Business and retail studies seeks to equip students with the fundamental knowledge of how to run a small business and the broader structure of the world of commerce. Students will have the opportunity to critically think about the structure of the world around them and develop their creativity when using problem-solving strategies to develop the business world. In lessons, students explore business concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business; we develop an understanding of key business concepts and skills when managing the growth of a business; students apply quantitative skills relevant to business, including being able to interpret financial data and students explore business in the global context and how this impacts business behaviour and decisions. Through business and retail studies, students will become forward-thinking, entrepreneurs of the future who have the confidence to step into the world of business and flourish.

Download the link to the curriculum map here.

Our Computer Science department is committed to providing our students with the skills and knowledge to navigate the digital world. We want our learners to understand the fundamental technological systems that underpin global societies and the constantly developing technological landscapes within these.

At Orchard Park, students develop an understanding of the hardware, software and programming knowledge that will form the foundation for students to explore emerging ideas and concepts in the world of technology. Students will gain an insight into how social media can be both useful and damaging and the impact and ethical considerations that technology has on society, the environment and the law.

Through Computer Science, students have the opportunity to enrich the mind and understand how the world is changing and enable them to be more digitally literate in their futures.

Download the link to the curriculum map here.

Dance at Orchard Park strives to create confident and competent dancers who will love and engage with the arts for life.

We are committed to providing the space for our learners to realise their potential by raising their expectations and broadening their knowledge of pivotal pioneers and practitioners in dance. Through our schemes of learning, we create the space for learners to use and challenge existing repertoire as a framework for innovation, fostering a love in our learners of both performance and the creative process. 

We pride ourselves on offering a wide range of performing opportunities so that our students can transfer their learning from the classroom to the stage and utilise our relationship with the Royal Academy of Dance to enhance this experience.

Our dance curriculum is rooted in the knowledge that art is at the very core of our identity as humans. We believe that the greatest gift we can give our students is an understanding and appreciation of how dance gives us a deeper understanding of who we are as individuals and how to get the best out of the others we work with.

Download the link to the curriculum map for dance here.

At Orchard Park High School, drama is the study of human experience through action. It is a subject where creativity meets critical thinking, and where communication becomes transformation. In our community, drama provides a vital space for expression beyond words, allowing students to discover and communicate meaning through movement, gesture, voice, and imagination.

Download the link to the curriculum map for drama here.

At Orchard Park, studying English means developing a love of literature, by reading powerful fiction and non-fiction texts from different historical periods. We aim to help students understand social moral issues, learning about people, society, and the world around them through the texts we teach. At Key Stage 3, students explore themes such as the abuse of power, the effects of conflict, responsibilities of parents, the role of women in society, and the search for identity. They learn to analyse texts in context, write creatively and analytically, and communicate ideas clearly, developing confidence in grammar, vocabulary, and written expression.

At Key Stage 4, students build on this foundation through GCSE study, examining complex themes such as social responsibility, class barriers, poverty, the power of nature, and the futility of war. By the end of Year 11,  we aim for students to be sophisticated, articulate communicators, capable of critical analysis and effective expression in both writing and speech. Studying English at Orchard Park equips students with knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills, enriching them personally and preparing them for future study, work, and informed participation in society. 

Download the link to the curriculum map here.

Through the geography curriculum at Orchard Park High School, our students explore physical and human geography at all scales, from the local to the global. 

We aim to create the very best geographers through teaching the skills, knowledge and vocabulary needed to effectively explain and understand geographical issues in the past, present and future. 

We endeavour to foster a life-long love of geography through providing ample opportunities for students to make sense of people and places through data analysis, fieldwork and the exploration of their own personal geographies. 

Students will finish their geographical studies at Orchard Park as responsible global citizens who are prepared to face new and challenging ideas in our changing world.

Download the link to the curriculum map here.

The history curriculum at Orchard Park aims to give students a rich knowledge of historical events across a broad period of time. Students will learn about these historical events through stories of individuals and groups, which makes the past vivid and memorable. These stories make understanding historical concepts accessible, and help students to see how these concepts develop across historical periods. Key concepts across the curriculum include, government, monarchy, inequality, democracy, dictatorship and conflict. We use enquiry questions to ensure depth in our curriculum as they are underpinned by one historical concept. This promotes curiosity in students and a deeper understanding of how history is studied. 

Students also learn about the historians who shaped our understanding of the past and engage with their arguments to develop their critical thinking skills. Historical sources are embedded across the curriculum so that students become skilled at evaluating evidence. These skills set them up for adult life, ensuring that they are equipped to engage in a democratic society. Our curriculum also provides students with cultural capital of significant events, individuals and ideas that have shaped the modern world, giving them the knowledge that is needed to engage with current issues.

Download the link to the curriculum map here.

At Orchard Park High School, the modern foreign languages curriculum aims to develop confident, articulate and culturally aware linguists in Spanish and French. We believe that a high-quality language education fosters curiosity, broadens horizons and deepens students’ understanding of the world around them.

Our curriculum is designed to develop the four key language learning skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a balanced and progressive way. Students are taught to understand and respond to spoken and written language, communicate confidently for practical purposes, and express their ideas, thoughts and opinions with increasing accuracy and complexity.

Language learning is carefully sequenced and structured. Students are introduced to new languages in manageable chunks, enabling better retention and faster transfer to long-term memory. Core grammar and vocabulary are revisited and recycled regularly, allowing previously learnt language to be consolidated, extended and built upon throughout Key Stages 3 and 4.

Across the curriculum, students develop the ability to use three time frames (past, present and future) and increasingly complex grammatical structures, empowering them to communicate with confidence and sophistication. This cumulative approach ensures clear progression from foundational language to more advanced linguistic competence.

Through the study of Spanish- and French-speaking countries, students gain insight into diverse cultures and ways of life, encouraging empathy, global awareness and responsible citizenship. At Orchard Park High School, we provide an enriching curriculum that fosters wisdom and confidence, empowering students to think beyond their own experiences and make positive contributions within their local communities and the wider global society.

Through this approach, we aim to instil a love of languages, recognising that communication is a vital life skill and an essential part of preparing students for the world beyond the classroom.

Download the link to the curriculum map for French here.
Download the link to the curriculum map for Spanish here.

Music plays an important role at Orchard Park, not just in lessons but throughout the academic year. 

The music lessons are built on three pillars: performing; composing; appraising. Students learn a wide variety of genres and learn to perform and compose on keyboards. 

We provide opportunities such as choir, school band, rock band, peripatetic lessons in drums, guitar, piano, steel pans and voice. There are also many opportunities for students to take part in shows and performances throughout the year.

Download the link to the curriculum map for music here.

Download our Music Development Plan here.