How do Christian Values impact on our Curriculum planning?

Throughout all learning opportunities, teachers are encouraged to consider where the understanding of Christian values may impact on how children will develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. In all areas of the curriculum, children are encouraged to question what they are learning: this leads to developing their respect and tolerance of others’ views; their courage to express and share their own views; and their trust and compassion within a respectful learning community. Throughout the year, teachers plan for opportunities for pupils to serve in their community. Furthermore, teachers plan opportunities for pupils to develop understanding of and a deep respect for a range of cultural and religious traditions. Religious Education is taught for one hour each week in all classes and Christian Values inform the majority of our Collective Worship planning. Religious Education is planned following the Derbyshire Agreed Syllabus which engages and challenges pupils through an exploration of core concepts and questions.

How does our curriculum fit in with our aims and ethos?

In planning our curriculum, we have spent time with children, parents, governors and teaching staff to focus on our over-arching ethos and values. Key themes that came out from our work with the whole school community were around Respect, Pride, Independence and Success. This became vital to us in planning and designing our curriculum ensuring that these values were prominent throughout it. Having these values at the heart of our curriculum was fundamental when we planned our curriculum.

At Church Broughton Primary School, we aim to provide a vibrant, balanced and quality education for each child. We plan for work to be stimulating and interesting and to challenge all children. Throughout all aspects of the curriculum, we promote ‘PRIDE’ learning behaviours (PERSEVERANCE, RESPECT, INDEPENDENCE, managing DISTRACTIONS, EXPLAIN your learning).

How did we design our curriculum?

We liaised with all members of the school community to ensure that the curriculum we implement effectively addresses the needs of our school community. We then worked with several development partners to analyse current practice and evidence based approaches to curriculum planning. As a result of this, we spent CPD and Inset time with staff deciding to base our curriculum on the Lancashire Progression Grids. This resource will help to ensure children experience a broad and balanced curriculum and that progression in skills and knowledge is assured throughout a child’s time at the school. With mixed-age classes, children experience an EYFS, KS1, LKS2 and UKS2 curriculum based on a 2-year rolling programme of study. Staff differentiate work appropriately for each year group in their class. This curriculum supports Subject Leaders in monitoring the progression in Learning Intentions at all stages.

How does our curriculum meet the needs of our pupils?

The Lancashire Progression Grids provide a topic based curriculum that is used by teachers to carefully design, plan and organise to ensure breadth, balance and depth for every learner in our school. By linking subjects through a theme, the work becomes more exciting and motivating and learners become more engaged, inspired and challenged.

At Church Broughton Primary School, we believe that every child should feel valued and experience success whilst at the school. By ensuring that they receive an appropriate balance of academic and personal development, our curriculum is planned to allow children to experience success and sense of value. As a church school, Christian values underpin all activities in school which positively influences whole school strategic approaches to the spiritual, cultural and moral development of pupils to make the world a better place. In all areas of the curriculum, we maximise opportunities to develop their understanding and application of such values.

The importance of physical well-being is a further important factor which needed to be considered for our curriculum to meet the needs of our pupils. Beyond PE lessons, we plan for opportunities for children to be active and out of their chairs when this suits the learning intentions of that lesson.

The beautiful, rural location of our school presents huge benefits for any child attending here. However, in planning our curriculum, it is important that we address the needs that this setting presents. As such, we plan to visit alternative settings within multicultural communities and invite visitors from other communities to deepen our children’s understanding of the wider community that they are a part of.

Within any age group of children, there exists a wide range of ability and it is the responsibility of the class teacher to ensure that children’s work follows school policies and that it matches the needs of individual children. Advice and help is available to teachers with children who are experiencing particular learning difficulties and where necessary, Provision Maps are prepared for children. Such programmes are discussed with parents as their support and involvement is an important element in determining their success. Children with exceptional abilities are also identified and provision made to ensure that their learning programmes meet their particular needs.

How do pupils progress and achieve within our curriculum?

A useful definition of progress is: the widening and deepening of essential knowledge, skills, understanding and learning behaviours. We have designed, organised and planned our curriculum to ensure that children are not merely covering content but achieving a depth to their learning which enables them to use their skills and understanding in all areas of the curriculum. Based on the Lancashire Progression Grids, our planning means that we build in many opportunities for repetition and practice for essential skills, knowledge and understanding in every subject. This ensures that children can revisit previous learning, which allows them to gradually develop a deeper understanding of the skills and processes within subjects, at their own pace and in the best possible way for each individual child.

Our curriculum is planned to develop higher order thinking skills and deeper levels of understanding, rather than just acquiring new facts and knowledge.

How will we evaluate our curriculum?

We give our pupils, parents and governors many opportunities to share and celebrate the outcomes of our curriculum. All classes have termly celebration afternoon where pupils will showcase their outcomes. Each class will also celebrate aspects of their work through a class assembly. We will ask for feedback from all stakeholders and senior leaders will monitor and evaluate the impact that our curriculum is having on learning.

Following evaluation of the impact of the Lancashire Progression Grids, teaching staff will begin to adapt units to more specifically address the needs of Church Broughton Pupils.

What has been the impact of our curriculum?

In English and Maths, the impact of our curriculum has been pleasing with results of National Tests showing improving progress measures and outcomes in Reading, Writing and Maths combined above the National Average (based on the 17 children who were available to sit the tests in May 2019). Our use of the Lancashire Progression Grids started in September 2019. At present, the impact is primarily with teaching staff who now have confidence that the curriculum they are implementing has breadth and balance and that learning intentions are appropriately pitched to provide challenge and build on prior learning.