We have devised a knowledge rich curriculum, based on the National Curriculum programmes of study, which sequences knowledge, concepts and skills. We believe it is vitally important that children develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge in order to progress to the next stage as insecure, superficial understanding will not allow genuine progression.
We view knowledge as encompassing not only established facts, but also concepts, ideas, themes and theories. These different forms of subject specific knowledge interlink and are mutually dependent.
Through our curriculum, children:
• learn key subject specific facts and vocabulary
• build knowledge developed through the understanding of concepts and generalisations, enabling pupils to identify processes, different perspectives and values
• experience high quality enquiry, having the opportunity to make decisions and problem solve
• have the opportunity to engage mentally with questions about people, society, environment and the planet. This means they identify, assimilate, analyse and communicate data of various kinds, and learn the skills to do so productively
• learn how to think and act like a subject specific practitioner
The OECD recognises that knowledge and skills are both interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Researchers have emphasised the growing importance of being able to understand, interpret and apply knowledge and skills in various situations (OECD Future of Education and Skills 2019). This is why we link some of our subject specific teaching through an enquiry question.
Our use of an enquiry question and built-in opportunities for children to identify aspects of learning they wish to develop, secures pupil engagement and supports knowledge being embedded in long term memory.
Below you will find ourr curriculum progress ladders which help us ensure we teach age appropriate knowledge which builds on previous learning. Because at Blisland our classes contain a number of year groups, we use a rolling programme to support us in delivering this curriculum.
We have recently added tier 3 vocabulary to our progress ladders to support children's vocabulary development.
We teach phonics using Read, write inc. Phonics is taught daily in Early Years and Key Stage 1. This is followed in Key Stage 2 by regular spelling lessons . (See below for more details about the teaching of phonics)
Spelling lists are given to pupils in year 1 - 6 every half term.
Pupils follow the Read, Write Inc. reading scheme through the Early Years and KS1. Pupils are encouraged to read daily in school and out of school. In school all pupils are taught the skills of reading using VIPERS (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, Sequence/ Summarise). Classes engage in regular guided reading sessions where pupils work in small groups with an adult to read texts together and engage in discussions and activities about the text. Pupils are rewarded for engaging in wider school and home reading using our 'Raffle ticket' scheme. Children receive a raffle ticket every 10-reads and at the end of each term a ticket is pulled out for each Key-stage and the winners receive book tokens.
We have a small library that pupils can access to explore and enjoy books. Most importantly - we want pupils to enjoy reading. Our staff read to children daily.
We use Babcock planning and assessment to guide our sequence of learning. We believe it is important for pupils to have something engaging to write about and to have a purpose; therefore we try and use the wider curriculum as our stimuli for writing. We teach Spelling Punctuation and Grammar as part of every lesson.
Pupils are taught to join by using pre cursive We continue to develop pupils' writing style and speed through regular handwriting sessions.
We use White Rose to structure the sequence of mathematics teaching. We all start the year by looking at Place Value as this is fundamental to the skills for calculation. We block our planning to build skills and knowledge. We plan mathematics to help pupils to master the skills. We achieve this by building through fluency activities to reasoning and problem solving. We give pupils some control of their learning by selecting their starting point and giving all pupil's the opportunity to access the higher level work. To compliment our maths curriculum we use 99 Club. We run this weekly to develop number bonds, times table facts and mental arithmetic. All pupils in year 1 - 6 have 10 minutes to complete their activity. If they make no mistakes they move to the next club.
We use skills progression ladders, which we have developed with the support of the Bridge Academy Trust. This ladders were developed by exploring successful curriculums, carrying our research and trialling ideas. The ladders show how skills and knowledge progress and develop over the years at Primary School. Our school rolling programme is the vehicle by which we deliver the knowledge and skills from our progress ladders.
We start our learning with a question to engage pupils and give them a purpose for their learning. This then gives pupils the opportunity to devise their own questions to direct our learning.
We plan our questions to be relevant, current and engaging. We also try to ensure a balance of local knowledge and broader knowledge.
We believe the outdoors gives pupils the opportunity to develop responsibility, confidence, problem solving skills, learn from mistakes and find new interests/ skills. All pupils spend at least half a day in the forest school with our forest school leader.
We have extracted key areas from the curriculum that can be developed in the forest school including - design technology, maths, science, geography, maths and literacy.
Alongside this, pupils can also develop forestry skills including: fire making, knot tying, whittling and animal tracking.
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Curious
We are inspired by the awe and wonder of the world.
Creative
We are bold and innovative in our approach to find new solutions to the challenges we face.
Excellent
We are the best we can be.
Responsible
We take responsibility for our actions in an environment of mutual respect.
Determined
We overcome all barriers to reach our potential, developing a capacity to improve further.
Enthusiastic
We are passionate about learning.
Queen's Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea
Thursday 26th May 2022
All welcome 2.30pm on the School Field, weather permitting.
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