Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

All children have the right to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which provides continuity and progression and takes individual differences into account. They deserve a curriculum that supports their development into confident and successful learners who are responsible citizens of the present and the future.  Placing emphasis, within our curriculum, on supporting children to develop a sense of self, to understand their community and their place in this at a personal, local and wider level will support our children in their development into these citizens.  Our world is changing rapidly and we know that opportunities that children may have in their future lives may not exist yet.  It is therefore essential that our curriculum teaches children how to learn, to make decisions for themselves and to think critically and reason. Our school curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2024 Framework and the September 2014 National Curriculum for Key Stage One.  It also includes the wide range of additional opportunities that we plan for our children, which we believe contribute positively to their learning and personal development.

 

Curriculum Aims

• To provide a comprehensive, cohesive, well planned curriculum that supports children in securing the knowledge, skills and understanding outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2024 Framework, the September 2014 National Curriculum for Key Stage One, the North Yorkshire RE Agreed Syllabus and our own additional curriculum documents that inform the additional learning experiences that our school provides, such as Forest School
• To promote a positive attitude towards learning and a thirst for knowledge that will support them in developing into lifelong learners
• To teach children a range of skills and strategies to support them in becoming resilient, confident and successful learners
• To facilitate children’s acquisition of knowledge and skills which will help them to develop into independent, responsible, confident and considerate members of the community
• To encourage inquiring minds and teach children to think critically and reason
• To develop children’s communication and language skills to support them in building confidence and skills in expressing themselves freely, to respect the views of others, including respectfully questioning others about their views and ideas
• To create a supportive yet challenging learning environment and climate where children feel well prepared and confident in making reasoned judgements and taking appropriate risks in their learning
• To provide a range of opportunities for children to deepen their learning and master knowledge and skills in order to use and apply these in a range of contexts
• To encourage parents as active partners to play as full a part as possible in the learning journey of their children
• To provide opportunities for children to learn, understand and demonstrate the British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
• To support children in acquiring a set of moral values which enable them to consider and make decisions that support them in being constructive members of an ever changing society

 

After school clubs – Staff provide a rich and varied programme of after school clubs for Key Stage One children.  For example, drama, music and movement, recorders, football, golf, tennis, multi-skills, singing, cookery, gymnastics, construction and computing club.  Different clubs are offered each year.

Educational visits – There is no better way to learn than from first hand experiences and so our children take part in regular educational visits to enhance their learning.  Many of our curriculum themes relate directly to the community our children are a part of and we are lucky enough to have a rich resource for learning right on our doorstep.   The children enjoy visits to various locations depending on the current theme including local churches, Pickering Castle, local shops, North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Beck Isle Museum.  We take termly visits to Pickering Library for book sessions with the library staff and to take home books to share.  We also make use of local allotments, particularly with a focus on observing seasonal change.  Further afield we might visit the seaside at Whitby and Filey, Scampston Walled Gardens, Ryedale Folk Museum and Dalby Forest.

Educational visitors – Learning opportunities are further enhanced by welcoming a wide range of visitors into school.  These include people from our local community such as a dental nurse, fire fighters and our local PCSO.  Other visitors include theatre productions, puppet workshops, animal workshops, history themed experience days and visitors from different religions.

Home learning – In Nursery and Reception, all families have access to Tapestry to view and contribute to your own child’s ‘Learning Journal’.  Children in Reception also have a Reading Record that comes home with their reading books.  Each child in Year One and Year Two has a ‘Busy Book’ which is an essential link between home and school.  This provides parents with guidance as to how to support the key skills of reading, phonics, mental maths, handwriting and spelling.  It provides spaces for children to practice and for parents to make comments.  Parents also receive a fortnightly class newsletters to explain the learning that has been happening in class and how they can support their child’s learning at home.

Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship, Economic (PSHCE) – We follow five strands for our PSHCE curriculum across school which are Me and My Relationship, Keeping Myself Safe, My Healthy Lifestyle, Me and My Future and Becoming an active citizen. Within these five strands, we cover the following aspects of the curriculum; Relationships and Sex Education; Online Safety; Career Education and Personal Finance; Healthy Lifestyles; Emotional Health and Well-being; Citizenship; Risk Taking Behaviours.

Reading and Phonics  – We use Pearson Phonics Bug Scheme to teach phonics from Nursery to Year Two. Daily phonics sessions are taught from Reception through to Year Two following the Bug Club scheme.Reading is taught both individually and within groups and whole class for guided and shared reading sessions, with a specific objective being delivered each session.Reading skills are also taught across a range of other curriculum areas.

Religious Education (RE) – The North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus is the basis for our Religious Education curriculum throughout school.