Curriculum
Literacy For Life at Thorns Collegiate Academy
At Thorns Collegiate Academy, the highly successful Literacy for Life Programme is a cornerstone of our Key Stage 3 curriculum. Developed over nearly two decades, this programme has consistently helped students achieve excellent progress and GCSE results, equipping them with the skills needed for lifelong learning.
"At Key Stage 3, the Literacy for Life programme helps students connect their learning across different subjects, such as how science supports learning in geography."
Over the past five years, we have rigorously quality-assured the programme in collaboration with Hodder Education. This ensures our curriculum is culturally aware and enhances students’ understanding of the world at community, national, and global levels.
Literacy for Life is a knowledge-engaged curriculum designed to build a strong foundation of both substantive knowledge (facts and information) and disciplinary knowledge (understanding how knowledge is constructed in a subject).
The programme is challenging, responsive, and interconnected. It builds layers of knowledge that help students grasp complex ideas and construct their own arguments across various themes, structured chronologically. This approach makes knowledge and concepts more ‘sticky’ and easier to retain.
At its core, Literacy for Life focuses on building strong pastoral relationships to support students’ transitions into and out of Key Stage 3. Students spend 17 hours with the same teacher in Year 7, 13 hours in Year 8, and 5 hours in Year 9, fostering continuity and support.
Nationally, it’s recognised that many students experience a drop in progress when they enter secondary education. This often happens because the strongest staff are assigned to Year 11, leaving Year 7 as a lower priority. Starting a new school can be challenging, especially when students have to adjust to multiple teachers.
At Thorns Collegiate Academy, we address this by having a dedicated team of Literacy for Life teachers. These teachers focus not only on academic progress but also on getting to know students and their families, forming partnerships that significantly aid student progress.
Students also benefit from a dedicated classroom where they can store their work and feel comfortable. They have a consistent point of contact for any issues and someone who understands their performance across subjects.
“Staff care about pupils’ well-being and safety, and there are numerous opportunities for students to engage in wider school life and leadership roles”.
Our Literacy for Life programme is taught through interdisciplinary themes, each running for three to four weeks and incorporating elements from all subjects. While some themes focus more on history, geography or sciences, we cover the entire Key Stage 3 National Curriculum over Years 7-9. Each theme provides opportunities to develop reading, writing and oracy skills.
Detailed information about the themes for each year is available at the bottom of this page.
In Year 7, Maths is taught through discrete Mathematics lessons, but numeracy and problem-solving skills are also embedded within the themes as appropriate.
Our curriculum is technology-rich, with each student having their own device. ICT skills are integrated throughout all themes, balancing written work and digital tasks to ensure students can write fluently and accurately.
Literacy for Life is taught in mixed-ability classes with varying levels of support to stretch or assist students as needed. We aim to produce high-quality work, with opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.
Students are provided with formative teacher and peer feedback using a competency framework evaluating both their academic progress and personal development to ensure a well-rounded education.
We support student learning through regular retrieval practice, end-of-theme assessments, and formal Literacy for Life exams. These methods help students reinforce their knowledge, understand their strengths and areas for improvement, and become more self-aware and proactive in their learning journey.
Throughout Key Stage 3, students also undertake standardised assessments in Mathematics, English, and Science. These assessments enable us to measure their progress against a national average and identify areas for focused intervention. By continuously tracking their growth, we ensure that each student receives the support they need to thrive academically and personally.
Themes and subject information
| Subject | |
| English |  |
| Science |  |
| Geography |  |
| History |  |
| RE |  |
| Technology |  |
| Computing |  |
| Autumn Term | Subjects |
| Citizen Me | |
| Journey to the Centre of the Earth | |
| In Days of Old | |
| Fairy Tales | |
| Spring Term | Subjects |
| Journeys | |
| i-Robot | |
| Growing | |
| Water | |
| Summer Term | Subjects |
| Off With Your Head | |
| Silent Movies | |
| Autumn Term | Subjects |
| Pudding Lane | |
| Grand Designs | |
| Coming and Going | |
| India | |
| Spring Term | Subjects |
| Da Vinci | |
| Apps for Good | |
| Freedom | |
| Coast | |
| Summer Term | Subjects |
| Please Sir | |
| Over the top | |
| Autumn Term | Subjects |
| Whose Earth is it Anyway |  |
| Tragedy | |
| Spring Term | Subjects |
| World Study: Made in China | |
| The Information Age | |
| Summer Term | Subjects |
| World Study: America: Land of the Free | |
| World Study: Britain: A Living History | |
