Curriculum Statement
Our curriculum model is influenced by research and in particular the work of Rosenshein, David Leat, Dylan William, Rob Coe and the Education Endowment Foundation. We have structured a knowledge rich curriculum which is taught explicitly and then used in enquiry based learning projects.
Curriculum Intent:
Our curriculum will ensure all children have the ability to read with meaning so they can access knowledge and this will promote good oracy and develop their written work to be successful in life. They will have a mathematical knowledge that allows them to apply number, reason and problem solve, which also supports other areas of the curriculum. Through science, they will have an understanding of life and the universe and be encouraged to be inquisitive, pose questions and analyse evidence. They will understand how our physical earth works in geography and how we have evolved to become who we are through learning in history. They will know how society works, how we should live and respect each other (RE, PSHE & relationships); how we experience and interpret the world (the arts); how to use our basic tools (technology); how to look after ourselves (PE) and our family (food technology). We want to encourage excellence and have specialist teachers who support in the delivery of our subjects to encourage this, particularly in Music, Spanish and PE.
Our curriculum is efficient, inspiring and promotes aspiration, comes with excitement, creativity and provokes inner drive. Subsequently, children will leave us well prepared for their next stage in education
Curriculum Drivers
Our curriculum drivers are what we have identified as priorities for our children due to the context of our school and they underpin our curriculum and wider work. On entry, children generally are behind with their language development, speaking, listening and vocabulary. We therefore have focused additional resources and curriculum provision on developing these areas as well as the children’s conceptual understanding which is built upon throughout. We also want to support our children to realise their aspirations by broadening their knowledge, skills and understanding of what they can achieve in life. Our ‘In Harmony’ programme with The Glasshouse International Music centre, Gateshead, enables every child to learn to play an orchestral instrument. We have developed a social curriculum, which develops them personally and how they relate to others. This also relates to how we are developing their knowledge of the world of work and the skills they require, including enterprise for employability in the future.
Our children do not always have access to the world around them and the opportunity to see and visit places first hand so throughout our curriculum there are regular opportunities to visit places and for visitors to come into school. This includes the local area but also the wider North East to develop their cultural capital and a greater sense of place and belonging. We also have an annual trip to our capital city London. Our children also need more opportunities to be actively involved in their learning indoors and outdoors and develop skills of enquiry to enable them to question, extend and deepen the knowledge they are being taught.
Our children’s well-being, both physical and mental, is at the heart of what we do. We have developed our curriculum and used our resources to ensure we focus on both of these aspects, including a wellbeing team. We also have a multicultural school and community so our work with our children and parents supports the work on diversity and tolerance which we promote to develop cohesion. It also supports our focus of developing our children as global citizens with an outward view of the world through our work on the global goals and sustainability.
Vision and Values
Our school curriculum is underpinned by our school vision and values. The curriculum is the means by which the school achieves its objective of educating children in the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need in order to lead fulfilling lives. Our curriculum will ensure all our children, whatever their starting point, will have the cultural capital to succeed in life. Our Mission statement is: Working together to improve learning for all; and our values are as follows:
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Rights and Respect
- Fairness
- Our Community
- Uniqueness
- Hardworking
- Co-operation
- Tolerance
- Understanding
