Sheffield school to continue to offer ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum at GCSE despite funding pressures

Bradfield School in Worrall said they will continue to offer ‘unrestricted choices’ for Year 9 students currently choosing their GCSE options despite pressures faced by cuts to funding. 

It comes after some parents of children in Year 9 at the school expressed their concerns following a recent options evening on February 27.

In an anonymous email sent to The Star, the group said the leadership team had misled parents and children by only offering pupils two options to choose a creative subject.

This seemingly hypocritical after the school hit headlines for saying that subjects such as art, music, drama and dance were at the heart of the curriculum.

However, Bradfield have denied the claim, stating the curriculum remains ‘broad and balanced’ giving options to help students become well rounded individuals.

In a statement Bradfield School said: “Despite pressure from the national funding situation, Bradfield School remains committed to a broad and balanced curriculum with our current Year 9 students enjoying the same number of unrestricted choices as last year; there is no reduction in our offer to Year 9 students.

“We believe our curriculum will support our students in becoming well rounded individuals who possess both the academic outcomes and the cultural capital required to succeed in modern Britain.

“We work with parents, carers and students throughout the options process to ensure the life chances of the students remain at the heart of any curriculum offer.”

Currently subjects such as English, Maths and Triple Science – which are classed as core subjects – are compulsory for all Year 9 students meaning they will not count as an option. 

RE and Citizenship have now become options at GCSE, a change in the year prior.

The students can then opt to choose three other subjects, having to take one of the following –  Computer Science, Geography, History, French or Spanish.

For the remaining two they can choose from a list of subjects, including art and music, to form their studies at GCSE and students are encouraged to choose a range to broaden their learning. 

However, the school said that Design and Technology and Design and Engineering cannot be chosen together as stated by the exam board, as the curriculum is too similar.