Our curriculum enables our children, irrespective of starting points, to experience enjoyment of a wide range of enriching life experiences that not only develop them personally, but also allow them to contribute positively to society. We will achieve this by providing a curriculum that contains the necessary key knowledge and skills that will enable pupils to achieve their potential academically and socially.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) we use the Early Years Developmental Matters bands and Early Learning Goals (ELG), to aid planning. We cover the 7 areas of learning which consist of three prime areas of learning and four specific areas of learning.

 

The three prime areas of learning

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development

 

The four specific areas of learning.

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

 

When planning and assessing activities, we are also mindful of the Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL). These are:

• playing and exploring - children investigate and experience things, and ‘have a go’.
• active learning – children concentrate and keep trying if they encounter difficulties and enjoy achievements
• creating and thinking critically – children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things.

Additionally, we also use assessment and planning materials aligned to the ‘WellComm’ programme which focuses specifically on speech and language needs. Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is an integral part of our curriculum offer and teaching reflects an Individual Targeted Plan (ITP) where this is appropriate.

 

English

Planning for English in key stages one and two is taken from our ‘Assessment Grids’ which cover the content of the National Curriculum.

Mathematics

Planning for mathematics in key stages one and two is taken from the ‘White Rose’ materials.

Religious Education

The curriculum for Religious Education (RE) follows the Birmingham Agreed Syllabus designed by the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Computing

We plan from the ‘Rising Stars’ scheme to deliver the computing requirements of the National Curriculum.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

We plan from the ‘Dimensions’ scheme to deliver the PSHE requirements of the national curriculum.

Physical Education including swimming

We plan from the ‘Twinkl’ scheme for PE. This provides in depth guidance to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum.

Science/Design and Technology/History/Geography/Art and Design/Music/Modern Foreign Languages (MfL)

For all of these subjects, we have designed our own long term plans (LTPs) and medium term plans (MTPs) in order to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and the particular needs of our children. We have paid particular attention to identifying the essential knowledge that should be included and the sequence of learning, as pupils progress through the school.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

Provision for pupils with SEND is an integral part of our curriculum across all subjects. We make use of specific classroom strategies and provide additional individual support where necessary. We use the ‘Language and Literacy Continuum’ and Individual Targeted Plans (ITPs) where necessary.