Overview
Rationale
At Woodloes Primary School, we are committed to providing a broad and balanced, innovative and dynamic based curriculum in which all subjects are valued. Through engagement with this, our pupils will be provided with a wealth and breadth of knowledge and skills which will enable them to flourish and reach their full potential academically, physically, socially and artistically.
Linked to this, we wanted our curriculum to encompass our school vision and values which were created after consultation with the pupils and other members of the school community and which are championed through assemblies as well as the curriculum.
Vision:
At Woodloes, we strive for everyone to be the best version of themselves. We foster a growth mindset with resilience, perseverance and a sense of responsibility. We believe in a commitment to learning and personal development, and seek to inspire a sense of curiosity about the world around us. Our community embodies kindness, integrity and appreciation; and our children enjoy their learning empowered to be successful in a safe, happy and inclusive environment.
Values:
P - Perseverance
R - Respect
I - Integrity
D - Diversity
E – Excellence
The curriculum at Woodloes Primary School has been designed to reflect the above whilst also ensuring that our pupils have regular planned opportunities to revisit, practise and repeat learning; essential for deeper understanding and monitoring key progression.
Intent
Whilst our curriculum encompasses the formal requirements of the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework, our intent is to deliver an inspiring and challenging curriculum which will create an environment where questioning, academic risk-taking, deeper thinking and the freedom to learn from mistakes are encouraged. In an ever-shifting global cultural climate, Woodloes Primary aims to ensure that the curriculum is current, reflective, engaging and localised to the pupils it serves, whilst promoting the values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect and individual liberty.
The aims and objectives of our school curriculum are to:
- Deliver a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum leading to a cumulative acquisition of knowledge and skills to support future learning and employment.
- Provide a rich and stimulating environment, one which is organised, secure, structured and purposeful.
- Develop the all-round potential of the children through the vehicle of a dynamic, rich, broad and balanced curriculum, one which is responsive and reflective to the learners.
- Support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural and emotional development.
- Provide for pupils’ physical as well as academic development, as well as their understanding linked to a healthy lifestyle.
- Develop an awareness and understanding of different cultures, religions, race and ways of life.
- Promote a positive thirst and attitude towards learning.
- Provide opportunities for pupils to use and apply their skills in different areas of the curriculum and identify real-life applications of these.
- Use new and emerging technologies, the learning environment, local area, outdoor learning and relevant resources to enhance the curriculum experience for all pupils.
- Extend the curriculum through visits, visitors, forest school sessions and a residential trip.
- Provide extra-curricular opportunities for children to develop their interests.
- Provide pupils with a voice to ensure a relevant and enjoyable curriculum.
- Ensure equal access to learning for all pupils, with high expectations for every pupil and appropriate levels of challenge and scaffolding.
- Enable all pupils to make the best possible progress and to achieve the highest possible academic, social and emotional attainment.
EYFS (English and Maths)
Daily whole class Phonics sessions are planned and delivered using Phonics Bug (a multi-sensory phonics scheme) and the 3D PSHE and Kapow Schemes of learning are used to plan and deliver foundation subject areas. The EYFS maths curriculum follows ‘Number Blocks and White Rose’ which includes ‘depth before breadth’ and scheduled recall maths meetings to enable the recall of prior mathematical knowledge.
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
In Year 1 – Year 6, there is a half-termly driver project with an associated high-quality English text which is used to inspire the writing curriculum and year group trips and visits. Linked to the English curriculum, as well as daily writing sessions, year group timetables also include Phonics Bug (KS1) and Time for Phonics (for targeted groups of KS2 children) or GPS (KS2) sessions (planned and delivered following the No-Nonsense schemes), Guided Reading sessions (following the Bug Club Guided (KS1) and Bug Club Comprehension (KS2) scheme), as well as regular opportunities for independent reading.
In Year 1, the maths curriculum follows ‘The Ark Maths Mastery Programme’ which includes ‘depth before breadth’. In Years 2 to 6, the Maths curriculum design follows a mastery approach titled ‘6-part Maths lesson’. This is aligned with White Rose Maths, and each lesson starts with a prior learning activity to provide the pupils with the opportunity to practise any previous learning that they will need to use and apply during the maths session. Scheduled recall maths meetings in Key Stage 1 and 2 (along with those in the EYFS), enable pupils’ regular opportunities to recall prior mathematical knowledge.
Science sessions are planned and delivered to enable all pupils to apply their scientific understanding to rationalise and explain new phenomena, whilst developing a sense of excitement and curiosity. There is a clear skills and knowledge progression throughout the pupils’ journey throughout the primary school to maximise their learning and to enable them to develop a thorough understanding of the key scientific knowledge and concepts covered. Half termly investigations also provide pupils with the opportunity to use and apply their prior and current scientific knowledge and vocabulary.
The Kapow scheme of learning is used to plan and deliver foundation subject areas including: Geography, History, Design and Technology, Art and Design, Computing and On-Line Safety, Music, Science and French (KS2). This scheme provides engaging, knowledge-rich sessions, whilst ensuring full coverage of the content of the National Curriculum, and a progression of skills and knowledge for the pupils (both throughout the year, as well as throughout the school).
The Primary PE Scheme is used to plan and deliver Physical Education sessions with swimming sessions (for Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils) planned and delivered by trained swimming instructors. There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge, built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
The Discovery RE Scheme is used to plan and teach RE sessions and within all of the sessions taught, there are no presumptions made as to the backgrounds, beliefs and values of the school community; these are valued equally. Each academic year, Christianity is studied (including annual units linked to Christmas and Easter) alongside one other principal religion. The contents of the Christianity sessions, as well as those exploring the principal religions, follow a progression of skills and subject knowledge.
Impact
Our curriculum is high quality and carefully sequenced to meet the needs of our children. Topics are chosen to enthuse the children, exceed the expectations of the national curriculum and ensure progression across all subjects.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: speaking to pupils about their learning; evidence in books and from practical work; lesson visits and learning walks.
By the time children leave Woodloes Primary School, they will be equipped with the knowledge and learning skills for their futures in a rapidly changing world, be ready for the next phase in their education and have a passion for knowledge and learning.