Curriculum

​At Chestnut Place, students access a hybrid model of curriculum delivery, benefiting from face-to-face small group learning support sessions with our own teaching staff, alongside online learning delivered by carefully chosen partners.  The online learning is accessed by students on-site, enabling us to provide our usual high level of support in addressing barriers to learning.

We have extensive expertise within our cross-site teaching team, with subject specialists in areas including: Maths, English, Science, Humanities, Art, Drama, Music, Cookery, Computing, Psychology, Business Studies and Health and Social Care.   Our on-site small group learning support sessions within these subject areas are led by one of our own subject specialist teachers.

The hybrid curriculum model enables us to offer a wider range of GCSE and A Level subjects than many mainstream schools, with an exceptional level of flexibility allowing students to study subjects which reflect their strengths and interests.  This breadth of choice means that, occasionally, students may select an online learning course for a subject which falls outside our teaching expertise,  In these cases, the in-person learning support sessions are led by a member of staff who, wherever possible, has a background or personal interest in the area of study.

Our use of online learning partners enables students to study outside their chronological age group, with the relative anonymity of online learning supporting students who are learning ahead of age-range and those who are working to fill gaps in their education journey.  It is not unusual for our post-16 students to be studying GCSEs and A Levels simultaneously.  We do not require students to have achieved 5 GCSE passes before being enrolled at Chestnut Place.

King’s Interhigh is a key supplier of online learning for our students, with a focus on the delivery of core curriculum content for desk-based GCSEs.  Lessons are delivered by subject specialists who have received SEN training and are aware of the profile of our students.  Lesson resources are available to students in advance and can be revisited throughout the course, with students also having the option of joining live lessons or watching recordings at their own pace.

Our own teaching staff complement the King’s Interhigh teaching by providing in-person pre-teaching, consolidation, assignment support and exam practice, with adaptations for our students’ individual needs.

A typical GCSE subject involves three to four online learning sessions per week and two in-person learning support sessions.  A typical A Level subject involves seven online learning sessions per week and two to three in-person learning support sessions.

More practical subjects such as GCSE or A Level Art and Design, BTEC Home Cooking and BTEC Animal Care are delivered face-to-face by in-house staff, as are all science practical lessons.

As students progress from GCSEs to A Levels, they are provided with increased opportunity for supported self-study within the timetable, in preparation for higher education.

Wider Ambition’s Preparation for Adulthood curriculum supports the holistic development of students at Chestnut Place. This curriculum is delivered through ‘Key Person’ sessions and ensures students leave us with a range of skills needed to live independently. Examples of areas covered in these sessions include budgeting and shopping for food, communicating with employers, and managing social relationships.

As Chestnut Place is a special post-16 institution which is not in receipt of funding directly from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, it is not in scope for inspection by Ofsted. Wider Ambition voluntarily applies the same quality assurance procedures to Chestnut Place as are in place at our Ofsted registered sites.