Intent - Our aims for the curriculum
At Sutton in Craven CP our curriculum is designed with our pupils at the heart of all we do. Our vision of being an 'aspirational place where learners grow' is promoted through a progressive curriculum that promotes development of the whole child.
Our curriculum is designed to foster curiosity, challenge and community.
Curiosity
We want to foster interest and curiosity in our pupils through the curriculum. Through a range of engaging and motivating learning experiences we want to nurture and extend pupils’ curiosity.
Reading central to our curriculum and recognised as a key skill to develop knowledge and understanding of all subjects. As our pupils progress through our broad and balanced curriculum, they are equiped with a rich and varied vocabulary to support their curiosity.
Challenge
Our curriculum is ambitious and thoughtfully designed to ensure in- depth coverage of the National Curriculum supplemented by opportunities to develop all pupils’ knowledge and skills even further. It is designed to be inclusive and give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities all the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life.
We exploit opportunities for pupils to make links in their learning to reinforce and deepen their understanding. Within our curriculum we give time to master skills properly and apply them in different ways. Our aim is to develop independent and confident learners who are willing to have a go and learn from their mistakes. It is our view that there should be no ceiling to our pupils’ potential to succeed and the curriculum is designed to give challenge and support to all pupils, especially the most vulnerable.
Community
Having a sense of belonging and being part of a community are important elements we want to encourage within our pupils. We have built into our curriculum a range of experiences beyond the classroom in order to develop pupils’ interest and understanding of life beyond their immediate surroundings.
We want all pupils to leave our school with high self-esteem, confidence to express their opinions, the ability to reason and reflect and with a broad range of well embedded skills and knowledge which foster a love for life-long learning.
Implementation - How we teach our curriculum
There are three stages in the Primary years:
Foundation Stage (Reception), Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)
Each stage has a curriculum plan which outlines the learning for the year. The work is pitched to meet the needs of all pupils. The school curriculum draws on the National Curriculum 2014 , which is often taught through a creative and cross curricular approach, the Early Years/Foundation Stage for pupils to age 5, and the North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
The curriculum has been systematically designed to ensure progression across the year groups, clarity of learning objectives and full coverage of the statutory requirements. Staff have worked together on the design of the curriculum and each member of teaching staff has a specific area of curriculum responsibility they monitor. Teachers regularly assessing pupils knowledge and providing opportunities to recap and revist prior knowledge. This regular process helps embed new knowledge into the children's long term memeory.
The curriculum is also enhanced with a programme of enrichment and whole school events. For example: special visitors, school visits and collaboration with other schools.
We ensure that all tasks and activities that the children do are safe. When we plan to take children out of school, we first inform parents and obtain their permission. In so doing, we follow the North Yorkshire County Council guidance on Off-Site visits. Staff complete detailed risk assessments which are authorised by the Head teacher.
Collective Worship
Collective Worship is a time when the whole school, or groups within the school meet together in order to consider and reflect on common concerns, issues and interests. It offers all pupils an opportunity to worship through engaging in relevant, meaningful experiences and provides opportunities for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Assemblies are often based on a question which all classes consider.
Sex and Relationships Education
Sutton CP School is a healthy school and as such has a commitment to Sex and Relationships education. Sex and relationship education is delivered through science, RE, PSHE and citizenship. Sex and relationship education is taught by classroom teachers, teaching assistants and in Years 5 and 6, the school nurse.
We provide a broad, rich and balanced curriculum which is tailored to meet the needs of our pupils.
Impact - how we monitor the impact of our curriculum
Our curriculum is monitored in a variety of ways. All teaching staff take on a curriculum leadership responsibility and complete a termly process of reviewing and monitoring their subject. Teachers complete lesson drop-ins, speak to children and review books were necessary. We have regular assessment opportunities followed by detailed pupil progress meetings between senior leaders and staff.
As a school we go though a regular 'plan - do - review' cycle to ensure our curriculumn is meeting the statutory requirements, meeting the children's needs and matching the school's vision and values.