Subject Information
Art Design and Technology
Art, Design and Technology provide students with the opportunity to develop their creativity by developing their skills and knowledge across a broad range of 2-D, 3-D, and digital media.
Students develop their work by exploring different processes, including drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, photography, collage and batik. Contextual studies introduce students to inspirational sources from antiquity to the present day from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Students study both Resistant Materials and Food Technology in Year 8 and can progress further with Food, Preparation and Nutrition as a GCSE option. Art and Design is an option at both GCSE and A-Level following either the Fine Art or Graphic Communication courses.
Business Studies (KS4)
The curriculum of business acts as an anchor of knowledge developed both within the subject and through other subjects. Helping to take abstract terms and place them in a real-world scenario. This helps develop students’ overall skills of problem-solving, effective communication and leadership. Students will consider the practical application of business concepts.
The units provide opportunities to explore theories and concepts in the most relevant way, through the context of events in the business and economic world. The knowledge and skills gained from this specification will provide students with a firm foundation for further study and prepare them for the modern demands of the workplace.
Computer Science and IT
Our computer Science and IT department is committed to equipping students with the digital skills and computational thinking needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological world.
As a diverse and inclusive school in the heart of Brent, we celebrate our students' unique perspectives and foster an environment where creativity, problem-solving, and innovation are at the forefront. From foundational digital literacy to advanced coding and systems design, our curriculum is designed to challenge, inspire, and prepare learners for further study and the digital careers of tomorrow.
Through enrichment opportunities like robotics clubs, coding competitions, and industry partnerships, we ensure our students gain real-world experience that extends far beyond the classroom.
EAL
The EAL Department at Preston Manor plays a vital role in promoting the school’s values of Inclusion and Equality of Opportunity. Our diverse student population, with varied linguistic and cultural backgrounds and various levels of English proficiency, only enriches our learning environment. We use this diversity to shape inclusive teaching approaches that ensure that every learner can access the curriculum and succeed in the English education system.
Our teaching is rooted in the belief that learning is active and collaborative. We encourage participation, dialogue, and a sense of ownership in learning, helping students grow with confidence and pride. Alongside academic support, we also prioritise pastoral care, offering activities that foster inclusion and wellbeing—ensuring every student feels welcome, supported, and empowered to thrive at Preston Manor.
Key Objectives of KS3 - EAL students are supported to:
- Develop their use of English in various contexts, especially academic language and subject-specific vocabulary.
- Cultivate independent study skills, including investigation and research.
- Acquire strategies to access the mainstream curriculum during lesson time.
- Grow in confidence, develop social skills, and embrace fundamental British values.
- Maintain and value their home-language heritage and culture as part of their identity.
Key Objectives of KS4 - EAL students are further supported to:
- Develop effective practical communication skills in English across various contexts.
- Form a solid foundation for further study and employment using English as the medium.
- Enhance independent study skills, including self-study, internet research, and completing home learning independently.
- Deepen strategies to access more complex mainstream GCSE curriculum during lesson time.
- Become ambitious, proactive, and enthusiastic learners, serving as role models for others.
EAL Support Services
Our EAL Teachers actively contribute to the learning and teaching of students new to English, ensuring equality of opportunity, full inclusion in school life, and progression in line with high expectations. Our support includes:
- Language assessment on entry and an Induction Day for new students.
- Induction Classes for 'Survival English' focusing on basic grammar, language, and vocabulary.
- Tailored interventions such as Literacy College and Literacy Withdrawals.
- In-class support across various subject areas.
- GCSE in English as a Second Language or IGCSE in English as an Additional Language as a fully accredited option in Year 10 and Year 11.
- Exam arrangements, including extra time and access to bilingual dictionaries.
- Various clubs and resources to support with homework and school assignments.
Parental Support
We understand the importance of involving parents in the educational journey. For parents with English as an additional language, we offer:
- Interpreting during parent evenings and meetings.
- Phone calls home in the home language.
- Advice on any aspect of your child’s progress and education.
Economics (KS5)
The Study of Economics equips students with the ability to use evidence when making decisions. Students will develop essential skills such as analysing and interpreting data, building rational and logical arguments and making clear, convincing judgements.
Economics combines both creativity and rational thought and students will confidently use a wide range of mathematical skills and balance these with strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Economics is one of the highest paying careers due to the power of logic that is developed in the PMS classroom.
English
Our English curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong love of literature, foster confident communication, and develop the critical thinking skills students need to thrive in the modern world.
Through a carefully sequenced programme from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, students engage with a diverse and enriching range of texts while developing key reading, writing, and speaking skills. Throughout both key stages, lessons are designed to be engaging, inclusive, and responsive to students’ needs. Regular formative and summative assessments guide teaching and ensure steady progress, while a strong focus on oracy, vocabulary, and critical discussion supports wider academic development.
We aim to equip all students with the cultural capital, literacy proficiency, and confidence to succeed not only in GCSE English but in all areas of life where communication and understanding are key.
Health and Social Care
Through the Health and Social Care Key Stage 5 curriculum, our students at Preston Manor School will become even more appreciative and caring of others in our multicultural community.
Students will develop skills to become more independent learners that strive to do their best and be resilient when things become challenging. Our learners will experience working in the local community and bring their knowledge gained into the classroom.
We aspire our learners to be passionate about the Health and Social Care sector and encourage them to become active citizens in the community and help change people’s lives in the future.
History
At Preston Manor, our inclusive and representative History curriculum is shaped by the rich diversity of our student body. From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, students explore a broad and balanced range of topics within a chronological framework, developing key historical concepts such as evidence, interpretation, and significance.
Through challenging enquiries that reflect both British and global perspectives, including those aligned with our students’ lived experiences, we nurture curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the past’s relevance to the present.
Our curriculum empowers students to become informed, reflective individuals, well-prepared for further study and engaged in citizenship.
Maths
We aim to inspire a genuine enjoyment and intellectual curiosity in Mathematics. Our students are supported to revel in logic, analysis, and a systematic approach to problem-solving.
In alignment with the school’s ethos of Ambition, Responsibility, and Excellence (ARE), our curriculum is designed to empower students from all backgrounds to become fluent, reflective, and resilient mathematicians who are fully equipped to meet the demands of the future.
Media (KS4)
The GCSE Media Studies curriculum is designed to help students become thoughtful and informed media consumers and creators. Through studying a range of media forms such as television, film, advertising, newspapers, and online platforms, students learn how media messages are constructed and how they influence audiences and society. The course builds critical thinking, analytical, and creative skills, encouraging students to understand the media’s role in shaping culture, identity, and the world around them. It also provides opportunities for practical work, allowing students to apply what they’ve learnt by producing their own media products.
Modern Foreign Language
Language learning at Preston Manor is inclusive, engaging, and intellectually enriching, equipping students with the skills and cultural awareness needed for life in a global society.
From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, our curriculum fosters confident, curious linguists who can communicate spontaneously and accurately while appreciating the histories, values, and perspectives of other cultures.
Through a focus on listening, speaking, reading, and writing underpinned by grammar, vocabulary, and phonics, students develop fluency and analytical thinking. Whether exploring everyday topics or complex global issues, learners are encouraged to challenge stereotypes, embrace diversity, and pursue language learning as a lifelong passion that opens academic, cultural, and professional doors.
Performing Arts
The faculty of Performing Arts works to inspire and promote both acceptance and awareness in all students. We aim to foster a lifelong passion for the arts whilst ensuring all students have access to experiences both in school and our wider community that develop personal growth, confidence, and analytical thinking.
Participation is at the heart of all we do; fostering creativity, enhancing communication skills and teamwork, which enables students to express themselves confidently in a range of artistic forms. By exploring our diverse cultures, histories, and genres, we encourage students to enrich their cultural capital within the performing arts as a whole.
Physical Education
Physical Education at Preston Manor allows young people to develop physically, mentally and socially through independent and group work. Through lessons and promotion of growth mindset, students get the opportunity to educate their minds, develop healthy and active lifestyles in addition to demonstrating individual sports skills across a variety of activities.
Students experience how to deal with success and failure as individuals and as part of a team, and they are challenged to demonstrate leadership skills during each and every lesson. As students progress through their PE learning journey, students will gain an understanding of the human body during exercise and be able to reflect on their own fitness, identifying their strengths and areas for improvement.
Politics (KS5)
Politics in KS5 at Preston Manor empowers students to critically engage with the systems of power shaping the UK, the US, and the wider world. Through the study of political institutions, participation, and core ideologies such as Conservatism, Socialism, and Liberalism, students develop the skills to analyse and debate key issues in an era defined by global challenges and political change.
With a focus on discussion, evaluation, and independent thinking, our curriculum fosters informed, active citizenship and prepares students to navigate and influence the complex political landscape of the 21st century.
PSHE
At Preston Manor, our PSHE curriculum equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to lead safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives. Rooted in inclusion and safeguarding, the programme promotes emotional literacy, resilience, and respect while preparing pupils for the responsibilities of modern life.
Through a carefully sequenced and inclusive approach, students explore wellbeing, relationships, diversity, online and personal safety, and economic understanding. Delivered in a supportive environment, PSHE empowers all learners to make informed choices, celebrate differences, and contribute confidently as active, responsible citizens.
Citizenship Lead Learners
All tutor groups in Year 7 to Year 11 take part in a 15-minute citizenship registration activity each week. The activities are led by two trained Lead Learners and focus on topics surrounding the core themes of the PSHE curriculum and Citizenship curriculum.
Lead Learners have additional responsibilities which involve developing community projects and awareness in the school. For example, AIDs Awareness Day, Remembrance Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, LGBT month, Black History month, Refugee Week.
To view our PSHE and Citizenship policies, please visit OUR POLICIES PAGE
Psychology (KS5)
The aim of psychology at A-level is to introduce students to the canon of psychology theory and approaches, whilst encouraging them to appreciate the intrinsic value of scientific inquiry.
By engaging with the systematic processes of research, students will develop a profound understanding of how knowledge emerges and evolves within the discipline and understand the value of the subject in real life applications. This program aims to build critical thinking abilities, strengthen research competencies, and encourage thoughtful reflection on ethical issues within the field of psychology.
By delving into areas including memory, human attachment, clinical and mental health topics, as well as biological aspects of psychology, the course lays a strong foundation for continued academic study or roles where understanding human behaviour is essential.
Science
Our science curriculum from KS3 to KS5 fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong enthusiasm for discovery, while actively promoting diversity, inclusion, and the development of cultural capital.
At KS3, students build strong foundations in biology, chemistry, and physics, developing essential practical, literacy, and numeracy skills through experimentation and real-world applications that reflect a wide range of cultural and scientific contexts.
In KS4, learners deepen their understanding through a spiral curriculum that reinforces core concepts, encourages scientific reasoning, and supports students from all backgrounds in accessing both academic and vocational science pathways.
At KS5, students specialise in advanced scientific study, guided by expert teaching and enriched through practical experiences and enrichment opportunities. Learning extends beyond the classroom through fieldwork, trips, and collaborations with universities and industry, helping students connect science to the wider world and see its relevance in diverse real-life contexts.
Our aim is to inspire curiosity, resilience, and a sense of belonging, equipping all students with the responsibility and ambition to succeed in STEM careers and make meaningful contributions to a diverse and evolving society.