Principles underpinning the planning and delivery of our school curriculum
We want everyone to enjoy their learning.
We aim to offer all pupils an excellent education.
The National Curriculum will form part of our whole school curriculum. We will take ownership of our school curriculum and for the way we plan for, and deliver the National Curriculum.
Our school curriculum will be enriched by a wide variety of planned experiences including before- and after-school clubs.
We will offer an inclusive curriculum and seek to overcome all barriers that prevent pupils from accessing and succeeding with the curriculum.
Our school curriculum also includes our relational approach to learning, recognising that pupils need to be in the right place to learn.
We will have high expectations of all learners. No ceiling will be set for the performance of any pupil. We will be ambitious in our target setting so that all learners are encouraged to continually improve. We will look for opportunities to stretch and challenge every pupil.
We will assist pupils to develop secure and deep understanding. We will therefore work with pupils at a pace that ensures the formulation of a robust understanding of central ideas; key concepts; key banks of knowledge; and necessary skills. We may decide to cover fewer items, but we will ensure knowledge is secure and there is greater depth. The aim being that all units of learning are remembered and have a significant impact on pupils’ development.
Pupils will be supported to master important concepts in subjects. The curriculum will not be delivered at an inappropriate pace, with teachers moving on to the ‘next thing’ too quickly.
Our curriculum will be broad and balanced. We will not allow English and mathematics to dominate the school timetable and the available learning time. We will look for meaningful opportunities for pupils to apply the skills and knowledge they have learnt in English and mathematics in other subject areas.
Teachers will show flexibility when planning the next learning activities or units. They will not follow a year sequence rigidly, but instead choose what to teach next based on their accurate assessments of what pupils can do.
We aim to offer as many high-quality opportunities in music, drama, sport and creative arts, as our financial capacity allows.
Where possible, we use cross-curricular learning to deepen understanding.
We will maintain our popular theme days and weeks.
We will take full advantage of London with its cultural and historical landmarks and also utilise our local area. Pupils will be given plenty of chances to visit places of interest as part of their learning experience.
Staff will seek out relevant and meaningful opportunities to develop pupils’ social, moral, cultural and spiritual understanding when teaching all subjects.
We will ensure that pupils have plenty of opportunities for practical, ‘hands-on’, multi-sensory learning.
All pupils at our school will be supported to become articulate. Speaking and listening skills will be given priority. Pupils will be taught to speak clearly, precisely and audibly, using sophisticated and expressive vocabulary. We will offer children opportunities to develop their public speaking and will ensure they are skilled at engaging in a productive discussion.
Staff at the school will continually support and promote pupils to read widely.
Staff at the school will give pupils regular opportunities to solve problems across the curriculum.
In our view a healthy body and mind are interlinked. We will ensure pupils have a wide range of opportunities to engage in sport and physical education whilst also equipping pupils with knowledge and strategies to maintain their mental health.
Pupils will be given opportunities to practise different types of thinking. Teachers will work to make 'thinking visible' to pupils - noticing it, highlighting it and commenting upon it - so that pupils can recognise it.
We will follow current research findings on homework for primary school pupils. Mainly, homework tasks will involve reinforcing or practising what has been learnt in the classroom.
