Intent
Our curriculum is geared around creating an engaging, ambitious and memorable learning journey which takes pupils from EYFS up to the end of Key Stage Two; ensuring that at all times they are absorbing and applying the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to enable them become independent, confident and successful learners.
We pride ourselves on “igniting a love of learning” for all of our pupils by looking to link all learning to practical, hands-on, memorable learning experiences which are sought to fully engage pupils so as to fully embed the knowledge and skills being taught. Teachers react with passion and enthusiasm to this whole-school vision of “experience-led” learning and think outside the box to relentlessly look for new and vital experiences that the pupils must engage in for them to be able to fully access all learning.
Language and vocabulary is key to our school curriculum. We have a determination to ensure that EVERY child develops the ability to read as soon as they can. We do this through high quality and consistent delivery of Phonics from EYFS through to Key Stage One and beyond if necessary. Pupils will foster a love of reader and thus gain a wide range of rich vocabulary to take forward with them into future learning. We also place great emphasis on the pupils ability to use this vocabulary through oracy. High standards in EYFS and effective interventions during these early years allow us to secure successful progress in this area.
Throughout the curriculum, our five core values of interwoven. Pupils constantly work against high standards that are set to be achievable to them from which they grown in Confidence. Through all ages, learning is planned and delivered to instill a true sense of ambition in pupils. Teachers expect the best and challenges are set to show children the important of having perseverance and using these skills to overcome all that they find difficult. Communication and team work play a big part in our curriculum – pupils are taught and modelled how to show empathy to others. Our creative and ambitious curriculum is there to encourage success and to be able to celebrate that success once it is achieved.
Implementation
At Eythorne Elvington, you will see a connected curriculum which allows children to make links between subjects and for knowledge to be revisited. Our curriculum is under constant review in response to developments in education, our local context and our intent for the children.
Our curriculum is planned and sequenced so that our pupils can achieve depth of learning. Knowledge, understanding and skills are enhanced through clearly thought objectives which are then delivered through imaginative and creative means so as to fully engage pupils.
Sequences of lessons are carefully crafted around an authentic end outcome which allows children to cement their learning through creative and purposeful means. These outcomes are evaluated by pupils, peers and staff as an opportunity to celebrate the learning that has taken place. Learning journeys in foundation subjects run across all age groups so as to allow for a whole-school curriculum approach as well as creating clear progression links. Journeys are active, engaging and inspiring leading to a deeper understanding of the topics and curriculum areas. The authentic outcomes drive motivation, determination and commitment within our children.
End of unit quizzes are used as means of capturing the “sticky knowledge” that the pupils have gained access to. From these quizzes, misconceptions are addressed and interventions are drawn up for those highlighting gaps. Fortnightly knowledge quizzes created by the Headteacher, is a fun means of revisiting “sticky knowledge” across every area of the curriculum.
Continuous provision areas take pride of place in all learning environments from EYFS up to Year Six. These areas are used to provide ever changing opportunities for children to further practice their learning and continue to cement greater understanding as they go.
Central to developing the pupils’ learning is a focus on reading and as a result, the importance of vocabulary. Early reading development is pivotal to our pupil’s development and we look to secure this early through quality first teaching of phonics. Whole class reading is used consistently across the school, using a range of diverse and rich texts to further strengthen not only children’s ability to read but also widen their knowledge base.
Across all ages, children are taught key skills of reasoning and explanation to demonstrate their understanding. This is predominantly seen through all Maths work but also spreads into other subject areas. This is not always demonstrated through written examples but also verbally via either teaching staff or within peer groups.
The advantage of small class sizes is exploited to ensure that small learning groups are constantly evolving to meet the varying needs of all children. Effective strategies are adopted to ensure that both SEND and Pupil Premium pupils continue to be supported and challenged so as to achieve their full potential.
Our curriculum ensures that we develop well rounded citizens with a clear understanding of values including those of our own school Confidence, Ambition, Perseverance, Empathy and Success.
To allow for and encourage creativity within each different teaching practice unique to teachers, there is a consistent structure running through our whole school underpinning the quality first teaching process:
REVIEW – TEACH – PRACTICE – APPLY
Prior knowledge and understanding is revisited in REVIEW sessions. Pupils recall prior learning from previous terms, years or even key stages that demonstrating sound subject knowledge and effective transferable skills.
The TEACH dynamic of the learning structure is delivered through high quality modelling from teachings and purposeful and targeted questioning to further deepen pupils understanding and reasoning. Children are fully engaged through a mixture of high whole school expectations around learning behaviours combined with effective changes of pace and creative teaching styles.
Childrens’ understanding of key teaching concepts is identified through the PRACTICE element of all lessons. Small focus groups with adult support are used effectively to monitor understanding and assess which allows flexible adaptations where necessary to the pitching of the remaining delivery of the teaching points.
The final part of all learning journeys is looking for pupils to take the knowledge and skills being taught and APPLY them within a range of creative, engaging and purposeful ways. To allow for this we look to capture their applications through a range of means including written work in books, verbal discussions with teaching staff and a range of practical ways which are evidenced through a whole-school Tapestry platform.
Impact
Through authentic outcomes, pupils are given the opportunity to demonstrate the progress the knowledge and skills they have acquired. Pupils’ books demonstrate the progress they have made and the knowledge they have gained with all work being completed to a high standard. Pupils are able to use what they have learned and can show that they remember what they have learned in a variety of ways.
Pupils will continue to make good progress and attain well at the end of each Key Stage. Pupils with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes and acquire knowledge and skills for life. Adapted learning resources ensure that they can fully engage with learning intention.
Pupils who do not have age appropriate reading fluency, number or writing skills will be heavily supported to narrow or eradicate gaps in their learning. A love of reading culture is fostered across the whole school community allowing all children the chance to be motivated to engage in a wide range of texts.
We use regular and monitoring to gauge the impact of our curriculum design. Leaders at all levels review teaching and learning, talk with our children and work with colleagues in order to make the next steps to strengthen the curriculum further.
Through our core school values, children are confident in their abilities; have ambitions to achieve highly; show perseverance to overcome all obstacles; show empathy to other and are always striving to be successful in all that they do.