News & events

October 2010

Manchester Communication Academy’s Curriculum

The Academy’s learning programme has been designed to meet individual need, and to help children enjoy and make real progress at school. The curriculum combines core subjects with a range of learning programmes and activities designed to build practical and work-related skills, with science and technology, maths, English and languages taught in the morning and creative, aesthetic and health and wellbeing lessons taking place in the afternoon.  Communication in all forms – drama, media, presentation skills, writing, languages and ICT – will sit at the core of the learning environment.

Every Academy student will have their own learning path that is best suited to their learning style and balances an academic curriculum with an engaging and personalised vocational and social curriculum This will also be reinforced by programmes of practical and motivating real life learning experiences, which will be supported and delivered by local businesses.

The Academy curriculum follows a regular weekly routine that combines core subjects with a range of learning programmes and activities designed to build practical and work-related skills. Science and technology, maths, English and languages are taught in the morning with creative and aesthetic and health and wellbeing taking place in the afternoon.

The practical learning sessions all include a focus on the importance of numeracy and literacy and are designed to reflect and support the individual needs and interests of each child. The sessions include:

* Speaking for Ourselves: this project engages children in working in teams to provide real solutions to genuine issues and to build their communication skills and confidence.  These include presentation skills, how to undertake research and using specialist ICT equipment.

* Enterprise Zone: learners are able to specialise in an area that may be of particular interest to them from horticulture, textiles and printing to forensics and producing a student magazine.  They are also guided through a range of useful enterprise exercises including setting up a business or a community project.

* Guided Sessions: taking place each Friday morning the aim of these sessions is to identify and work with children in any areas of key need or talent. These range from developing reading skills to supporting gifted children in developing their ICT, languages and critical thinking qualifications.

It is very important to us that our parents and carers are involved in their child’s progress as much as possible and every half term we will send you an update which will include:

* An assessment of work and progress to date
* A plan of what your child will be doing next
* Advice as to how you can best support your child to make progress.

In addition parents, carers and children can log on to ‘Realsmart’ at any time to see how their child is progressing and view their work.  So no more wondering what your child does all day!
Please let us know if you have any questions about our curriculum or if you can give you any help in supporting your child’s learning.