KEY STAGE 3 HANDBOOK
WELCOME
At In Toto Ed our curriculum offer allows students to flourish and excel in subjects that interest them and they find enjoyable, through a balanced curriculum. Our personalised, and adaptive, curriculum offer allows students a way to learn that engages their interest and sparks their curiosity. Students are supported through their studies by staff who offer support in academic and pastoral mentoring sessions, allowing students to feel fully supported in all areas of their school experience.
We offer unique pathways for students to follow, which are personalised and tailored to their learning needs.
KEY STAGE 3
Art
The Art Department aim to spark enjoyment in creativity and a focus on experimenting and artistic curiosity. Students work collaboratively and develop teamwork skills, taking pride in their work and working with different mediums.
Our skilled and professional Art Department aim to provide imagination collaboration for students, alongside experimenting with different time periods, methods, interpretations and processes to create work that they can take pride in.
A sample of topics covered:
• Abstract and non-traditional techniques
• Art and the environment
• Contemporary art
• Digital art and photography
• Identity and representation
• Mixed media and assemblage
• Street art and social commentary
Computer Science
Our Computer Science curriculum places a strong emphasis on teamwork and leadership skills through projects and group activities. Students learn real world skills through tackling coding challenges, enhancing their communication, coordination and collaborative capabilities. Students are encouraged to reflect on their progress, to learn from mistakes, and to adapt their strategies when problem-solving. This resilience equips them to confidently navigate the challenges of Computer Science and the ever-evolving digital landscape.
The Key Stage 3 Computer Science curriculum provides a solid foundation for developing essential skills. It empowers students with creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while also fostering teamwork, leadership, resilience, and a growth mindset.
A sample of topics covered:
• Digital Literacy
• Programming languages: Scratch and Python
• Information Technology
Design Technology: Cookery
Cookery encourages critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, encouraging inquisitiveness in students. Through practical projects, our students create various design challenges, sparking their curiosity and promoting a desire to seek solutions as a team.
Cookery cultivates a proactive mindset, encouraging students to ask questions, explore possibilities, embrace and build on failure and think about the world around them. Collaboration is a key aspect of cookery and develops a positive working partnership. Students work in teams, developing effective communication and teamwork skills.
Learning to cook is an essential life skill and can equip students with confidence to develop their cross curricular skills, in understanding: literacy, numeracy and scientific processes.
A sample of topics covered:
• Food preparation and cooking techniques
• Food hygiene and safety
• Healthy eating
• Nutritional analysis
English
The English curriculum aims to foster a joy of literature and creative expression. English skills are valuable and can provide life-long enrichment. English is a subject which stimulates the imagination, as well as the intellect.
At In Toto Ed, we believe that literacy is an incredibly important tool and our lessons reflect this, providing students with stimulating resources to develop skills and provide students with the confidence to express themselves in both their written and spoken work.
A sample of topics covered:
• Poetry
• Prose
• Drama
• Speaking and listening
• Writing
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Geography
Key Stage 3 Geography is a vital part of the school curriculum as it helps young people understand the world they live in—both locally and globally—and prepares them to become informed, responsible citizens. It helps influence decision-making skills, teamwork and independent work skills. Geography opens up career paths in areas like environmental science, urban planning, travel, and international development.
Students learn important skills such as:
• Reading maps, atlases, and using digital tools (GIS)
• Collecting and interpreting data
• Doing fieldwork and research
• Thinking critically and solving problems
A sample of topics covered:
• Earthquakes and volcanoes
• Rivers and coasts
• Cities and migration
• Climate and ecosystems
History
At In Toto Ed we believe historical context helps students understand how today’s world was shaped—political systems, social structures, wars, revolutions, and cultural movements. We believe that learning events like the World Wars, the British Empire, or the Civil Rights Movement are foundational to understanding modern Britain and the world. By studying diverse peoples, cultures, and experiences students develop a more empathetic and inclusive worldview. In addition, students learn to analyse sources, evaluate evidence, and recognise bias. History encourages questioning and thinking about cause and consequence, change and continuity.
A sample of topics covered:
• The Norman Conquest
• Medieval women
• Elizabeth I
• Decolonisation
Physical Education
At In Toto Ed, we have a firm belief in the importance of the PE curriculum in providing students with a well-rounded education. We believe that this goes beyond just physical fitness and contributes to the development of the whole student, mentally, socially and emotionally. Our curriculum encourages an active lifestyle and builds our students’ motor skills and helps students to improve their over-arching fitness levels.
We emphasise the importance of developing physical and technical sports skills, alongside understanding the benefits of health and wellbeing. We also encourage students to work collaboratively and build their team-working skills, as well as developing their leadership skills.
Topics covered:
• Football skills
• Badminton
• Table Tennis
• Rounders
• Ultimate frisbee
PSHEE
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) at Key Stage 3 is a vital part of our curriculum, designed to support the personal development and wellbeing of all our students. Our PSHE sessions are discussion-based and provide a safe, supportive space where students can explore important topics such as emotional regulation, confidence building, healthy friendships, and online safety. These sessions encourage open conversation, thoughtful reflection, and the development of essential life skills. Through guided discussions and interactive activities, we aim to empower students to make informed choices, understand themselves and others, and grow into confident, compassionate individuals.
Topics covered:
• Healthy relationships
• Nutrition
• Online safety
• Positive self-talk
• Combatting bullying
Maths
Our Maths Department aim to build core skills which give students the confidence and tools to solve tasks and build their confidence to ‘have a go’, even if they are not 100% sure of the answer. Our teachers inspire our students to become creative problem solvers and apply these skills to solve interesting problems and puzzles.
Our students work together to solve problems as part of a team, as this is how mathematicians work in the real world. Clear communication is an important skill to aid students to express their ideas and work out problems in a logical manner.
We use interactive boards to help support our learners and all students work creatively and develop resilience in finding the most suitable approach to problem solving and finding answers.
Topics covered:
• Pythagoras
• Scatter diagrams
• Nets of shapes
• 3D shapes
• Volumes of prisms
• Circles - circumference and area
Music at Key Stage 3 emphasises participation and collaboration. Students have the chance to work on their own work and participate in collaboration with their peers, developing communication and teamwork skills. We aim to make Music enjoyable and accessible to all our students.
Studying Music at Key Stage 3 provides students with skill development across the academic framework. A focused Music education enhances curiosity, leadership and a creative passion in students. Our curriculum helps students develop their Music abilities and prepares students to be confident, considerate and focused learners, in the world of Music and beyond.
Arts Award Explore gives our Key Stage 3 students an opportunity to experience different types of Music and develop their own creativity. Along the way they record what they’ve achieved and enjoyed and share it with others.
As they work through Arts Award Explore, students build their knowledge, creativity and confidence – and gain a recognised qualification in the process. They research a range of genres, artists and works, and make full use of their imagination, creativity, and communication skills, and helps them to develop new skills needed for Key Stage 4 such as researching and project management.
A sample of topics covered:
• Rhythm
• Film Music
• Music Production
• Arts Award Explore
• Graphic Scores
• Video Game Music
Science
At In Toto Ed, our Science curriculum aims to introduce students to the core areas of Science: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. We aim to equip our students with the knowledge and skills to progress successfully onto their next steps in learning at Key Stage 4. Key Stage 3 Science fosters curiosity about the world—how things work, why natural phenomena occur, and how Science impacts everyday life. This curiosity can inspire future study or careers in STEM fields.
At In Toto Ed, students learn how to:
• Plan experiments
• Make observations
• Record and analyse data
• Draw conclusions based on evidence
These inquiry skills are essential not only for Science but for critical thinking in general.
A sample of topics covered:
• Movement
• Digestion
• Cells
• Photosynthesis
info@in-toto-ed.com www.in-toto-ed.com