Curriculum Overview

INTENT

Our curriculum is well established and is taught with consistency throughout the school. Our curriculum is based on the Early Years Framework and the National Curriculum for Years 1-6. The curriculum is timetabled so that all subjects of the national curriculum are taught, this enables a broad and balanced curriculum. 

Careful consideration has been given to the sequencing of knowledge and skills within each subject from Reception to Year 6, and from one year group to the next, towards clearly defined end points. Our curriculum in EYFS prepares pupils for Year 1. Prior curriculum knowledge and skills shapes their readiness for the next stage in learning.  Our curriculum has been planned to be engaging and promotes a love of learning. It is a curriulum that is enriched by connecting learners to the local, national and global world, opening doors to new experiences and opportunities. 

Our well resourced curriculum is enriched by first hand experiences, so that pupils embed their learning and gain in cultural capital. Each National Curriculum subject has its own progression grid, outlining the learning, knowledge, skills and vocabulary in each year group. These build on previous learning so that children can make sense of new concepts so that learning moves to their long term memory. 

The curriculum is planned to take into account our local context. Pupils develop a growth mind set approach by challenging themselves. Pupils become more resilient by recovering from any setbacks they experience. Throughout our curriculum, pupils live out our Catholic mission by responding to social justice and local, national and international charitable work. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

Learning is sequenced and built upon, so children know more and remember more. We deliver creative and engaging lessons. Recap and recall forms a key part of the lesson, ensuring children have remembered prior knowledge and skills so that knowledge can be built upon, so it moves to the long-term memory.

Early reading and the development of vocabulary are at the heart of our curriculum. Our phonics scheme Little Wandle ensures children learn to read in a systematic way. Phonically matched books are part of this process. Reading development is carefully monitored so that reading fluency and comprehension is achieved.

Teachers check and embed what pupils already know. Teachers know how new knowledge fits into the sequence of learning. Lessons enable pupils to demonstrate their understanding of key knowledge and skills as they apply their learning through different means of recording and discussion.

We are an inclusive school. Teaching is carefully adapted to meet the needs of all children, including those with SEND.  Assessment, quizzes and recall activities are used to check pupils’ understanding both throughout the lesson, at the end of lessons and summative assessment at the end of units.

We provide a range of curriculum enrichment in the form of speakers and educational visits. Pupils are fully engaged in lessons. Expected behaviour is based on our behaviour curriculum and expected behaviour is explicitly taught.

Our extra-curricular activities also help to build skills and character. Pupils lead the charitable work in the school as Mini Vinnies. Pupil leadership opportunities include prefects, ECO club, junior leadership team, wellbeing ambassadors, digital leaders and school councillors help pupils to make a tangible difference to the pupil experience. 

IMPACT

The impact of our curriculum is shown in the understanding and retention of knowledge and skills across the curriculum, together with the attainment and progress of our pupils. This is reflected in pupil work, end points, behaviour and attitudes to learning. Pupils understand, retain and call recall information so that they perform well in assessments. Outcomes are excellent and exceed local and national averages. Disadvantaged pupils including those with SEND are given the best opportunities to progress and achieve well. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of education and are equipped with the necessary life skills in order to support them as they move on. Impact is measured using a range of strategies. These include:

• Formative assessments via questionning, marking, quizzes, recall activities.
• Summative assessments in the form of unit assessments.
• Senior Leadership Team and Subject Leader learning walks and drop in sessions
• Subject Leader ‘flick and fix’ monitoring
• Observation of quality first teaching in lessons checking learning and attitudes to learning.
• Book Looks/work scrutiny
• Exploring how pupils know more and remember more.
• Formal tracking detailing attainment and progress completed termly
• Pupil Progress meetings and Pupil Premium and SEND meetings
• Evaluation of interventions
• Knowledge checks
• National testing