The pupils are confident and able to articulate their opinions. Furthermore, they are encouraged to do so. Leaders value pupils’ views....
Curriculum
Isca Academy offers GCSEs, BTECs and ASDAN courses as programmes of study for pupils. Some courses are offered in conjunction with Exeter College. Much value is placed in the non formal curriculum which develop skills needed to become successful learners.
Formal curriculum
The school has adopted a fortnightly timetable and the two year Key Stage 3 which allows for more time in Key Stage 4. All students study Religious Education and PSHE and enhanced topical themes in a tutorial and assembly programme. The core subjects in both key stages are English, Maths and Science. Students start French in Year 7 and can learn Spanish in as well in Year 8. Creative Arts subjects in Years 7 and 8 are taught on a rotation, each student will study 2 of the subjects for 4 hours per fortnight. In Key Stage 4 students continue with the core subjects and choose three options.Students studying separate sciences have 12 lessons in total per fortnight and only 2 RE lessons. The current offer of Options Subjects for year 9, 10 and 11 students are: French, Spanish, Computing, Geography. History, Music, Drama, Dance, Resistant Materials, Food and Nutrition, Art, Photography, Futsal, and PE.
Extra-curricular programme
The extra curricular offer is seen as critical to developing the students personality and to developing their learning skills. There are a wide variety of educational visit and trips, out-side lesson groups, outdoor pursuits and opportunities to get involved in outside organisations. To start with there is a week long Year 7 residential trip. Then pupils may join The Duke of Edinburgh for All Scheme, Royal Marine Cadets a – CCF Unit. They may get involved in the Ten Tors, Exe Valley Challenge, Exe Valley Extreme. There are book & film clubs, writing workshops and performing arts groups, theatre visits and workshops, sports teams and development opportunities, musical tuition, clubs and workshops.
Procedures for field trips at the school were reviewed in 2016 after four pupils climbed over a fence to take selfies at the top of the crumbling cliff top at Salcombe Hill, Sidmouth, despite warning signs, prompting a response involving RNLI members.
Uniform protest
In 2017 during a heat wave, boys at the college wore skirts in protest at not being allowed to wear shorts. One parent claimed that the protest had been sparked by her 14-year-old son being threatened with confinement to an "isolation room" if he wore shorts, and being told sarcastically by the head teacher that wearing a skirt would not incur such a punishment. The protest lasted four days, involving only five boys at the outset, one of whom was punished for his skirt being too short, but had escalated to fifty pupils by its end, including from all year groups. The school then announced that short trousers would be permitted in the summer term of the subsequent school year, subject to consultations.
