The topics for this academic year are:

Lessons are planned using subject specific objectives, which are sequenced to build upon prior knowledge and develop pupils’ vocabulary with a focus on ensuring children have a broad and balanced curriculum. Initially teaching will focus on the basic reading, writing and mathematical knowledge to enable them to enrich the wider curriculum. The aim is that our children will make connections and learning will become ‘fixed’ in their long term memory.

How do we teach our curriculum? 

Teaching will consist of the following elements:

• Learning Partners- Children work in mixed ability learning partners, which are regularly changed to provide opportunities to both discuss and coach each other. Children are encouraged to use the new vocabulary and talk as a learner to fully explain their thinking and understanding.
• Recap and review of prior learning- All learning will start by revisiting prior knowledge so that children can make meaningful links and teachers can check understanding.
• Modelling- New learning will be clearly modelled using small steps to show the knowledge, understanding, skill and vocabulary which is needed. Our modelling approach will make sure that enough time is given for the children to fully understand what has been taught to them.
• Scaffolding- Where needed, children will be provided with a scaffold to their learning to ensure that they are supported. This may be in the form of adult support or a learning resource.
• Independent practice and challenge- Time is given for the children to independently practice the new learning and all children are challenged. Challenges are given through questioning and the tasks that are set.
• Feedback- Throughout the learning sequence children are given clear feedback by the teacher and their peers and are questioned to check their understanding.

Classrooms are designed to promote independent learning behaviours with easily accessible resources such as spelling mats, mathematics equipment from which ensure that children are responsible for selecting their own learning resources. Classroom displays aid teaching and are used by pupils to support their learning. For example, pupils use the working wall across all subjects to support their writing through key vocabulary, worked examples. Each classroom is dyslexia friendly. Every child is given an opportunity to celebrate their own work by choosing which pieces they would like to display on the Proud Wall.

Our curriculum is enhanced through purposeful learning opportunities through visits, visitors, and meaningful links to real life experiences. In EYFS2 and year 1 classrooms build upon the principles of learning through high quality and well planned continuous provision which allows children to apply and practice taught knowledge and skills.

Our curriculum design is built upon the principles and pedagogy which underpin it:

• Pupils need to acquire basic knowledge, understanding and skills through repetition and progression to ensure these are fluent, built upon and fixed in their long term memory.
• Pupils and teachers will gain age-related core knowledge, understanding, vocabulary and skills which can be transferrable.
• Teaching needs to be accurately pitched and build on pupils’ prior knowledge to enable them to make sense and make connections and preventing gaps in learning.
  

How does our curriculum impact learners?

Subject leaders alongside senior leaders monitor the impact of the progression planning and the teaching in their subjects and use observation, evidence of pupil’s work and pupil voice to evaluate the quality of teaching.

The impact of the curriculum is evidenced in what children remember and the knowledge they have gained about what has been taught and how they use and apply this confidently. Due to the progressive teaching approach we use across the curriculum children make progress in the knowledge, skills and understanding they gain in each subject area and are able to make links and connections from prior learning. 

Progress is carefully tracked and this is used to ensure that learners are on track to reach end of Key Stage curriculum outcomes and expectations. Immediate, regular and short intervention is provided to support learners who have been identified to need this.

'Leaders and staff want the very best for the pupils and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve in English, mathematics and science. Pupils enjoy their learning because teachers make it interesting for them.' OFSTED 2019

Please click on the images below to visit each curricular area.