Curriculum

If you enjoy STEM subjects, NUAST can offer you a chance to spend lots of time each week doing the things you like. You will have the chance to study your favourite STEM subjects using some of the best facilities in the East Midlands and work with local and national companies gaining loads of experience. You will also still cover all the subjects you need to get a good job, such as English, Maths and a language.

At the end of Year 11, you will have a wide range of qualifications and experience that mean you have lots of options including A-Levels, BTECs and apprenticeships.

Curriculum Journey

Our curriculum in Key Stage 3-5 is broad and challenging, designed to give our students a rich education and meet our ethos of preparing our students for the wider world and enabling them to be one step ahead in the careers market.

We explain our curriculum to students via Learning Journey maps, which are on our website for students, parents and other stakeholders to see. Please find the direct links to these below.

Key Stage 3

You will study all of the following subjects within Year 7:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Engineering
  • Computing/IT
  • History
  • Geography
  • Religious Education
  • Art
  • Drama
  • Food
  • Physical Education
  • PSHE

Our aim is for you to develop a passion for all learning alongside a motivation for the STEM subjects. The curriculum is designed to give a wide and varied educational experience whilst giving students additional STEM-based subject expertise which will enable you to go on to be successful in any field, whether STEM based or related to your personal interests and strengths.

For the majority of subjects, students are taught in ability groups. This ensures that every child is taught at a level that matches their fullest capability. All students learn the same breadth and depth of curriculum regardless of their groupings.

As NUAST expands from our original 14–19 school to an 11–19 academy, and we redevelop our facilities, additional subjects can be offered, with Music and Drama joining our curriculum as full timetabled lessons from 2022–23.

GCSE Core Curriculum

At NUAST, all our students have the opportunity to study the group of subjects designated by the government as EBacc.

EBacc stands for ‘English Baccalaureate’ and is described by the government as “the core academic subjects at Key Stage 4”. The EBacc is made up of English, mathematics, history or geography, two sciences and a language.

NUAST offers the following subjects at GCSE. We are unique in our commitment to science and all of our students study a third science in addition to the EBacc requirement:

COMPULSORY

  • GCSE Mathematics
  • GCSE English Language and Literature
  • GCSE Triple Science (Biology, Physics and Chemistry)

This amounts to six GCSEs.

  • Core Physical Education (non-examined)

Students then choose from three specialist pathways:

EBACC PATHWAY

Students study the 6 core GCSEs plus:

  • Spanish
  • Either History or CNAT systems and Control
  • Computer Science or Engineering
  • One optional subject

ENGINEERING TECHNICAL PATHWAY 

Students study the six core GCSEs plus Engineering Design or Manufacture, plus:

  • History or Geography
  • One option subject

IT/COMPUTING TECHNICAL PATHWAY

Students study the six core GCSEs plus Computer Science and CNAT ICT, plus:

  • History or Geography
  • One option subject

OPTIONAL GCSE SUBJECTS

  • Art (Photography)
  • History
  • Geography
  • Spanish
  • Business Studies
  • Food Technology
  • Product Design
  • Computer Science
  • Physical Education

For details of specific examination boards, please contact us.

Science

Whether at Key Stage 3, GCSE or A-Level, NUAST offers each science as a discrete subject, providing students with the qualifications to gain access to leading universities nationally and internationally.

GCSE (Level 2 Qualifications)

At GCSE level, NUAST offers each of the science disciplines as a discrete subject. This provides you with an in-depth understanding of the sciences and allows you to focus on a particular scientific specialism at A-Level.

In addition to physics, chemistry and biology, computer science is also offered as an option subject. Combined with English, maths and a modern foreign language, this suite of subjects delivers a rounded education for any student seeking a career in science, engineering or computing.

Engineering

The opportunity to study engineering at GCSE level is just another provision that sets NUAST aside from other local providers.

You will study the OCR Cambridge National qualification in Engineering.

You will study two of the three qualifications detailed below:

  • Engineering Design
  • Engineering Manufacture
  • System Control in Engineering

IT/Computing

With chronic skills shortages in computing and IT there has never been a better time to study these subjects. At NUAST you can study computing and IT as a specialist subject at GCSE and Post 16 level.

GCSE (Level 2 Qualifications)

At GCSE level, NUAST offers the OCR Cambridge National qualification in IT/Computer Science.

You will study:

  • GCSE Computing
  • Cambridge National ICT

And be able to choose as an option:

  • Cambridge National Systems Control

This will provide you with a set of qualifications widely recognised by employers and universities as the best vocational training at this level.

You will also be working with industry partners throughout the course gaining invaluable experience of workplace practices.