Knowledge is Power. We Make it Stick.

We are guided by our mantra, “Knowledge is Power. We Make it Stick." We've created a programme rich in powerful knowledge - that which pupils will not encounter as part of their everyday experience. And, we are relentless in our pursuit of Making it Stick - ensuring that regardless of background, the curriculum is remembered not merely encountered.

We believe that curriculum design is a profound act of social justice, one that ensures every child, regardless of background or ability, is empowered through access to powerful, knowledge-rich learning that opens doors beyond their lived experience.

Knowlege is Power. We Make it Stick.

At Harris Academy Greenwich, we believe every child deserves more than just a good education, they deserve an exceptional one. That journey begins with a powerful curriculum.

Our curriculum is carefully designed to be knowledge-rich, broad, and ambitious, giving children access to ideas, cultures, careers and experiences far beyond the everyday. We want our students to be ‘in the know’, equipped not only for exam success, but with the kind of deep, meaningful understanding that lasts.

This belief sits at the heart of everything we do. From maths to personal development, our mantra guides us: “Knowledge is Power. We Make it Stick.”

We deliver a knowledge-rich curriculum which teaches a depth and breadth of ambitious, broad and diverse knowledge. It is every child’s right, regardless of their academic ability or prior attainment, to access this powerful knowledge: it ensures they are not only able to perform well in public examinations but develop the disciplinary knowledge and social capital necessary to successfully navigate and interrogate the future world they will encounter. For staff at Harris Greenwich, this is a matter of social justice. Every year our results at both GCSE and A level are second to none in the local area but our school is more than just an exam factory. Put simply; Harris Academy Greenwich is a place where all children will Step into their Greatness.

Curriculum leaders constantly review and improve curricular choices by engaging in regular debate on ‘what’ to teach before considering ‘how' to teach it. We acknowledge that the curriculum is alive and needs nurturing, it is not a list of content, but a canon that must be considered and amended constantly to ensure we teach the best that has been thought, said or written. Leaders set an ambitious intent for curriculum as we know that ‘powerful knowledge’, which is specialised and takes its authority from leading academic institutions, gives students power in life.

Powerful Knowledge gives pupils power in life.

Examples include:

• In English, we want students to experience the majesty of Shakespeare, and to create deep, cognitive connections in their knowledge by exploring the origins of Greek tragedies and epic poems and its impact on drama across societies, cultures and time periods.

• In Geography, students will develop an appreciation of our dynamic planet, initially identifying how long-standing landscapes like the glaciers of Antarctica have been transformed by modern processes, but also how contemporary lifestyles are transforming landscapes in otherwise barren locations.
   
• In Music, students experiment, rehearse, and develop performance skills across a wide range of instruments including piano, keyboard, guitar and vocals, alongside being exposed to and analysing music from all over the world including South American and Eastern Europe. This musical journey allows students to experience, interpret, comment on and perform music of diverse origins and cultural heritage which they otherwise might not have been exposed to.

Every child regardless of their background, starting point, or ability has the right to access this powerful knowledge. We believe that by doing so, they gain not just qualifications, but the cultural capital and disciplinary understanding to thrive in an ever-changing world.

We are committed to ensuring that every student at HAGR is protected from discrimination and has full access to learning, in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the SEND Regulations 2014.

Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and we’re here to make sure they do.

Our subject team leaders have designed and planned their curriculum according to the following 5 principles:

1. The curriculum is ambitious, full of powerful knowledge;
2. The curriculum is sequenced logically so that new knowledge builds upon old and prepares pupils for the next stage;
3. The curriculum is specified in detail so that teachers and pupils are clear on what needs to be learned and in what depth;
4. The curriculum is taught to be remembered, not merely encountered;
5. The curriculum is supported with a homework strategy that supports knowledge being remembered.