Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement

Intent

At Braywood CE First School, we have designed a curriculum with the intent of providing a rich and varied curriculum, developing the appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum in order to prepare our children for life.

We will deliver curriculum that:

Inspires creative learning built on prior learning and demonstrates a progression of skills through well planned, sequential lessons which meets the needs of all our children so that they can reach and exceed their potential.

Encourages children to be self-motivated and confident to try new things and allows them to make mistakes and learn from them.

Develops and nurtures behaviours to enable children to succeed in the world: concentration, resilience, curiosity, self-improvement, co-operation, and an enjoyment of learning. 

Creates caring and responsible children with an awareness of their multi-cultural community and how they can contribute towards it and the wider society positively, recognising British values.

Places an equal value on children’s physical and mental well-being.  

Memorable events and educational visits are planned throughout the year, to enhance our delivery and encourage and promote engagement.

Implementation

The curriculum is led and overseen by the Headteacher. Subject leaders play an important role, leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluating and reviewing their subject in addition to sharing and celebrating good practice in order to continually evolve and improve further.

Our long-term plan indicates which topics are taught within each subject. Over an academic year each child has the opportunity to experience the full range of National Curriculum subject. We have adopted an inter-disciplinary approach enabling children to make links within their learning.

Our curriculum map allows for the sequencing of lessons and builds on prior learning and the fluent development of new skills which are revisited within the year and in subsequent years. This will help to develop long-term memory by allowing the repetition of learning. Retrieval practice is embedded as part of the learning process to allow long term memory development and secure understanding of skills. Subjects are assessed to inform planning and monitor children’s progress.

Teachers are given training and the opportunity to develop their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to support the curriculum development. This is achieved through regular in-school staff CPD meetings, subject network meetings within the borough and where appropriate, attendance on externally provided training.

The children’s own community, heritage and traditions are frequently used as a starting point for engaging interest and provide an opportunity for active learning. We visit local churches and other places of worship. We use our school ground to support learning outside the classroom.

Our curriculum provides our children with memorable experiences, in addition to diverse and rich opportunities from which children can learn and develop a range of transferable skills. We ensure that all children have access to high quality educational experiences beyond the classroom that are integrated into the curriculum; for example practical days such as Roman and Egyptian days at Ufton Court. Music and art is celebrated and promoted.

All children will learn an instrument during their time at school and we also have a peripatetic teacher for piano and violin as well as Ready Steady Rock where children form a rock band and learn a variety of instruments. Termly assemblies and musical productions are held for the children to perform both as ensemble and in solo performances.

Weekly Celebration assemblies are held to celebrate children’s accomplishments, as well as other personal achievements both in and out of school.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in entwined across the curriculum as well as explicity taught through our PSHE and RSE curriculum. British values are taught alongside our school values. We promote positive mental health and we have a school council, which meets regular to provide a strong pupil voice within the school

Impact

Impact is measured through:

Learning walks

Book scrutinies

Formative and summative assessments

Pupil progress meetings

Discussions/interviews with children

The children make good progress and have a sense of achievement. Enjoyment of the curriculum promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour. Children feel safe to try new things and have high levels of motivation. High quality visits and visitors to the school enhance the curriculum and provide opportunities to excel in all subjects and have knowledge of our world and current affairs.

Children have the opportunity to share their learning each year through sharing assemblies, performances, parents’ evenings and other events. Developing their independence, curiosity and motivation as learners and their sense of being future citizens in our ever-changing world is at the heart of all our teaching and learning.