Curriculum

Please use the tabs on the left hand side to navigate the subject pages of our curriculum. The 'curriculum overviews' page will include our Knowledge Organisers that we introduce the children to at the beginning of each new unit of work. At the end of a unit it is this 'sticky' knowledge that we want the children to be able to remember and articulate with confidence.

If you require any further information about our curriculum, the way it is designed, or how we supplement it with wider curriculum activities, please contact Claire Killick, Headteacher.

Please note that we do not currently utilise Remote Education Provision to deliver our curriculum, however, contact with class teachers in relation to class-based curricular is readily accessible through our online learning platform: Class Dojo.

Implementation

Cognitive science tells us that working memory is limited and that cognitive load is too high if students are rushed through content. This limits the acquisition of long-term memory. Cognitive science also tells us that in order for students to become creative thinkers or have a greater depth of understanding they must first master the basics, which takes time. Our curriculum has been designed to reflect our view that the acquisition of knowledge and skills are closely linked, and that both are essential for children to achieve in Britain and the wider world. Our curriculum is framed to reflect the ‘Purpose and Aims’ of the NC and so support the children’s progress. The same concepts of equality, empowerment and sustainability are explored in a wide breadth of topics and pupils return to them repeatedly, gradually building an understanding of them. Our curriculum has been mapped to ensure that we fully cover all requirements of the National Curriculum and that current learning builds upon pupil’s prior learning in approach, subject content, and vocabulary.

Every subject has a co-ordinator who ensures there is progression in the key knowledge and skills that are required in that subject. We strive to empower our co-ordinators to have the tools and knowledge to be experts in their area through continuous professional development. Learning within each topic, though linked by content theme, is structured to develop the children as learners within each separate curriculum subject, i.e., focusing on the characteristics of an effective scientist, an effective historian and so on, alongside content knowledge. While our content is subject specific, our curriculum drivers’ approach, enables us to make intra-curricular links to strengthen schema. This approach enables pupils, over time, to develop an understanding of the distinct nature of different learning ‘disciplines’ whilst creating a knowledge network which enables them to make connections between different subjects and thus enrich their understanding of both. For example, whilst we study art history as part of our Art & Design curriculum, we also understand how some works of art can be a rich source of evidence for the historian.

The learning sequence will be as follows:

• Purpose and possibilities of each subject and topic
• Identify key concepts in the topic
• Recap knowledge including links and connections between topics
• Share a knowledge organiser with pupils and parents for retrieval practice
• Learn individual facts and ideas at preliminary stage
• Developing skills
• Experiential learning
• Assess and revisit

In addition to the planned curriculum, we embrace opportunities to further broaden our pupils’ experiences. This takes many forms including things like:

• whole School themed topic days and weeks, e.g., Multi-faith week, Science Innovation week
• celebration/special days such as International Women’s Day, Internet Safety Day, World Book Day
• participation in school sporting events and competitions
• pupil Leadership roles within school e.g., sports ambassadors, eco-warriors, pupil school council
• a planned schedule of wide-ranging assemblies including bible stories, inspirational figures and protecting the environment
• cultural community events such as Literacy Festival, Reading Book awards, Fit fest
• Learning activities, including exploration of current affairs and global issues through lessons, regular assemblies, and events days
• making full use of our extensive grounds to promote outdoor learning and regular Forest School sessions and visits to the Haycop (local nature reserve)
• after-school clubs such as football, craft, writing club, book club, dance.
• peripatetic music teachers for singing, flute, saxophone, steel pan and clarinet.
• Whole school healthy week

 
Throughout our curriculum we place a real importance on supporting pupils to develop positive character attributes, which we believe have an impact on their education. We support and encourage the children to take responsibility for themselves as learners and to recognise that being resilient and having a growth mindset is essential to this. Our Christian values support the development of our pupils which they take with them as they move on to secondary education.

Impact

To measure impact in terms of educational outcomes, we use a variety of monitoring approaches including lesson observations linked to coaching, book scrutiny, pupil interview and peer review to see if pedagogical style matches our depth expectations and to benchmark and compare progress over time. Because learning is a change to long-term memory, we do not expect to see impact in the short term. We have ongoing assessment via observation, quizzes, diagnostic tests, and formal assessments in reading and mathematics to generate gap analyses. These inform future planning and targeted intervention and as to whether we consider a pupil to be ‘on track’ to attain end of year expectations in each subject. We also complete formal assessments of pupil attainment against the Early Learning Goals in line with statutory requirements.