Curriculum

An Explanation

The School’s Curriculum consists of activities designed to promote the intellectual, social and physical development of its pupils. This includes a formal programme of lessons as well as clubs, societies, sports matches and competitions. It also features the school’s ethos – its discipline, personal relationships and the attitudes and values which children acquire as a result of being at school. Since pupils learn from all these things, it needs to be ensured that all are consistent in supporting the school’s intentions, which are to educate all its pupils to the maximum of their potential.

The Board of Governors, Principal and Staff of this school have established a clear vision of what the school wants to achieve in terms of the general development of pupils and about particular aspects of the curriculum. The vision very much reflects the aims and objectives of the school:

Our aim is to offer pupils a broadly based curriculum, which develops the whole child. This will be achieved by ensuring that your child studies the compulsory areas of study and educational themes as set down in the Education Reform Order.

The challenge of providing for composite classes of wide mixed ability will be successfully met by adopting a variety of teaching approaches, both integrative and subject based. These will be centred on activities on a class, small group or individual basis in which interesting and essential cross-curricular issues are pursued. Careful matching of activities and content of lessons to individual needs will be important in contributing to effective teaching.

The Board of Governors will ensure that all pupils can experience each of the areas of study in a school year and the Principal and staff will have responsibility for the development and organisation of learning and teaching in each subject area.

School and the Community

This school acknowledges that parental involvement can have a beneficial effect on children’s learning particularly in the early years. The involvement of children with "adults other than teachers" both parents and members of the community will be helpful in enriching the learning experience available to pupils.

Review and Evaluation

The Governors are aware that the school curriculum is not fixed, but needs to respond to an ever-changing society. School organisation and practice will reflect this need. In ensuring the delivery of the curriculum, the Governors will monitor how well the intentions of the curriculum programme are being met with regard to the aims set out for the school, inspection reports and assessment results.

Coherence

In order that your child should not see their curriculum as a series of unconnected parts the areas of study will be drawn together in a co-ordinated way to produce a meaningful experience. Planning and communication between staff will ensure coherence in the curriculum process. Good reporting, assessment and monitoring of progress are also vital ingredients.

Continuity and Progression

For teaching and learning in any one year to build on what has been already achieved, continuity in terms of teaching methods, use of schemes, the use of resources and materials, assessment and record keeping, between year groups and schools will be carefully monitored.

The Learning Context and the Hidden Curriculum

Learning is enhanced when its context is stimulating and based where possible on first hand experiences. Account therefore will be taken where possible of school visits, community and residential experiences. We want to ensure that our "hidden" curriculum ie the ethos of the school, its management style and organisation, the quality of the relationships between teaching staff, ancillary and pupils and its expectations, values and standards – fully support our curricular aims.

Assessment

The measuring of pupil progress and achievement, the recording of this information and the regular reporting of the information to parents are of vital importance in the delivery of the curriculum. This will be achieved by using formal and informal consultations, continuous assessment methods and standardised tests. In this way strengths and areas for improvement in attainment will be identified, recorded and reported whilst future objectives can be determined and planned.