Curriculum
Curriculum Intent
Our intention is that our curriculum will enable us to ‘achieve together’. To show resilience when trying new things, make mistakes and move out of their comfort zone and share success.
Our curriculum goals are:
- To provide a rich cultural capital
- To give pupils opportunity to practise and rehearse skills of Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication
- To improve pupil’s self-esteem and Mental Health by encouraging maximum participation in physical activities (PE and Forest School)
- To encourage all pupils to be confident readers and writers
Cultural Capital
Cultural capital is the background knowledge of the world pupils need to infer meaning from what they read. It includes vocabulary, which in turn helps pupils to express themselves in a sophisticated and mature way. We aim to build up pupils’ schema; building on prior learning and memory, through the use of ‘knowledge organisers’ so that our pupils have a full understanding and skills for their next stage of learning, wherever that may be.
Coherently Planned Curriculum
Our curriculum sets out:
- A clear list of the breadth of topics to be covered
- Key concepts pupils should understand
- Criteria for progression, within each key concept
- Criteria for depth of understanding
- Clear assessment from pupils’ start points so each child makes progress from their first day
Implementation
Our curriculum is delivered through high quality texts and topics. The topics are the context for a series of lessons which can run for 2 weeks or may run for up to 6 weeks.
We also deliver enrichment weeks where a particular aspect is a week-long focus. These may range from Arts week, Multi-cultural week, Anti-Bullying Week and Science Week.
Our curriculum is about providing children with memorable experiences and inspiration to learn. We build learning experiences which excite, inspire and challenge pupils. This approach enables a sense of purpose which is deepened by participation, contribution and collaboration from all children.
Their published work is a reflection of the hard work and a celebration of their achievements. Some of these can be seen on display in school and some is shared with parents on our learning platform Purple Mash.
We recognise the importance of sequenced and spaced learning, retrieval practice and developing links between concepts as the key to making learning ‘stick’.
Our approach to art and design encourages children to be creative, inspired and challenged as well as to think critically.
In Key Stage 1, pupils are taught to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products, developing a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space.
In Key Stage 2, pupils improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials and learn about great artists, architects and designers in history.
Art and Design is often taught in a cross-curricular way, linking to topic work and includes works of famous artists as an inspiration.
Encourages pupils to develop their practical skills whilst being creative and productive. Design and Technology work will focus on designing products, making products and evaluating them. Pupils will also learn fundamental skills of cooking, nutrition and hygiene.
English lessons at Alanbrooke consist of reading (word reading and comprehension), writing (spelling and handwriting and composition), grammar and punctuation and speaking and listening. In Early Years and Key Stage 1, phonics is also taught on a daily basis.
Phonics
Phonics is taught in groups across Early Years and KS1 in a lively fun, engaging and challenging way using the Read, Write Inc approach. The focus is on accuracy, fluency and comprehension and for pupils to hear sounds, blend and segmenting sounds to help aid reading and writing. This synthetic phonics approach is planned to meet the needs and abilities of all pupils.
Spelling is linked to phonics and pupils are encouraged to ‘have a go’ at tricky and more challenging words. When the pupils have mastered phonics, they move on to their age related Spelling Programme. Homework tasks include spelling activities.
Reading
At Alanbrooke we promote a positive culture of reading, using a language rich environment. We recognise that reading is the key to learning so we teach the basic reading skills of fluency to give pupils confidence, desire and ability to express their views and opinions. Books are used as a basis for learning, pleasure, talk and play so our pupils can value and celebrate diversity through reading.
Whole class texts (fiction and non-fiction) are carefully selected to provide challenge for all. Reading lessons, tasks and materials are differentiated by the class teacher to meet the needs of the individual pupils so all can access high quality texts.
Pupils have independent reading sessions regularly each week and guided reading through whole class lessons. They are encouraged to read a variety of texts and a large selection is available to them in class and in the school library.
Writing
Writing opportunities are part of daily lessons and pupils are encouraged to write for pleasure and for purpose. Shared and modelled writing takes place within English and also other curriculum areas. This allows the pupils to practise writing for a real purpose. Expectations are, that all pupils use a range of conventions in grammar to help convey meaning in their work. Pupils are given extended writing opportunities frequently.
English lessons are generally taught on a daily basis, but skills are also threaded through other subjects to encourage consolidation and transferring of skills.
We aim to develop a child’s geographical and historical understanding through engaging and meaningful topics. In Geography, children will gain an understanding of different locations (locally, nationally and internationally) as well as investigating human and physical geography.
In History, children will gain an understanding of Britain’s past and the wider world. It should inspire children to know more about the past. In Key Stage 1, children are taught to consider changes within living memory and lives of significant individuals in the past. In Key Stage 2, children develop their sense and understanding of chronology through local, British and world history.
At Alanbrooke, we aim to give our learners the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for a rapidly changing digital world. Knowledge and understanding of computing is of immense importance for children’s future both at home and for employment. Our Computing curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in digital literacy, computer science, information technology and online safety to enable the children to become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. These strands are revisited repeatedly using Purple Mash and other programmes during the children’s time in school to ensure the learning is embedded and skills are successfully developed. Our intention is that Computing also supports children’s learning and helps them to engage in the curriculum, while enriching their experiences in school.
We deliver maths lessons that are purposeful and engaging using mathematical manipulatives to support pupil’s independent learning. Each block will be assessed, so any gaps in learning are identified immediately due to the high mobility of our military community. Pupils will be taught in depth to ensure a secure understanding. We want children to make connections across mathematical conceptions using a metacognitive approach. We want pupils to communicate mathematical learning using (CAP) concrete, pictorial and abstract representations. This will develop fluency, mathematical reasoning and competence in solving sophisticated problems using rich mathematical vocabulary. We want children to become ‘deep thinkers’ and apply the maths curriculum into real life.
At Alanbrooke Primary School we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to sing in tune and with other people. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music. As children get older, we expect them to maintain their concentration for longer and to listen to more extended pieces of music. Children develop descriptive skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent feelings and emotions. We teach them the disciplined skills of recognising pulse and pitch. Also, we teach the children how to work with others to compose music and perform for an audience. At Alanbrooke we are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider military community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts
We are proud to have been involved with Sowerby Music Service for a number of years and have an annual performance and workshop from visiting professional musicians and performers.
At Alanbrooke Community Primary School we aim to promote healthy, independent and responsible members of society. We encourage all pupils to play a positive role in contributing to school life and their wider community
PSHE is taught across the school through circle time, assemblies (supported by Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning), PSHE lessons, through community work and educational visits and trips and as part of the wider school curriculum. We believe that with a supportive and considerate environment, children are able to discuss issues relating to relationships, health and well-being and being a member of the wider world. We strongly feel that we need to equip children with a good level of empathy, understanding and key skills to become a confident member of society.
(See also Personal Development document)
Alanbrooke Community Primary SchoolSEAL & PSHCE PROGRAMME | ||||||
| YEAR A | ||||||
SEALAUTUMN 1 | PSHCEAUTUMN 2 | SEALSPRING 1 | PSHCESPRING 2 | SEALSUMMER 1 | PSHCESUMMER 2 | |
Good to be me | Citizenship | Going for Goals | Healthy lifestyles | Relationships | Sex/ relationships | |
| YEAR B | ||||||
SEALAUTUMN 1 | PSHCEAUTUMN 2 | SEALSPRING 1 | PSHCESPRING 2 | SEALSUMMER 1 | PSHCESUMMER 2 | |
New Beginnings | Being safe | Getting on | Community | Changes | Drug education | |
At Alanbrooke, we aim to deliver a curriculum that makes a positive impact on our pupils’ physical health and well-being, whilst inspiring them to achieve success and develop their skills and abilities in a wide range of sports and physical activities. We provide opportunities to compete in sports and activities that build collaborative skills and develop a sense of fair play and mutual respect.
We aim to promote self-esteem through developing our pupils’ physical confidence and encouraging them to have a positive mind-set to achieve success as an individual and as a team.
Our aim is to foster a lifelong interest and engagement in sport and physical activity.
Class teachers plan a broad curriculum ensuring competence in physical activities, particularly focusing on strength and flexibility. This is taught through a series of activities based on gymnastics, multi-skills, dance and competitive games . These include hockey, football, tag-rugby, tennis, rounders, cricket, athletics, outdoor and adventurous activities as well as swimming. There are also opportunities to enhance some of these skills in after school clubs throughout the year.
Please click here to view our RE Policy and if you have any comments get in touch in touch with our school
RE is taught weekly as a discrete subject with a balance between learning about a religion and learning from a religion. School follows the North Yorkshire SACRE RE Agreed Syllabus . Thinking skills are a key strategy used to develop a child’s enquiry based thinking and questioning skills. Visits and trips are also included to extend pupils understanding of different religions.
At Alanbrooke, we want our children to be naturally inquisitive about the world around them.
Our curriculum has been developed by staff, building on from Early Years work on understanding the world, to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum and to foster engagement in their learning and a sense of wonder in science.
We are committed to providing stimulating, engaging and challenging learning for all pupils and encourage independent thinking. Throughout our school, children are encouraged to develop and use a range of ‘working scientifically’ skills including: fair testing, observation over time, identifying and classifying, pattern seeking and research. We want our children to develop a broad scientific vocabulary and use this effectively to explain their understanding. This is achieved through work on plants, animals (including humans), everyday materials, seasonal changes, rocks, light, forces and magnets, electricity; all under-pinned by working scientifically.
We intend to provide all children regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability with a broad and balanced science curriculum..
