• The governing board is advised on whole-school targets in order to make informed decisions
• Proper provision is in place for students with different abilities and needs, including children with SEN

2.3 Heads of Departments:

• HODs will ensure that the school curriculum is implemented in accordance with this policy.
• Oversee the delivery of the curriculum policy within their departments
• Hold regular planning and curriculum meetings with teachers in their departments and report to the principal

3. Organisation and planning

At American School of Kalba, we usethematic, creative and project based approaches to teaching and learning.

• Subjects are delivered in units in line with the US common core curriculum.
• The school has a system of short, medium and long-term planning. Teachers plan lessons weekly with 50 minute time allocated per period.
• Planning expectations include: The learning objectives, success criteria, teaching input or whole class teaching which involves collaborative learning, innovation and independent differentiated activities.
• The focuson project based approach to learning ensures that students work on projects both within and outside school.
• The school is well equipped with modern technology and access to the internet which are available to support curriculum delivery

4. Rationale balance and Compliance

• At ASK, we work to ensure that the curriculum has clear rationale.
• It is broad and balanced and age appropriate and is relevant and effective in developing knowledge, skills and understanding
• Our curriculum closely follows the requirements of the UAE authorised curriculum for American Curriculum Schools
• Our curriculum shows scope and sequence which is; the body of knowledge, understanding and skills and what students must learn each term and at which grade.

5. Curricular and subject Choices

• A.S.K offers a range of curricular options for our older students with ample choices that develop their talents, interests and aspirations.
• Students receivecareer guidance and counselling by the school’s academic advisor and teachers to enable them to make informed choices
• Parents and students are given subject choice forms to choose from with sound advice on equivalency and college entry requirements
• Students in grades 9-12 have electives including a choice between chemistry and accounting; Business and Biology
• The main subjects we offer which form the main school curriculum are: English, Maths, science, chemistry, biology, business, accounting, Islamic Education, Arabic Language, Arabic as a second language, Information Technology, Moral Education, Social Studies, French, Art and PE.

6. Inclusion and Curriculum Adaptation

Teachers must set high expectations for all students. They must use appropriate assessment to set ambitious targets and plan challenging work for all groups, including:

• More- able students
• students with low prior attainment
• students who at the very early stages of English language acquisition

Teachers must plan lessons so that students with SEN and/or disabilities can study every subject, wherever possible, and ensure that there are no barriers to any studentachieving.

Teachers will also take account of the needs of students who may be new English. Lessons will be planned so that teaching opportunities help students to develop their English, and to support students to take part in all subjects.

7. Adoption of the USA Common Core Curriculum and meeting Statutory requirements:

• Part our school mission is to create an efficient world class education system, therefore we have adopted the US Common Core Curriculum with a focus on the relevant aspect of the New York Engage Curriculum for English, Maths and science.
• This has enabled the school to set international standards in terms of the curriculum expectationsto enable our students to compete with students globally

8. 21^st Century Skills Critical thinking and Global Citizenship:

• Our school’s mission statement states that we want our students to be engaged citizens within a global community in view of this, lessons focus on 21^st century skills including communication, collaboration, information technology etc as well as opportunities to collaborate with the world beyond the school walls.

9. College and Career Readiness:

• Students in grade 12 have to write the SAT and EMSAT examinations to prepare for higher education.
• Our older students are also involved in various activities including the Al Najarprogramme, a UAE university fair that supports students to choose universities and colleges outside within and outside the UAE.
• The curriculum also focuses on the skills, knowledge and understanding students need in order to prepare them for higher education and future employment.

10. Curriculum Enrichment and Co-Curricular Activities

• We run a number of after school clubs that are open to all students.
• The activities we offer include:

Football, basketball. Environment and Recycling club, Design and Innovation club.

Curriculum enrichment activities include educational visits, visitors to the school and students taking part in community activities including the National Day match.

11. Monitoring arrangements

• Monitoring arrangements includeschool visits from SPEA, meetings with the student council, staff, SLT and parents
• Heads of department monitor the way their subject is taught throughout the school by: conducting learning walks, book scrutiny and lesson observations
• Other methods of monitoring the curriculum includes:

monitoring the way in which resources are stored and managed.

This policy will be reviewed every yearbythe principal and the SLT. The school will also canvass the views of students and teachers regarding the impact of the curriculum. After every review, the policy will be shared with the full governing body.

12. Links with other policies

This policy links to the following policies and procedures:

• Assessment policy
• Teaching and learning policy

13. Curriculum Review:

We plan to carry our curriculum review towards the end of the academic year. The main aim is to capture what is taught, practised and assessed in order to identify the gaps and overlaps in order to improve the impact of the curriculum on student achievement.

Curriculum Review – Project Management Plan

Curriculum and curriculum policy Review Schedule 2019/2020