Curriculum
Intent
Intent
The aim for all of our children is that at the end of their journey with us, each child should leave with a portfolio of rich and happy memories and be ready for the next stage of their learning. Every child is recognised as a unique individual in our school and we celebrate and welcome differences within our community. We constantly provide enhancement opportunities to engage learning and believe that childhood should be a happy, investigative and enquiring time in our lives, filled with curiosity and joy in new experiences and knowledge.
We deliver a high quality and purposeful curriculum that provides a broad and balanced education, based on the national curriculum, which meets the needs of all pupils. It is designed to give them the skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare them for their future lives. Its implementation is intended to provide children with ambition, learn new and exciting concepts and deepen subject knowledge through a progressive model. In addition, physical development, well-being and mental health are key elements that support the development of the whole child and promote a positive attitude to learning. Our curriculum celebrates diversity and utilises the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of the community while supporting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Implementation
Implementation
We offer a curriculum which is broad and balanced and builds upon the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children as they progress through our academy, whatever their starting point.
Our ambitious curriculum is implemented through successful subject leadership, secure subject knowledge, detailed curriculum planning and is delivered via a progressive model in a non-discriminatory manner. The curriculum is underpinned by the University of Brighton Academies Trust core values. We endeavour to weave our behaviour values through all areas of the curriculum to support the development of these key values for life. These values form the basis of our school vision which drives our curriculum implementation as these are the outcomes that we want for our pupils.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is separated into seven areas of development. There are three ‘Prime Areas’ and four ‘Specific Areas’. The Prime areas are fundamental skills and work together to support development in all other areas of development. Children are assessed against Early Learning Goals which builds a profile towards achieving an outcome defined as a good level of development (GLD) and assessed using Target Tracker (our online assessment system) statements. At this stage of their development, there is a balance of self-initiated learning which is enhanced by the formalised approaches of maths lessons,
Curriculum overviews are mapped out as a whole academy and individual year groups then plan the curriculum delivery for their children accordingly, ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum based on the national curriculum. Topic choices within the long-term plans support the Power of Reading approach and ensure coverage and progression throughout the school. The more able pupils are challenged further in their learning and children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so that they too are enabled to experience success.
Impact
Impact
The impact of our curriculum should reflect the school’s vision as this lists what we hope that our pupils will achieve by the time they leave our school. Key outcomes for our children will be that:
- Pupils will be academically and physically prepared for life in secondary school, modern Britain and the world.
- Pupils will have fully rounded characters with a clear understanding of complex values like equality, friendship, trust and many others.
- Pupils approach challenges everyday with rigour and the skills to overcome them.
- Pupils don’t give up, are highly motivated to succeed, achieve and are equipped with all the personal skills to do this.
- Pupils make decisions for the right reasons and in the best interests of their community.
- Pupils are resilient to the influence of others.
- Pupils will go out into the world and make a difference in their own life and the lives of others.
Curriculum Subjects
Our school curriculum has been designed with careful consideration of what our pupils actually need in order to go on to be successful in their lives and play an active part in society. To achieve this, subject leaders and the leadership teams have taken time to ensure that there is a coherent rationale behind the planning of when and where various elements of learning within each subject take place.
The teaching and learning is based on the National Curriculum and is organised in a logical sequence to support progression. It has a sharp focus on subject knowledge and the application of skills to support the retention of learning from one phase to the next, preparing our pupils to build on their prior learning. It is designed on the understanding that:
- Knowledge is important to all thinking
- We understand new things in relation to what we already know
- Retrieving knowledge helps us to remember it for longer
As part of our drive to ensure that pupils learn effectively, we promote and monitor quality teaching and the motivation and assessment of pupils very carefully.
- Curriculum Overviews
- Art and Design
- Computing
- Design Technology
- English
- Geography
- History
- Maths
- Modern Foreign Languages
- Music
- Physical Eductation
- Religious Education
- Science
Curriculum Overviews
Art and Design
Intent
Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
Our curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils
- produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
- become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- know about great artists, craft makers and designers
- understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Implementation
Our art and design spiral curriculum has been led by the skills children should be taught and develop, from four art form areas: drawing, painting, 3-D and printing. Each year group will revisit and build on skills and experiences from the previous year, imbedding what they have been taught and taking their learning further.
The national curriculum subject content also leads the curriculum planning with subject content statements and more specific skills statements reinforcing each other, and the purpose of the activity or experience, for example in year 5:
- develop the use and understanding of proportion when drawing, and combine with line, shading and texture.
If possible, the art units run alongside a topic or another curriculum area that it is compatible with, or if an artist or piece of art work can be used brilliantly with, or the outcome complements for example: printing with Lego bricks is taught as part of Year 1’s History unit on toys. Some units will run as an art unit only.
Three terms of art and design has been planned for each year group, so that design and technology will be taught in the remaining three.
Impact
The impact of the art and design curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day-to-day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at sketchbooks to see if experimenting, exploring and the planned experiences are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.
Computing
Intent
Our high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
Our curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
Implementation
Computing knowledge and conceptual understanding
The units for key stages 1 and 2 are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each of the themes is revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This style of curriculum design reduces the amount of knowledge lost through forgetting, as topics are revisited yearly. It also ensures that connections are made even if different teachers are teaching the units within a theme in consecutive years.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day to day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The learning objective and success criteria are introduced in the slides at the beginning of every lesson. At the end of every lesson, pupils are invited to assess how well they feel they have met the learning objective using thumbs up, thumbs sideways, or thumbs down. This gives pupils a reminder of the content that has been covered, as well as a chance to reflect. It is also a chance for teachers to see how confident the class is feeling so that they can make changes to subsequent lessons accordingly.
Evidence of assessment may come in the form of:
- the work that pupils complete
- notes of conversations or discussions during activities
- photographs of the work that pupils produce during an activity
- the pupils’ self-assessments at the end of the lesson
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.
Design Technology
Intent
Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
Our curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world, become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Implementation
Key stage 1
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home and school, gardens and playgrounds).
When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:
Design
- design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
- generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology
Make
- select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]
- select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics
Evaluate
- explore and evaluate a range of existing products
- evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria
Technical knowledge
- build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
- explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products.
Key stage 2
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment].
When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:
Design
- use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
- generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make
- select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately
- select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate
- investigate and analyse a range of existing products
- evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
- understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world
Technical knowledge
- apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
- understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]
- understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]
- apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.
Cooking and nutrition
As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and to apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.
Pupils should be taught to:
Key stage 1
- use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
- understand where food comes from.
Key stage 2
- understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
- prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
- understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day-to-day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.
English
Geography
Implementation
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
Key Stage 1
Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
Pupils should be taught
Locational knowledge
- name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
- name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas
Place knowledge
- understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country
Human and physical geography:
- identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
- use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
- use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
- use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
- use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.
Key Stage 2
Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge.
Pupils should be taught
Locational knowledge
- locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
- name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time
- identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
Place knowledge
- understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America
Human and physical geography
- describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography (including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle) and human geography (including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water)
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
- use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
Intent
Our high-quality geography education will inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environments. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shaped, interconnected and change over time.
The aims for our geography curriculum are to ensure that all pupils
- develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places – both terrestrial and marine – including their defining physical and human characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for understanding the actions of processes
- understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
- are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
- collect, analyse and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes
- interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day-to-day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils can recall at least 80% of the knowledge statements assigned to each geography unit.
Formative assessment in geography:
- ongoing teacher assessment – pupil conferencing, moderating, independent pupil work assessment
- plenary discussions
- quick recap quizzes/questions
Summative assessment in geography:
- end of unit quiz or project
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.
History
Intent
A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Our curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils
- know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
- know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
- gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
- understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
- understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
- gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales
Implementation
Key stage 1
Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods. They should use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented. In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching about the people, events and changes outlined below, teachers are often introducing pupils to historical periods that they will study more fully at key stages 2 and 3. Pupils should be taught about:
- changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life
- events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
- the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods [for example, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong]
- significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
Key stage 2
Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching the British, local and world history outlined below, teachers should combine overview and depth studies to help pupils understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day-to-day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils can recall at least 80% of the knowledge statements assigned to each history unit.
Formative assessment in history
- ongoing teacher assessment – pupil conferencing, moderating, independent pupil work assessment
- plenary discussions
- quick recap quizzes
Summative assessment in history
- end of unit quiz
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Maths
Intent
Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.
Our curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:
- become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
- reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification of proof using mathematical language
- can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
Implementation
Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study are, by necessity, organised into apparently distinct domains, but pupils should make rich connections across mathematical ideas to develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving increasingly sophisticated problems. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.
The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.
ks1 and ks2
We use White Rose Maths (WRM) to support the teaching of maths. This is a mastery approach to the teaching of mathematics whereby topics are taught in depth over a longer period. This allows for the mastering of concepts before moving on to the next sequence. However, daily lessons and resources are adapted and adjusted where necessary to suit the needs of every pupil. This, we believe, paves the way for children to be secure in what they have learnt.
Early years
We aim for daily, short adult-led focused inputs which can either be for the whole class or groups. This does not have to be formal and can include number rhymes, songs, and games as well as suggested prompts for learning from Development Matter and WRM. The children also have regular opportunities to practise their counting and subitising skills and revisit prior learning to ensure that they meet early learning goals (ELG).
These inputs can be followed up with sort adult-led activities 2-3 times each week. Opportunities to practise new skills through play are encouraged in different areas of the provision either independently or with adult support.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day-to-day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
Formative assessment in mathematics:
- whiteboard work within lessons
- use of stem sentences to verbalise answers
- daily marking within lessons
- Ping-Pong style lesson delivery (coherence) whereby the next part of the lesson is delivered once children are secure in their prior learning
- times table assessments
Summative assessment in mathematics:
- end of block assessments
- early years foundation stage baseline assessment
- KS2 SATs
- year 4 times tables end of year assessments
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
To view our calculations policy, please visit our policies page
Modern Foreign Languages
Intent
Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.
The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:
- understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
- speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
- can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
- discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied
Implementation
Key stage 2: foreign language
Teaching may be of any modern or ancient foreign language and should focus on enabling pupils to make substantial progress in one language. The teaching should provide an appropriate balance of spoken and written language and should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at key stage 3. It should enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, focused on familiar and routine matters, using their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary. At Desmond Anderson, the children in key stage 2 will learn French.
The focus of study in modern languages will be on practical communication.
Pupils should be taught to
- listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
- explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
- engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
- speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
- develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
- present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences
- read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
- appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
- broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
- write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
- describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
- understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day to day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Music
Physical Eductation
Intent
A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.
Our curriculum for PE aims to ensure that all pupils
- develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
- are physically active for sustained periods of time
- engage in competitive sports and activities
- lead healthy, active live
Implementation
PE has been split into two strands at Desmond Anderson Primary Academy. Teachers teach Real PE which focuses on physical literacy and fundamental movement and social skills through the six cogs: physical, social, personal, health & fitness, cognitive and creative. All staff have received training through Real PE and are aware of the rationale behind it. This should ensure that children:
- develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
- are physically active for sustained periods of time
- engage in and are given opportunities in competitive sports and activities
- lead healthy, active lives.
Through developing the skills identified by the Real PE cogs our children will develop the required tools to be successful in physical education.
The other strand of PE in our school is games and is delivered by specialist coaches from Chelsea FC. They follow planning from Power of PE, which is organised to ensure that children are exposed to a range of sports throughout the year, progressing on those skills each year.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day to day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at lessons and assessment documents to see if feedback and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and confidence in teaching skills; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Religious Education
Intent
Our RE curriculum aims to ensure that
- all pupils are encouraged to acquire a deeper knowledge of various religious beliefs and customs that form an integral part of British life in our ever-changing world.
- all pupils benefit from opportunities to enhance their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
- all pupils will develop a sense of self in the wider community through examining the nature of worship in local, national and global settings.
- it builds on the school’s work on community cohesion.
- it enriches and encourages pupils to learn from different religions, beliefs, values and traditions while exploring their own beliefs and questions of meaning.
Implementation
RE lessons should
- offer a structured and safe space during curriculum time for: reflection, discussion, dialogue and debate.
- promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through religious education
Pupils should be taught knowledge, skills and understanding through the following areas of study:
Religions and beliefs:
- Christianity
- ‘Take account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.' (Education Act, 1996)
And where appropriate:
- a religious community with a significant local presence
- a secular world view
Experiences and opportunities:
- regular collective worship, e.g. assemblies
- visiting places of worship and focusing on symbols and feelings
- listening and responding to visitors from local faith communities
- using their senses and having times of quiet reflection
- using art and design, music, dance and drama to develop their creative talents and imagination
- sharing their own beliefs, ideas and values and talking about their feelings and experiences
- beginning to use ICT to explore religions and beliefs as practised in the local and wider community.
Pupils should:
- develop their knowledge and understanding of religions and worldviews, recognising their local, national and global contexts.
- use basic subject specific vocabulary.
- raise questions and begin to express their own views in response to the material they learn about and in response to questions about their ideas.
Curriculum Time: Reception: 36 hours per year integrated into relevant strands of the EYFS, KS1: 36 hours per year, KS2: 45 hours per year
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day to day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.
Science
Intent
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Our curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics
- develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
- are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future
Implementation
Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding
The curriculum is a sequence of knowledge and concepts. While it is important that pupils make progress, it is also vitally important that they develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage. Insecure, superficial understanding will not allow genuine progression: pupils may struggle at key points of transition (such as between primary and secondary school), build up serious misconceptions, and/or have significant difficulties in understanding higher-order content. Pupils should be able to describe associated processes and key characteristics in common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary. They should also apply their mathematical knowledge to their understanding of science, including collecting, presenting and analysing data. The social and economic implications of science are important but, generally, they are taught most appropriately within the wider school curriculum: teachers will wish to use different contexts to maximise their pupils’ engagement with and motivation to study science.
The nature, processes and methods of science
‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science for each year group. It should not be taught as a separate strand. The notes and guidance give examples of how ‘working scientifically’ might be embedded within the content of biology, chemistry and physics, focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of scientific enquiry should include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Pupils should seek answers to questions through collecting, analysing and presenting data. ‘Working scientifically’ will be developed further at key stages 3 and 4, once pupils have built up sufficient understanding of science to engage meaningfully in more sophisticated discussion of experimental design and control.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum will be assessed in a variety of ways.
Formative assessment will be planned into day to day lessons, with teachers assessing whether the pupils have met the objective(s) or not. This will then contribute to summative assessment which assesses whether pupils are on track or not as the year progresses, and then a final end of year assessment indicating whether each pupil has met or not the expectations for their current year group.
Formative assessment in Science:
- Think like a Scientist marking questions
- concept cartoons – class discussions – pupil voice
- odd one out/true or false/sorting activities
- ongoing teacher assessment – pupil conferencing, moderating, independent pupil work assessment, vocabulary highlighting assessment
Summative assessment in Science:
- KS2 science sampling tests
- KS1 teacher assessment
- termly target tracker assessments
- early years foundation stage Profile - understanding the world
The subject leader will also regularly assess the effectiveness of the planned curriculum and make changes as appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes. This will be done through monitoring which could include looking at books to see if feedback, retrieval and assessment are all in place; learning walks to assess teacher knowledge and presentation of learning; conversations with pupils to see what has been learnt and if they can recognise prior learning links; conversations with staff to discuss impact and effectiveness of curriculum overall. As part of this monitoring, the leader will need to consider outcomes for all groups of pupils within the school, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities.