The Primary National Curriculum is taught to all our children in Year 1 and Year 2.

Our Reception children (Year R) follow the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. 

 

At Sholing Infant School the intention of our curriculum is to develop the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that our children need to be successful learners, both now, and in the future. Our children will develop an awareness of how their learning in every subject builds on their prior learning as they apply what they have learned to a range of different contexts.  Where possible the National Curriculum content will be taught within the context of our locality as we aim to develop our children’s sense of identity and place. 

Our curriculum will provide the tools with which the children can develop lifelong learning characteristics; We aim to develop independent learners who enjoy opportunities to be curious, to explore, problem solve and be creative.  Children will learn to be resilient in the face of difficulties; reflective in celebrating their successes and not afraid to make mistakes and build upon them.  Children will develop confidence to question and try new things and will be aspirational about where their learning could take them both within school and beyond.

 

At Sholing Infant School our curriculum is implemented through a topic-based approach to learning. In practice that means that the children’s subject specific learning is taught through the context of an overall topic which aims to inspire and engage the children.  We believe that children do not learn in isolation so it is vital that all of their learning is done within a meaningful context that gives a reason and purpose for their learning.

This approach has been developed and refined through whole-school CPD to ensure that all staff have contributed to the development of our approach to the implementation of our curriculum. 

We take pride in providing a highly inclusive environment, where learners demonstrate high levels of enjoyment in their education and make strong progress in all subjects and areas of learning. Children at all levels are helped to achieve their potential. Those who are most able are challenged and supported through being offered tasks which provide opportunities for greater depth as well as giving targeted support to those children who need it to embed skills, to develop at their own pace or simply to learn in a style that best suits their individual needs.

Effective implementation of our ambitious curriculum is achieved through successful subject leadership, secure subject knowledge, detailed curriculum planning and is delivered via our enquiry model. This enables children to remember in the long term the content they have been taught and to apply it in new and varied contexts. Children are able to build on previously taught content to develop a cumulative knowledge base so that they can know and remember more.

We review the impact of the implementation of our curriculum through ongoing formative and summative assessment of what pupils know and remember. This enables teachers to check learners’ understanding systematically, identify misconceptions accurately and provide clear, direct feedback. Ongoing monitoring by subject leaders demonstrates that pupils make strong progress throughout their time at our school.

 

School leaders ensure that teachers are supported in implementing and monitoring the curriculum effectively by:

• Providing them with dedicated time for whole school CPD to develop a knowledge progression that ensures the cumulative development of knowledge.

• Giving teachers additional regular non-contact time to ensure that learning journeys and units of work are planned and prepared in depth to meet the needs of their learners.

• Ensuring that subject content is initially taught in a hands-on, practical way within an environment that is engaging and supportive. 

• Accessing support within HET to enable subject leaders to develop their own subject specific knowledge.

• Using our curriculum leader to support teachers planning and delivery of the curriculum.

EYFS

Our EYFS curriculum is designed and implemented in such a way as to build on our children’s pre-school experiences. We believe in providing children with a safe and stimulating environment where children flourish. Developing our children's vocabulary is a key focus at Sholing Infant School as is ensuring that they make a strong start to acquiring phonic skills.  Learning should be fun, and we strongly believe in first-hand learning, valuing the importance of the outdoor environment to develop children’s thinking and problem-solving skills.  Through our delivery of the EYFS Curriculum we develop learners who are active, creative and ready to begin their next stage of education equipped with the skills to be successful.

 

ENGLISH READING

As a school we develop early reading through following the Little Wandle phonics programme. To develop our children’s confidence and enjoyment of reading we teach daily reading lessons that enable them to practise and apply their phonic knowledge, word reading and prosody skills to a range of age-appropriate books.  These will be matched to each child’s individual phonic knowledge. High-quality texts are available to all children in their classrooms to support and enhance their learning and love of reading. Teachers read frequently to the children using selected texts from our reading spine. Our well stocked library also gives families access to a range of books that they can read at school and home.

  

ENGLISH WRITING

The starting point for each writing journey is a high quality text or video linked to the half-termly topic. Through the children's study of the text or video they will learn new reading and writing skills. These skills will then be practised and rehearsed and finally applied in an independent piece of writing.  This learning is developed through progressive three week units which take into account the children's previous knowledge. 

 

MATHS

Children are taught maths through an I-do-you-do approach. The knowledge taught in each year group builds on their learning from the previous year.  This knowledge is then rehearsed so that the children can improve their fluency in applying and using it. Our mastery curriculum enables children to develop their reasoning, investigative and problem-solving skills.

 

FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

Foundation Subjects (excluding PE, PSHE and RE) are taught through half-termly topics which give the children meaningful contexts for their learning.  Subject specific lessons then ensure that disciplinary and substantive knowledge is taught discretely and builds on previous learning.

Learning in each subject begins with a key question that children will explore, which they will then answer through various learning opportunities which will move from collaborative, practical activities to individual outcomes.

Children's knowledge and vocabulary is further enhanced with memorable experiences, in addition to diverse and rich opportunities from which children can learn. 

Our learning journey provides pupils with opportunities to be curious, to ask questions, to explore, to collaborate in their learning and to be actively engaged in their learning, both inside and outside the classroom. The project based planning means that pupils have a good understanding of the purpose and outcome of their learning, increasing their commitment to task and engagement.

The children’s own community, both local and wider is used to support understanding in every topic, sometimes as a starting point for engaging interest and introducing real examples of key vocabulary and concepts or within a topic to contextualize and embed what has been learned.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

At Sholing Infant School, our high quality physical education curriculum inspires all children to develop a love of physical activity and sport. We aim to have a child-centered approach that gives every child the physical literacy, emotional and thinking skills to achieve in PE, sport and life. We aim to nurture confident, resilient children who will strive for their personal best. We listen to our children's wants and needs and provide them with a range of active experiences and extra-curricular clubs.

When delivering PE, we ensure all children are engaged whilst developing their fundamental skills of agility, balance and coordination. Our lessons are taught by inspired teachers who challenge and support every child in every lesson, whether this be PE, yoga, gymnastics or dance. We want to aid our children in obtaining the values and skills to celebrate and respect the success of others, as well as modestly celebrating their own successes within lessons, after school clubs and competitions.

The use of assessment, questionnaires, surveys (staff) and pupil conferences the quality of lessons and the confidence in the teaching of PE improves and as a result the enjoyment and positive outcomes increases.

We educate both our children and families to develop a greater understanding on how to live healthy lifestyles and make healthy choices throughout the curriculum and offer lots of opportunities throughout the year to explore this further. We are dedicated to ensuring healthy minds, as well as bodies and will continue to support our children's well-being.

When children leave Sholing Infant School, they are confident in mastering basic movements, applying these in a range of different activities and can work collaboratively in small groups.

 

ENHANCED CURRICULUM

A varied timetable for extra-curricular activities is offered by the school, including those which develop specialist skills, such as dance, whilst also extending the range of children’s experiences. 

A primary focus of our curriculum is to raise aspirations, engender a sense of personal pride in achievement, and provide a purpose and relevance for learning. Disadvantaged pupils are supported to benefit from access to the full range of extra-curricular opportunities offered by the school, through effective use of PPG funding, whether that is karate lessons, kit and gradings or through healthy family breakfast club.

Music and performance have a high profile in the school and the school employs a specialist music teacher. Music provision includes violin lessons in Year 2, the school choir participate in both school and local events, all of which prepares pupils well for the inter music opportunities on offer to all pupils in KS2.

 

The impact of the curriculum is measured in standards achieved, progress made and personal qualities acquired. The impact of our curriculum is seen in:

• High standards: consistently performing at above national averages

• Strong progress across all year groups and subjects

• Quality curriculum experiences which are memorable, worthwhile and learning focussed.

• High-quality teaching by teachers with strong subject knowledge.

• Learners that are resilient, reflective, curious, independent and creative.

• Aspirational learners who have a thirst for learning and see it as a route to maximising their life’s chances.

• Individuals who value and respect one another and demonstrate our learning values in action.

 

 MEANS OF MEASURING IMPACT:

• The curriculum is regularly reviewed, developed, monitored and evaluated by the Headteacher, School Leadership Team, HET and governors, leading to improvements and innovation.

• Subject leaders take responsibility for ensuring coverage, progression and standards through long and medium-term planning, promoting the subject and developing the teaching methodology and securing high quality resources. They regularly monitor and evaluate learning, teaching and the curriculum through lesson observations, pupil interviews and work scrutiny.

• Assessment is both formative and summative and progress and attainment are regularly tracked.

 

Please read our Equalities Policy and Disability Access Policy for further information about how our curriculum complies with the Equality Act (2010) and Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations (2014).

 

If you would like to find out more about the curriculum at our school then please contact us.