Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum has been designed to enable our pupils to achieve their personal best. We strive to raise the level of attainment for all pupils, inspiring them to be curious and aspirational so they can become creative and thoughtful life long learners. As a school, we endeavour to provide engaging, purposeful and meaningful learning experiences that encourage children to reflect on their own and others’ learning. With this, the curriculum becomes developmental and linked to a wider understanding of learning that crosses cultures and all aspects of equality.
Our curriculum is planned to allow links to high quality texts throughout that foster a love of reading and exposure to a rich world of literature to underpin knowledge and skills development. Giving children the exposure to new vocabulary in all subjects across the curriculum allows them to encounter new words and embed these in their own learning development.
We consciously check that knowledge in learnt developmentally and we are clear in the knowledge we seek to give our children, differentiating provision so that whilst all are challenged, they are also supported to succeed and reach their individual potential.
Based around our values and vision, we want our children to be independent learners, who value learning and have the skills to question and be inquisitive in life. Confident to make informed choices and help others so that learning extends beyond the individual to our whole school and wider community.
Curriculum Implementation
Teachers and Learning Support Assistants will provide a broad and balanced curriculum, which will develop the skills, concepts and knowledge necessary for future learning. In the course of their daily work the staff will contribute to the development of this implementation through:
- Subject leaders ensuring that their area of the curriculum has been developed to deliver a clear progression of knowledge and skills
- Providing a calm, quiet and effective working environment at all times, in which each child can achieve his or her maximum potential
- Providing a welcoming environment, in which courtesy, kindness and respect are fostered
- Providing positive role models for learning
- Providing a fair and disciplined environment, in line with the school’s behaviour policy
- Maintaining purposeful and informative planning, record-keeping and assessment documents
- Sharing learning information with families termly so that families share in the learning journey with pupils
- Developing links with the wider community
- Providing children with meaningful, purposeful tasks, related to the National Curriculum programmes of study and Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage
- Valuing and celebrating pupils’ success and achievements
- Reviewing personal and professional development by providing appropriate INSET, training and support from colleagues in order to ensure a high level of professional expertise
- Welcoming, supporting and teaching of teaching and non-teaching students
We provide a curriculum for pupils from the outset of Year 1 that includes the National curriculum and Religious Education. Pupils in the Reception classes, follow the EYFS curriculum that is based upon 3 Prime and 4 Specific Areas. Once children have met the goals detailed within the document, teachers plan for their progression within level 1 of the National Curriculum.
* The EYFS areas are: prime – communication and language; physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Specific – literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, expressive arts and design
* At both Key Stages 1 (years 1 & 2) and 2 (years 3, 4, 5 & 6) all core subjects, RE and all foundation subjects (modern foreign language in KS2) are taught
* The Core Subjects are: English and Mathematics. In phonics we follow the Little Wandle scheme and Reading books are taken from a range of schemes with phonetically decodable books in the earlier years of learning. These schemes are Oxford Reading Tree, Songbirds, Dandelion Readers and Rapid Readers.
* The Foundation Subjects taught are: science, history, geography, engineering (design and technology), computing, music, art, physical education and modern foreign language (KS2)
* RE follows the agreed syllabus for our area and is known as AMV (Awareness, Mystery and Values). This is supplemented by additional schemes from the Diocese of Bath and Wells (Understanding Christianity) and more direct learning from visits to places of worship. If parents feel they have grounds to request their child to be removed from RE they should speak to the Headteacher
* We place a strong emphasis on sport and the Arts and in 2016/17 introduced engineering to our curriculum
* Sex Education: The Governing Body has decided that, due to the considerable variations of maturity in a Primary School, there should be no formal sex education. However, all aspects relating to the subject are handled with care and sensitivity in a natural and informal manner. Teachers aim to answer questions, as raised, honestly and at a level appropriate to the maturity of the child who raises the question
* Relationship Education is taught across all year groups supported by the SCARF scheme described below.
* Drugs education is to be part of the PSHE programme
* Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE) is addressed through relevant topics in other subjects, especially RE and science; e.g. healthy eating, road safety, relationships, right and wrong. Teachers refer to the LA guidelines when planning PSHE
* Citizenship is also addressed through relevant topics and in a variety of other aspects of school life. Teachers will refer to the appropriate guidance when teaching Citizenship
* The PHSE and Citizenship curriculums are supported through the use of SCARF materials in all year groups which are linked to our annual visit from the Life Education Wessex Mobile Classroom. https://www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk/scarf/
Curriculum Impact
We strive to ensure all pupils who leave Herne View Church of England Primary are prepared for the next stage of their learning. They will be confident and independent learners, who see the wonder and awe in learning and finding out new knowledge and skills. They will be self aware learners who know their strengths but equally are able to work on their development areas understanding how to listen and work with others to achieve this.
Children from Herne View Church of England Primary School will leave here with wider holistic skills for life including communication, social and emotional skills. Able to support themselves and others so they can be active and positive future citizens who demonstrate tolerance, care and respect for the world and issues around them.
If you would like more details about the curriculum please contact the school to speak to Miss Oaten the Headteacher, Mrs Lewis the Deputy Headteacher or Mr Whitfield the Assistant Headteacher.
