When planning our secondary phase at Horizon English School Town Square (HESTS), I keep coming back to one question: what do we want young people to experience before they begin making decisions about their future?

We want them to encounter ideas that make them think, subjects that capture their interest and opportunities that help them discover what they enjoy. We also want them to feel known, supported and confident enough to try something new.

This is why we describe Years 7-9, Key Stage 3 of the British curriculum, as our Discovery years. As we prepare to open our secondary school in Dubai, our aim is to create an experience that helps every student become confident, capable and connected.

Why the Discovery years matter

Mary Myatt’s KS3: The Ambitious Years provides an important reference point for our thinking. Her focus on rich reading, secure knowledge, vocabulary and deep understanding reflects the ambition we are bringing to our Key Stage 3 curriculum.

Curiosity needs knowledge. As students learn more about a subject, they can ask more thoughtful questions, make connections and begin to see the world differently. Our responsibility is to give them interesting and challenging things to learn, alongside the support they need to understand them.

At HESTS, we are planning a curriculum journey that moves from Discovery in Years 7-9, through Depth at GCSE, towards Specialism and beyond. We have considered the knowledge and skills students will need later, while giving them time to explore a broad range of subjects now.

The Discovery years should help young people achieve strong foundations and begin to understand where their interests and strengths might take them.

Flourishing across the curriculum

Flourishing can look different in every subject. Each area of the curriculum offers students opportunities to grow in knowledge and confidence, develop relationships and experience a sense of achievement.

In English, exploring a character’s experiences can help students understand another perspective and find the words to express their own. In mathematics, working through a challenging problem can develop perseverance and the satisfaction of finding a solution. In science, investigating an unfamiliar question can turn curiosity into understanding.

Through history and geography, students can explore different communities, places and perspectives, developing a deeper understanding of the world and their place within it. In art and design, they can develop an original idea, express themselves and take pride in what they create.

In music and drama, students can rehearse, collaborate and perform, experiencing how individual contributions come together to create something shared. Through PE and sport, they can develop their skills, enjoy being active, work as part of a team and learn how to respond to both success and disappointment.

These experiences help students discover what they can do and how they can contribute.

Building on what children already know

The transition from primary to secondary school is a journey. It needs to work academically, socially and emotionally.

Children arrive in Year 7 with knowledge, interests and achievements that deserve to be recognised. Our curriculum planning across Years 5-8 is designed to help teachers understand those starting points and build on them, providing appropriate challenge while identifying where further support is needed.

Alongside this, warm relationships, clear routines and pastoral care will help students feel that they belong. When children feel known and supported, they are more likely to ask questions, take a chance and keep going when something feels difficult.

For me, everyone counts, contributes and succeeds must be visible in everyday school life. It means noticing the student who has not yet found their voice, recognising progress and helping a young person find a way forward when something goes wrong.

Discovery beyond the classroom

Interests can begin in a lesson and grow through extracurricular activities. They can also emerge when a student tries something for the first time.

Our planned enrichment programme will create opportunities to explore sport, performing arts, academic challenge, leadership and community service. Through these experiences, students can develop friendships, take responsibility and discover how their contribution matters to a wider community.

By the end of the Discovery years, our ambition is for students to know more about the world and more about themselves. With strong foundations, supportive relationships and opportunities to explore, they can approach their future choices feeling confident, capable and connected.

If you are looking for the right school for your family, I would love to continue the conversation. Come and visit us at our Parent Experience Centre in Town Square for a chat, meet the team and learn more about Horizon Town Square ahead of our opening in September 2027.

Come and talk to us at the Parent Experience Centre.

Yours sincerely,
Lewis Hammill
Founding Head of Secondary
Horizon Town Square