Curriculum: Statement of Intent

Everything we do in our school is underpinned by our Mission Statement strapline:

Listen, learn, love and laugh as part of God’s family.

And our school Bible verse:

‘Encourage one another and build each other up'

During the seven years a pupil spends in our school we seek to give opportunities through which each child can develop personally, physically, spiritually and culturally while learning knowledge and developing skills that will equip them for the next stage of their educational journey and through into adult life.

As well as teaching children key educational skills for life (including reading, writing and maths), we aim to provide an education that provides children with opportunities to explore and develop their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour, a positive caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures. We also aim to encourage children to be physically active and have the chance to try a wide range of sports and activities as well as enjoying being creative and making music.

Everyone in our community is a learner – adults and children – and everyone is unique, made in God’s image. As such we seek to support those who have additional needs and stretch those who have specific skills and talents. We believe all children can and should reach their potential and all can make progress in their learning – whether that be small steps or more significant strides.

In and through all this safeguarding is of vital importance.

Implementation

In order to achieve our aims / intent we offer all children:

• The taught curriculum
• Extra curricular clubs and activities
• Trips, visits and visitors
• Life skills experiences (Road Safety / Bikeability / Life Education etc)

Our school curriculum is reviewed regularly in order to ensure that it covers the whole of the National Curriculum and meets the needs of all children in our setting.

The core subjects of English, Maths and Science are taught as subjects in their own right with links made to other areas of the curriculum as appropriate.

There is a termly overview for each year group which details which subjects are being focused on within each half term. This links to a knowledge and skills document that breaks the themes down further into key knowledge and skills.  (Both of these documents can be accessed below.)

• Either History or Geography is taught at any one time
• Art and DT are also blocked
• There are weekly Music, Computing and MFL (KS2) lessons.
• Each class has two PE lessons a week.
• Cross curricular links are made between subjects when they are appropriate e.g. Year 4 in the Autumn Term study ‘Ancient Greece’ – as well as the History focus, links are made within the first English unit on myths and legends, as well as to work in Art and Music.
• In order to develop all the aspects of PSHE we have 6 themed days each year which follow the SCARF (Life Education) themes as well as class discussions / circle times, annual visit from Life Education educators and key skill / safety sessions.
• As a church school, RE has a designated weekly lesson in all classes and we follow the latest Blackburn Diocesan syllabus (Questful RE)

Extra curricular activities are seen as part of our curriculum offer. Throughout the year a wide range of sports clubs and experiences are offered and these are open to all children. The school also offers KS2 children the chance to be in the school choir (no auditions!) and when they are at a suitable stage on an instrument in the school band.

Linked to this offer of enrichment we have a wide range of visits, visitors and residentials along with special days e.g ‘World Book Day’. The chart below shows enrichment visits and residentials that have recently taken place in specific year groups:

Impact

The impact of the curriculum is measured in a range of ways:

• In the core subjects through the use of on-going (formative) assessments coupled with analysis of summative assessment data at key points throughout the year. We allocate an assessment week towards the end of each term and this is followed by pupil progress meetings between the classteacher(s) and headteacher
• In other areas of the curriculum ensuring that the progressive key knowledge and skills are covered and then assessed against at the end of a year
• Careful monitoring by subject leaders of lessons, work produced and through discussions with children
• Reviewing responses to questionnaires and feedback

Our school bases its main work on the Early Years Foundation Stage for the children in Reception and on the National Curriculum (2014) for children in Years 1 to 6. 

Please follow the links below to find out more about the different areas of the curriculum and what we have been learning!

If you have any questions regarding the curriculum we teach please contact the school directly.