Curriculum Policy - Halstead Community Primary School

Halstead Community
                  Primary School

                        Curriculum
                          Policy
Date: March 2021

To be reviewed: March 2023

HALSTEAD COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Contents

                                                                            Page
 Introduction                                                                 2
 Intent                                                                       2
 Impact                                                                       4
 Implementation                                                               4
 Roles and responsibilities                                                   5
 The Wider Curriculum                                                         5

Introduction

The curriculum is the totality of pupils’ learning experiences. At Halstead Community
Primary School we believe that our curriculum should be broad, balanced and relevant
and meet the needs of all children whatever their ability. As a learning community, we
will think about when children learn, what children learn and how they learn. We have
designed a curriculum around the knowledge that children learn best when teaching
and learning activities enthuse, engage and motivate them to learn, and when they
foster their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning

The taught curriculum is comprised of The National Curriculum and the wider
curriculum. We ensure the children have a range of learning experiences that
challenge, stimulate and promote thinking and learning. The curriculum meets
statutory requirements.

Intent

We are a fully inclusive school. Our teaching and learning is based upon our motto of
‘Everybody different, everybody equal’.

Our curriculum incorporates our key PRIDE values:
         P:     Personal Excellence
         R:     Respect and Friendship
         I:     Inspiration
         D:     Determination and Courage
         E:     Equality

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Halstead Community Primary School curriculum

                                                        School Motto
                                             Everybody different, everybody equal

  As a learning community, we will think about when children learn, what children learn and how they learn. We have designed a
  curriculum around the knowledge that children learn best when teaching and learning activities enthuse, engage and motivate
   them to learn, and when they foster their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Our curriculum incorporates our key values:

    Personal                  Respect and                                            Determination
                                                           Inspiration                                            Equality
   Excellence                  Friendship                                             and Courage

   The curriculum is            The curriculum is           The curriculum is          The curriculum is         The curriculum is
  designed for every          designed to build on         designed for every         designed for every        designed for every
      child to gain              the culture and          child to have a wide         child to challenge      child to reach their
    knowledge and                 experiences of         range of experiences        themselves through:             potential
  develop their skills.     children in the school.          and raise their          Perseverance             This is achieved by
   The sequence of            It promotes working         aspirations through         Resilience                ensuring that all
learning is designed so            together and          planned events. The          Confidence              children feel valued
   children build on,            encourages the          curriculum develops          Curiosity                  and listened to.
    apply and make            children to treat one       enquiring minds so          Enthusiasm            Use of active learning
   connections with          another with respect.      that the children learn       Reflection            provides opportunities
 previous knowledge.         Enrichment activities          to think critically.      Reasoning                 for all to achieve
The curriculum fosters      link to real life and are                                 Use of a growth        equally at their level.
 an excellent attitude              purposeful.                                          mindset
      to learning.

Impact

The aims of the curriculum are to:
   •   promote high standards in reading, writing and maths;
   •   allow children to develop a knowledge of themselves in time and space;
   •   enable children to acquire knowledge and skills in science;
   •   enable children to be confident in the use of ICT;
   •   promote spiritual development;
      promote physical and mental development and an awareness of the importance of a
       healthy lifestyle;
      enable children to be aware of the importance of and participate in the arts and related
       cultural themes;
   •   enable pupils to develop moral sensibility through carefully taught values
   •   develop the personal and social skills of each child;
   •   provide equality of access and the opportunity for all pupils to make progress;
   •   prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of adult life.
The curriculum is planned effectively, providing continuity and progression. It promotes an
enjoyment of learning and a commitment to learning and achieving.
Through the provision of rich and varied activities, we aim to:
   • encourage the best possible progress and the highest attainment for all pupils;
   • enable pupils to make connections across different areas of learning;
   • help pupils to think creatively and solve problems;
   • develop pupils’ capacity to learn and work independently and collaboratively;
   • enable pupils to respond positively to opportunities, challenge and responsibility;
   • enable pupils to acquire and develop a broad range of knowledge, skills and
      understanding.
Implementation
We organise learning into termly themes as part of our creative curriculum approach, designed
to make learning stimulating, relevant and exciting for all:
   •   the curriculum is taught through a topic based curriculum with discrete subjects where
       relevant;
   •   a whole school two-year cycle of planning indicates the broad objectives and any links
       between subjects;
   •   units of work are planned, often over a single term’s duration but, where greater depth of
       study is required, over a seasonal term. These are called medium term plans and contain
       the detail of the work to be covered with a progression of learning objectives. The plans
       indicate how the work will be differentiated and what the pupil outcomes will be;
   •   Short term is carried out in detail for English and Maths using an agreed format;
   •   the children are taught with their classes with some children being withdrawn for small
       group support;
   •   units of work are planned using the framework of the National Curriculum
   •   the RE scheme of work follows the Kent Agreed Syllabus.
   •   Throughout Early Years and Key Stage 1, we use Read, Write, Inc. to deliver our phonics.
   •   Our English curriculum is taught through a text based approach using the Literacy Tree,
       supplemented with the school’s own planning.
   •   Our spelling is taught using No-Nonsense Spelling and Sir Linkalot
   •   Scholastic handwriting is used in key stage 1.
   •   Our maths curriculum is taught through a maths mastery approach using White Rose
       planning.
   •   For our Foundation subjects and some aspects of our English curriculum, we use two year
       cycles with a topic based curriculum, ProspectUs

HALSTEAD COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL
   •   For Science we use the Kent Scheme of Work

Roles and Responsibilities
The Headteacher has the responsibility for the leadership of the curriculum and delegates
responsibility, where possible, to key staff:
   •   Subject Leaders are responsible for overseeing the medium term plans and liaising with
       class teachers over the content and delivery of the units of work for their subjects. They
       evaluate and monitor standards in those subjects.
   •   class teachers ensure that the curriculum is taught and that the aims and objectives are
       achieved for their class;
      the Leadership Team ensures that the progress of each pupil is tracked and that there is
       appropriate challenge support and intervention;
      the English and Maths Subject Leaders, at times the same person, ensure subject specific
       policies are in place. Other Subject Leaders are responsible for overviewing their subjects;
      the Headteacher will ensure core subject documents are updated as required
      the Governors monitor the success of the curriculum at full Governing Body meetings
       through the termly Headteacher’s report.
The Wider Curriculum
At Halstead we bring learning to life through a host of visits and visitors. In the past year we have
welcomed paramedics, fire officers, a post person, representatives from Guide Dogs for the Blind,
historians and more into school.
Themed days are also a wonderful way to enhance learning such as whole school maths day,
Roald Dahl Day, World Book Day, Science week, Poetry Day and Shakespeare week. We have
also had various workshops and visits, including opportunities to experience a World War 1 day,
dinosaur workshop, explore science through an interactive workshop, participant at a Tudor feast
and history through a Viking Day. As well as create a whole school song in a Rocktopus workshop.
Visits have included trips to the Godstone Farm, Museum of Kent Life, Sevenoaks Wildlife
Reserve and Hever Castle, as well as cinema and theatre trips.
Through the Sevenoaks Partnership links with Sevenoaks School we have accessed exciting
resources to further bring the curriculum to life such as virtual reality headsets and science
experiences.
Every other year, children in years 5 and 6 take part in a week long activity-based residential visit
and gain a great deal from the experience.

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