INTENT

The National Curriculum 2014 states that “Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:

• Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and

• Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.”

 

It also states that “the national curriculum forms one part of the school curriculum.” 

 

Our curriculum is the whole learning experience offered by the school and it includes all aspects of a child’s development. It is being developed to cover all of the knowledge, skills and understanding within the statutory requirements as well as ensuring it relates to our local area and the heritage of our pupils. We also strive to further enrich our curriculum by taking learning outside of the classroom, providing hands-on experiences and by encouraging lots of talk - including discussing THUNKS (philosophical questions.) We hope that this provides our pupils with the ability to express themselves articulately and emotionally and develops their skills to be able to persuade, debate, question and negotiate. Furthermore, to support mental and physical development, we deliver Forest School sessions on site to enhance our provision. We are in the process of introducing outdoor learning for all areas of the curriculum, also.

 

Our curriculum also reflects requirements for inclusion and equality as set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2014 and the Equality Act 2010, and refers to curriculum-related expectations of governing boards set out in the Department for Education’s Governance Handbook. All aspects of our curriculum are accessible to all children, irrespective of their ethnic background, gender, disability, religious or linguistic background.  We strive hard to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those who are more able, those with special talents and those children who are learning English as an additional language.

 

We aim to provide a broad and balanced education for all pupils that is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge for skills and future learning and employment. Each subject has a clear progression map which details the knowledge, vocabulary and skills to be taught sequentially in each year group. This enables pupils to build on their prior learning and to make connections, enabling them to make progress. Our curriculum is designed to inspire enthusiasm for learning, to ensure achievement for every child and to support pupil well-being and happiness. It aims to provide every pupil with the chance to achieve, thrive and be the best they can be. There are high expectations for all pupils and we scaffold up rather than differentiate down, ensuring that pupils with SEND do not experience a narrowed curriculum.

 

Our school promotes reading for pleasure and all classes have a ring fenced ten minutes each day when an adult reads to the class.  We have a reading spine based upon Doug Lemov’s “5 Plagues of a Developing Reader.”

 

We strive to give our pupils the vital background knowledge and ‘cultural capital’ required so that they can be informed and thoughtful members of our community.

 

 

The National Curriculum: primary curriculum