Intent
Although we may be a small school, we want our pupils to have big ambitions and high expectations of themselves. We are an outward looking school, with a strong sense of community and we aim to create a curriculum that truly meets the needs of our children. It’s our children’s voices that we want to drive and shape that curriculum; a rich, exciting and balanced curriculum which enables each individual child to develop academically, emotionally, creatively, socially and physically. Our curriculum will enable the children to share ideas, express their opinions and apply knowledge and skills learned in a wide range of meaningful contexts. It will offer opportunities for all children to investigate, question, debate and challenge. It will enable all children to flourish and to be the very best they can be.
To support the implementation of our vision we will create:
- A stimulating environment for developing inquisitive, independent and resilient lifelong learners who work hard and strive for excellence
- A culture of working independently and collaboratively, where we see getting something wrong as part of learning how to get it right
- An ethos where all children are encouraged and supported and challenge is fully embraced
- Exciting and challenging opportunities to promote our children’s personal development and understanding of their own emotional and physical wellbeing
- Opportunities for our children to see that they can Dream, Believe and Achieve
Early Years
The Links Learning Powers for Early Years
In addition to the whole school curriculum intent and implementation, our curriculum is informed by the EYFS Framework which is adapted to meet the needs of each individual child.
Children’s learning is largely play-based using high quality, age appropriate resources. They will learn through play and exploration both indoors and outside. Children are supported to join in both child initiated and adult led activities both indoors and outside.
Pupils will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through seven areas of learning and development and will have many opportunities to develop the nine characteristics of effective learning through our Mr Men and Little Miss characters, which are adapted to be accessible, age appropriate and enable the children to develop qualities for successful learning. The children will be supported to use the language around characteristics of effective learning through modelling from practitioners and interactive displays.
KS1 and KS2
The Links Learning Powers KS1 and KS2
It is important that our pupils are equipped with the necessary skills for the fast-changing world in which we live. This means that they need to be adaptable, able to apply their learning in a wide range of contexts and develop strategies for what to do when they are unsure. We want our pupils to be active learners, questioning, investigating, challenging themselves and sharing responsibility for driving their own learning. Above all, we want our children to give their very best and to be proud of their achievements.
These qualities needed for successful learning are underpinned by our Learning Powers of independence, curiosity, problem solving, risk taking, creativity and resilience.
Children with special needs
The curriculum in our school is designed to provide access and opportunity for all children who attend the school. If we think it necessary to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of individual children, then we do so only after the parents of the child have been consulted.
We are an inclusive school. If a child has a special need, our school does all it can to meet these individual needs. We comply with the requirements set out in the new SEND Code of Practice (2014) in providing for children with special needs. If a child displays signs of having special needs, his/her teacher makes an assessment of this need. In most instances the teacher and teaching assistants are able to provide resources and educational opportunities which meet the child’s needs within the normal class organisation. If a child’s need is greater, we involve the appropriate external agencies.
The school provides an individual support plan for each of the children who are on the special needs register. This sets out the nature of the special need, and outlines how the schools will aim to address the need. It also sets out targets for improvement, so that we can review and monitor the progress of each child at regular intervals throughout the year. Parents/carers are involved in review meetings.
Children with more complex needs may have an Education Health and Care Plan. The plan will be a legal document describing a child or young person’s needs, what should happen to meet those needs and the suitable educational provision. The plan must be person centred, focusing on the needs and hopes of the child or young person.
Implementation
Curriculum organisation
- The curriculum is designed to be ambitious and cater for the needs and interests of all learners.
- Progression of knowledge, skills and understanding is carefully planned, reviewed and adapted to ensure children’s learning builds effectively over time.
- Time used creatively and flexibly in order to suit our intentions and maximise learning
Quality First Teaching
- Highly focused lesson planning with sharp objectives based upon children’s prior learning/interests
- High levels of interaction for all children (including Active Learning);
- Emphasis on learning through dialogue;
- Culture of encouragement and praise to motivate children.
- The use of learning resources and computing developed to allow children to work independently and successfully;
Intervention
- Provision for intervention is mapped according to need;
- Detailed plans are put into place; evaluated and adjustments made
- Learners are enabled to perform beyond the norms expected for their year group where appropriate;
- Progress Meetings regularly meet to discuss current and future interventions engaging in dialogue around the impact of interventions, potential barriers and further actions required.
Focussed assessment
- Meaningful assessment and tracking of children’s knowledge takes place to inform classroom practice allowing children to make good progress and close gaps in knowledge;
- Day to day, Periodic and Transitional assessments used effectively;
- Assessment for Learning evident across the school – learning objectives, learning outcomes, success criteria, self and peer evaluation
Learning environment
- Organisation of the classroom/learning environment to be flexible in order to meet the children’s learning needs;
- Make effective use of other spaces – ‘outdoor classroom’, computer suite, hall space;
- Displays to be a mixture of celebration of children’s work, supportive resources and information.
Enrichment
- We are committed to the broadest educational offering, ensuring that opportunities are available for children to further their knowledge, understanding, skills and experiences. The programme is clearly linked to the curriculum progression documents for each subject and across all year groups. A very successful enrichment programme, which draws upon a wide range of adult skills and includes opportunities from working collaboratively with cluster, local authority and Trust schools is offered.
- Music, PE and Chess specialist teachers work alongside teachers to develop subject knowledge and provide the children with bespoke teaching.
- PE opportunities – attending Cluster, Stockton Sports Partnership and Trust events in order to develop skills and take part in competitive activities, balance bikes, Funky Feet
- Workshops linked to curriculum opportunities and provide by community organisations and businesses (Hosting More Able Writing and Maths Days with other schools, Labman, Evolve, NATWEST, Roman Day, Zoolab, Farm bus, E-Safety – children and parents, Den Building, Children’s First Aid, Bikeability)
- Visitors to assemblies and classrooms (community church links; fire safety and awareness; safety crossing the road, NSPCC; charity events – Ghana, Library Challenge, Leo’s Charity, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Pantomine)
- Educational visits directly linked to curriculum subjects, which allows the children to have knowledge brought to life and to experience things first hand (remembrance service, space workshop, church visit to observe Baptism, Gurdwara visit linked to RE and children’s cultures in school, English – play of Boy who Cried Wolf linked to Big Writing, Author Visits, Butterfly World linked to minibeasts, Crucial Crew)
- Themed days/weeks are also incorporated into our curriculum. These may be designed to fit with national initiatives (World Maths Day, Anti-Bullying Week, Cultural Week, World Book Day, Science Week, Safer Internet) or to match with events in the UK (national charity days, elections) and also to highlight our curriculum subjects (Trust Art Week, Spelling Bees, Sports Week)
Extended curriculum
- Full range of ‘extra-curricular’ activities and clubs which enhance and extend the basic curriculum;
- We ensure access for all;
- Parents and carers, school staff as well as the wider community, are involved in extended provision;
Impact for our children
- From their different starting points, all children will make good progress academically, emotionally, creatively, socially and physically.
- Knowledge, understanding and skills will be secured and embedded so that children attain highly and are fully prepared for their next stage of learning.
- They will have strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and will listen respectfully and with tolerance to the views of others.
- They will take pride in all that they do, always striving to do their best.
- They will demonstrate emotional resilience and the ability to persevere when they encounter challenge.
- They will develop a sense of self-awareness and become confident in their own abilities.
- They will be kind, respectful and honest, demonstrate inclusive attitudes and have a sense of their role in our wider society.
Curriculum Plans
