Curriculum Statement of Intent
At Darley Community Primary School children are provided with a supportive and nurturing start to school in Early Years. Children begin to develop their knowledge, thinking and skills through play-based activities and focused sessions that begin to build children’s knowledge of phonics and number. The children learn to share and work independently and learn to play with others, learning about the world around them. Extra support is a priority in provision for SEN and disadvantaged children. Developing reading for all children is a key priority and this continues into KS1.
Our curriculum has the acquisition of knowledge at its heart and we ensure pupils are supported throughout their learning to remember connected and essential knowledge as they progress through KS1 and KS2, incrementally building their long-term memory. Lessons are planned so they do not overload pupils’ working memory and a mastery approach to deepen learning is applied. Our planning is progressive and acquits the children with the skills that they require as they grow older. For more information about progression in the curriculum, click on the link below:
How we ensure progression of skills
This focus on pupils’ knowing more over time is aided by planning sequenced programmed work units with regular revisits and recalls integrated into planning to support the development of pupils’ long-term memory. Pupils’ know how to complete tasks and apply skills and link knowledge to solve problems. Learning is enhanced by special events and visits but the maximum impact on learning progress is secured by carefully planning events within a sequence of work. We are beginning to embed this knowledge rich approach infoundation subjects. We believe a broad curriculum with depth should give equal value to each foundation subject. Planning differentiated lessons to meet the needs of 3 key groups and disadvantaged and SEND pupils is a key principle in our approach and extra resources are used effectively to support closing individual learning gaps faced by disadvantaged and special needs pupils.
Creativity is a strong thread that permeates our curriculum. Teachers’ plan opportunities in all subjects for pupils to think in different ways, find different solutions, create original designs, make links and connections between subjects and information, and imaginatively use and apply knowledge. This is often achieved by teachers’ responding during lessons to thoughts and ideas that are provided by pupils from their learning.
Assessment is an integral part of planning and teaching and learning. Our learning culture is built on assessment for learning and the belief of the vital importance of questioning when providing feedback. A range of assessment is used to check children’s progress through theschool. Summative assessments are used in a balanced way with low risk assessments such as quizzes and puzzles which assess the development of pupils’ long-term memory. Excessive assessment regimes and frequent data collection points are avoided to ensure reasonable workload demands. Click below for additional information on how we assess our children:
How we assess our children
How we record assessment
Pupils’ development of cultural capital helps pupils engage with society and it is a vital part of our curriculum; this is further supported by the wide range of experiences and opportunities we provide which are available to all pupils irrespective of their circumstances, special needs or disability. Our inclusive culture and ethos is built on respect and consideration of all others and with a predominantly White/British context we promote the rich diversity of Britain. This is a school that values the voice of all children and really does listen to their views. We encourage our children to actively take part in their local community and help them begin to understand the importance of being a good UK and global citizen. We ensure our pupils take responsibility for their behaviour and their learning.
Pupils build positive attitudes to learning and actively play a full part in the life of the school. Performing in music, drama and sport activities are highly valued as part of the broader curriculum to enrich the knowledge and skills taught in subject lessons.
The health, safety and well-being of all our pupils is of paramount importance. We encourage our children to experience a wide range of activities during the school day and at the end of the school day. Our provision is designed to prevent our children spending too long on computer games and tablets.
Dialogic talk is the vital ingredient that permeates all aspects of our curriculum. It is the core element of our teaching pedagogy providing high expectation and challenge in lessons. The focus on talk provides key support for children’s development of confidence and enables them to build learning skills that ensure pupils are very effective when undertaking independent and collaborative learning. We believe pupils should develop life-long learning skills, resilience and the ability to learn from setbacks and mistakes and this is a key element in our support for pupils’ mental health and well-being.
We provide a curriculum that strives for our pupils to be the best they can be and when they move on to secondary school they should demonstrate the following:
- Students are considerate and respectful and take responsibility for their behaviour.
- Students are open to new ideas and respect and value differences.
- Students are resourceful, resilient and know how to keep safe.
- Students actively demonstrate citizenship at all levels.
- Students show strong attitudes to learning and embrace opportunities to learn from mistakes and are able to take responsibility for their own learning.
- Students have good subject knowledge across all subjects including foundation subjects.
- Disadvantaged and SEND students will have made good progress from their starting points at the end of KS2 and have acquired essential knowledge.
- Students will make good progress from their starting points and an above average percentage of students will attain expected standard and above in reading, writing and maths at the end of KS2 ensuring they will be able to access the KS3 curriculum.