Our Curriculum
Every child deserves a high quality and appropriate education. All schools must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:
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promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and
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prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
The National and Foundation Stage Curricula set out what must be taught however, each school can decide how to interpret this guidance. Our curriculum is based upon our school values of:
Term 1 - Responsibility
Term 2 - Respect and Recognition
Term 3 - Enthusiasm
Term 4 - Resilience and Optimism
Term 5 - Co-operation
Term 6 - Trust
By demonstrating these values and through our teaching of PSHE and our Rights Respecting Schools work, we promote British values within our curriculum.
Our views have been influenced by international, national, local and school based research and monitoring.
We know that our school has unique characteristics, such as high mobility. We have responded to what we know about the school by preparing an appropriate model for teaching the curriculum.
Overall, the curriculum is designed to ensure that children receive their entitlement to a broad curriculum and all statutory elements of the National Curriculum in the long-term. There is continuity and progression of skills, knowledge and understanding in the medium-term and balance in the short term.
Our Curriculum overview:
This shows how we theme our learning, where it is appropriate and adds depth and chances to create scheme and memorable learning experiences.
Our Principles of Assessment
Assessment is the process of forming a judgement about a pupil’s attainment of knowledge, skills and understanding and identifying what the pupil can do and the appropriate next steps and support to progress learning and achieve goals. "University of Manchester – Assessment Framework May 2014"
Assessment is central to teaching, learning and the curriculum.
The Westbrook Trust Principles of Assessment:
- It must be fair, accurate and reliable:
- ensures that children are able to show their learning and achievements in various ways
- uses a range of evidence in a range of contexts over time
- promotes breadth and depth of learning
- is benchmarked against peers in school and beyond
- is carried out and checked by well trained professionals
- It must be proportionate, relevant and appropriate:
- is not over-demanding on children and teachers to the detriment of learning
- assesses what is important
- tells children, teachers, parents and government agents what they need to know
- uses methods that are right for the child at their age and stage of development
- is regularly reviewed to evaluate effectiveness and appropriateness
- It must put the child at the centre of the process:
- involves the children, their teacher and their peers talking together about learning
- helps children to self-assess and be reflective
- clarifies what the children can do and what they need to do next
- raises children’s aspirations
- is positive and emphasises children’s strengths, raising self-esteem
- It must be designed to support the raising of standards and aspirations:
- gives accurate feedback to celebrate achievement and enables children to self-correct
- improves the quality of teaching by guiding teachers to base their plans on the needs, prior learning, interests and experiences of the children
- improves children’s learning by closing any gaps in attainment and progress
- promotes independence, responsibility and team working
- identifies where extra help is required and the training staff might need
- It must be open and informative
- uses language that is understood by teachers, children, parents, governors, school leaders and government agencies
- is based on the teacher’s knowledge of the child and how they learn and can be compared with national standards
- is collected and recorded in a way that means it is manageable and understood by teachers so that they can plan for the future
- is kept securely and easy to transfer
