Curriculum Overview

We hope to foster the attitude of wanting to learn as well as needing to learn.

Our curriculum is intended to give children the opportunity to:

  • experience the challenge and enjoyment of learning

  • develop a rich and deep subject knowledge

  • develop new skills through a variety of interesting contexts

  • see clear links between different aspects of their learning

  • develop and demonstrate their creativity

We want children to have a memorable experience at Dove Bank that encourages and inspires them to achieve in life and to aim to exceed their potential.

Our curriculum will be taught through a pedagogy that:

  • enables and fosters children’s natural curiosity

  • promotes problem solving, creativity and communication

  • excites, promotes and sustains children’s interest

  • offers all children a memorable experience at the start of every topic

An Authentic Creative Curriculum

Our Curriculum aims to foster a life-long love of learning, through adopting a practical and cross-curricular approach to learning.

At every opportunity we aim to connect learning, and give children real life experiences that they can relate their learning to. We plan using progressive skills in all subjects.

These skills underpin everything we do and we believe that if we rigorously drive home knowledge and skills then our children will have the tools needed to be successful independent learners for life.

We also free up additional time in the school day to enrich our children’s learning – our teachers have freedom to own the curriculum and be truly creative with the learning experiences they give their children.

Image
Image

Our curriculum has been adapted to incorporate elements from the local area and include themes that will interest and engage pupils.

A long term plan has been constructed and the curriculum is currently being delivered in a two yearly cycle in the mixed-age year groups. Interesting and age appropriate texts have been identified to support the themes being covered.

The school’s long term plan identifies how the curriculum content will be delivered to ensure suitable breadth and balance. Key areas of learning in science and humanities which are not covered in the school’s imaginative learning projects have been identified.

Our curriculum is designed to be exciting and challenging for all learners, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, and to provide all children with the knowledge and skills they need to enable them to succeed in their future lives and careers.

Children are encouraged to become independent learners by making it clear what their next steps are and how they can get there.

Our curriculum aims to cover the full range of objectives outlined in the National Curriculum through a cross-curricular approach, giving it relevance and to help make the learning stick.

Image
Image

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum.

Each class focusses on high quality class texts for each English. This approach puts reading at the heart and ensures that all children, including those who are disadvantaged, have access to high quality texts.

Our curriculum also focusses on improving the vocabulary that our pupils use.

This includes incidental vocabulary work that comes about through the class reading of high-quality texts, and through day-to-day conversations and teaching, as well as the introduction of knowledge organisers to enable a greater knowledge and understanding of new vocabulary.

Our curriculum includes whole school progression for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Expectations are that grammar and punctuation should be taught as part of the process of modelling writing with a much greater emphasis on the importance of teacher-modelled writing in order to drive progress and reinforce expectations;

Our maths follows a mastery approach and includes a balance of fluency, reasoning and problem-solving.

It is matched to a clear and coherent Calculations Policy, making the progression from concrete to pictorial to abstract very clear. Our mastery approach is inclusive for all, yet offers challenge for more able learners.

Image
Print Friendly, PDF & Email