The Curriculum at Brockwood
Brockwood’s curriculum is embedded within the larger intentions of the school, which include:
- educating the whole human being;
- the awakening of intelligence and flowering of goodness;
- discovering excellence in academic studies;
- learning the proper care, use and exercise of the body;
- learning to appreciate the world, seeing our place in it and responsibility for it;
- learning about oneself and the world within;
- understanding the nature of learning; and
- discovering one's talent and what right livelihood means.
Each student has a highly individualized curriculum and timetable. Students do not come to fit into a pre-existing mould and timetable. Brockwood’s curriculum is not a "soft option" it invites and demands sustained engagement, attention, inquiry and diligence. Our curriculum uniquely supports:
· Active learning and inquiry involving students' and teachers' input in the curriculum content;
· Self-directed and extended immersion in activities of learning and inquiry (with independent, peer and teacher-supported learning);
· Individualised supervision and support for every students' investigation and study (every student has weekly meetings and works closely with an academic adviser).
· Development of interdisciplinary activities, projects and portfolios in exploring themes and topics that cut across fields including science, maths, languages, humanities, arts and crafts, human ecology and contact with nature.
The curriculum is continuously developing as we learn and inquire ourselves and reflect on our experiences together.
Structure of the curriculum
The curriculum comprises five key elements and extended immersion in:
Common courses:These are Inquiry Time and Human Ecology. Inquiry time is our weekly opportunity to look deeper at issues arising in life, living together, the intentions of the school and how we respond to them. Human Ecology is our programme that attempts to explore our relationship to the wider, more than human world of which we are a part
Core courses:These are required for all students who are under 16 at the start of the year. Students take one course for seven weeks, before moving on to the next. The three courses are: Arts & Crafts, Humanities, and Science & Maths. Older students may take these courses if they wish.
Topic courses:These are courses that run for seven weeks and focus on a particular topic – e.g. ‘Patterns and Puzzles’, ‘India’ or ‘Movement of Humans’. Teachers provide introductions and activities in looking at the topics from a number of different perspectives and then students are able to take their work in different directions. These courses are available to all.
A-Level courses:These are available to students who are aged 16 or older on 1st September in the current academic year. The offering of courses changes from year to year depending on teacher availability and student interest, and will include many of the facilitating subjects looked for by universities.
Projects:Projects are proposed by students themselves and can vary greatly in time and scope – though larger projects are usually undertaken by older students. Students may use projects to develop a portfolio, complement their A-Levels, explore something they have become interested in through the topic courses, or activities. They are developed in collaboration with teaching staff and supervised closely by the academic adviser.
More detail is given in the ‘The Courses’ section of the website.
A typical four or five year journey through the Brockwood Curriculum
For younger students arriving at the school, they will participate in the core courses for their first two years, and probably participate in a number of the topic courses. As they gain confidence in their own learning they may start developing their own projects. Once they are 16 at the beginning of the year, they may choose to prepare for A-Level examinations, or alternatively develop a portfolio of work. Throughout their time here they also participate in Inquiry time and Human Ecology each week.
The above is one example of how a student may engage with the curriculum here, but this will be unique for each student who attends the school. It will depend on their interests, needs, and how many years they may be spending at the school. As a result, every student has a personalised programme developed at the beginning of the year. This is developed by the student and their academic adviser in partnership, and the academic adviser will continue to meet with them weekly throughout the year.
Students for whom English is an additional language will often need to delay taking A-Levels for an additional year to ensure that they have developed a capacity for English that will enable them to obtain the grades they are looking for. As a result we often have students completing their studies with us at 19 rather than 18.