The NOPA Curriculum
The NOPA Curriculum
All schools have a unique identity and at North Ormesby Academy we believe that we have created an outstanding friendly, caring and supportive environment that encourages our children to fully learn and develop into well-rounded pupils ready for the challenge of the 21st century.
All schools have a unique identity and at North Ormesby Academy we believe that we have created an outstanding friendly, caring and supportive environment that encourages our children to fully learn and develop into well-rounded pupils ready for the challenge of the 21st century.
Our children are very happy and feel safe in school. Our exceptionally talented staff team use all their expertise and experience to extend learning, creating challenges in a broad and balanced, experience-rich curriculum.
Our children are very happy and feel safe in school. Our exceptionally talented staff team use all their expertise and experience to extend learning, creating challenges in a broad and balanced, experience-rich curriculum.
We intend to abide by some fundamentals for our curriculum: Excellence, enjoyment and enrichment.
We intend to abide by some fundamentals for our curriculum: Excellence, enjoyment and enrichment.
- We want children to strive for scholastic excellence; excellent standards that deepen understanding, improve knowledge retention and are consistently challenging.
- We want children to strive for scholastic excellence; excellent standards that deepen understanding, improve knowledge retention and are consistently challenging.
- We want learning to be fun, engaging and exciting, where pupils take ownership of their learning in creative and innovative ways - we'll use our comprehensive expertise in technology to help deliver this to all pupils.
- We want learning to be fun, engaging and exciting, where pupils take ownership of their learning in creative and innovative ways - we'll use our comprehensive expertise in technology to help deliver this to all pupils.
- At the heart of our curriculum lies ‘Tim’s Traits’; we want all of our children to master these skills to prepare them for the ‘real world’. We’ll use rich, expert experiences to help.
- At the heart of our curriculum lies ‘Tim’s Traits’; we want all of our children to master these skills to prepare them for the ‘real world’. We’ll use rich, expert experiences to help.
Tim encourages pupils to have a positive attitude to develop resilience and determination in preparation for becoming a confident member of the local and wider community and achieve scholastic excellence.
Tim encourages pupils to have a positive attitude to develop resilience and determination in preparation for becoming a confident member of the local and wider community and achieve scholastic excellence.
Tim encourages pupils to achieve and gain the best possible outcomes through hard work, exemplary behaviour and a real love for challenge. He encourages pupils to become masters in everything they do and reminds them that 'practise makes permanent'!
Tim encourages pupils to achieve and gain the best possible outcomes through hard work, exemplary behaviour and a real love for challenge. He encourages pupils to become masters in everything they do and reminds them that 'practise makes permanent'!
We put ‘Tim’s Traits’ at the heart of our curriculum, ‘wrap’ them with the national curriculum and ‘coat’ with our topic theme, meaning when our children look at learning they see Vikings, Amazing animals, Rivers and Rainforests etc.
We put ‘Tim’s Traits’ at the heart of our curriculum, ‘wrap’ them with the national curriculum and ‘coat’ with our topic theme, meaning when our children look at learning they see Vikings, Amazing animals, Rivers and Rainforests etc.
We want every child in our academy to go on lead a 'Remarkable Life' - it is imperative they know of and remember those with remarkable lives who have come before them. Because of this, we have produced a 'Remarkable Lives' aspect of our curriculum, spending a full day three times per year learning about some of the most significant people of the past.
We want every child in our academy to go on lead a 'Remarkable Life' - it is imperative they know of and remember those with remarkable lives who have come before them. Because of this, we have produced a 'Remarkable Lives' aspect of our curriculum, spending a full day three times per year learning about some of the most significant people of the past.
NOPA Curriculum 'Learning Flow Model'
NOPA Curriculum 'Learning Flow Model'
Research
Research
We are keen advocates of research-informed practice; we have developed a confidence and courage in implementing and embedding new initiatives but also the ability to be brave enough to say when they do not work!
We are keen advocates of research-informed practice; we have developed a confidence and courage in implementing and embedding new initiatives but also the ability to be brave enough to say when they do not work!
Whilst our Curriculum Team includes a 'Research & Development Lead', we want all NOPA practitioners to be aware of research and we have incorporated some of the most profound and internally-tested research initiatives into our curriculum.
Whilst our Curriculum Team includes a 'Research & Development Lead', we want all NOPA practitioners to be aware of research and we have incorporated some of the most profound and internally-tested research initiatives into our curriculum.
All of our curriculum iBooks come with 'retrieval quizzes' and 'retrieval tasks' to help with retrieval practice. We have also implemented a 'maths memory' session, daily - an extra session of maths per day devoted to retrieving key content from previously taught material. This approach also takes advantage of what we have learnt about 'interleaving' and 'spaced practice'.
All of our curriculum iBooks come with 'retrieval quizzes' and 'retrieval tasks' to help with retrieval practice. We have also implemented a 'maths memory' session, daily - an extra session of maths per day devoted to retrieving key content from previously taught material. This approach also takes advantage of what we have learnt about 'interleaving' and 'spaced practice'.
We worked with Rosedale Primary School and the EEF on 'Reflect_Ed', a trial on the embedding of metacognition through explicit teaching. This ended in 2018 but we have continued many elements, such has been the impact of the work.
We worked with Rosedale Primary School and the EEF on 'Reflect_Ed', a trial on the embedding of metacognition through explicit teaching. This ended in 2018 but we have continued many elements, such has been the impact of the work.
The book 'Understanding How We Learn' has given us much to aspire to; the work of the 'Learning Scientists' can be found here.
The book 'Understanding How We Learn' has given us much to aspire to; the work of the 'Learning Scientists' can be found here.
Leadership
Leadership
It is important to us that all NOPA staff have a say in how the curriculum is structured and works. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) spearhead and lead the approach to intent, implementation and impact.
It is important to us that all NOPA staff have a say in how the curriculum is structured and works. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) spearhead and lead the approach to intent, implementation and impact.
It is the role of the Assistant Principals to ensure standards of teaching and learning, in everything that is taught, remain high.
It is the role of the Assistant Principals to ensure standards of teaching and learning, in everything that is taught, remain high.
The SLT oversees the work of each Subject Lead, ensuring there is quality support, challenge and cohesion in what we do.
The SLT oversees the work of each Subject Lead, ensuring there is quality support, challenge and cohesion in what we do.
Subject Leads monitor termly. They drop into lessons, look in children's books and talk to children about the core knowledge they are learning. They provide feedback to teachers and SLT and suggest improvements going forward.
Subject Leads monitor termly. They drop into lessons, look in children's books and talk to children about the core knowledge they are learning. They provide feedback to teachers and SLT and suggest improvements going forward.
The Subject Leads are supported by 'Subject Partners'. They meet regularly to plan creative ways to raise the profile of their subject across the academy.
The Subject Leads are supported by 'Subject Partners'. They meet regularly to plan creative ways to raise the profile of their subject across the academy.
The Teaching Team are responsible for coverage, delivery of the learning model and creativity!
The Teaching Team are responsible for coverage, delivery of the learning model and creativity!
Immersion
Immersion
We want our school and curriculum to be as enthralling as possible, so to coincide with our school’s flexible seating approach, we try to make our school as immersive as we can, bringing learning to life! Our learning environments reflect the learning! We have a wonderful ‘Magic Weaver’s Garden’ that the children can use for inspiration on any day and a 'Learning Village' that includes its own reading den!
We want our school and curriculum to be as enthralling as possible, so to coincide with our school’s flexible seating approach, we try to make our school as immersive as we can, bringing learning to life! Our learning environments reflect the learning! We have a wonderful ‘Magic Weaver’s Garden’ that the children can use for inspiration on any day and a 'Learning Village' that includes its own reading den!
Using Technology
Using Technology
As an Apple Distinguished School, we work with 1:1 iPads from Rec to Y6 – technology plays a huge part in our curriculum and allows our children to communicate, collaborative, create and evaluate very efficiently. Children spend much of their curriculum time designing posters, producing videos, Keynote presentations, animations, games and more. This creativity and productivity means they are constantly synthesising the knowledge they are gaining, as well working on key skills.
As an Apple Distinguished School, we work with 1:1 iPads from Rec to Y6 – technology plays a huge part in our curriculum and allows our children to communicate, collaborative, create and evaluate very efficiently. Children spend much of their curriculum time designing posters, producing videos, Keynote presentations, animations, games and more. This creativity and productivity means they are constantly synthesising the knowledge they are gaining, as well working on key skills.
We’re also avid users of VR – we now have around 50 headsets used daily across school. VR gives the children the opportunity to ‘experience the impossible’! They can walk alongside dinosaurs, experience first-hand what it is like to be an astronaut or see the depths of the darkest parts of the ocean! You can read more about this here.
We’re also avid users of VR – we now have around 50 headsets used daily across school. VR gives the children the opportunity to ‘experience the impossible’! They can walk alongside dinosaurs, experience first-hand what it is like to be an astronaut or see the depths of the darkest parts of the ocean! You can read more about this here.
Digital Books
Digital Books
In Y1 - Y6 children use digital books for subjects like History, Geogrpahy and Science. You can see from the example below, children are again free to structure their learning in any way they see fit, with the added bonus of being able to include videos, sounds, animations and a multitude of images. We've seen the significant impact this has on learning, particularly with our EAL and SEND children.
In Y1 - Y6 children use digital books for subjects like History, Geogrpahy and Science. You can see from the example below, children are again free to structure their learning in any way they see fit, with the added bonus of being able to include videos, sounds, animations and a multitude of images. We've seen the significant impact this has on learning, particularly with our EAL and SEND children.
Celebrating and Sharing
Celebrating and Sharing
A key aspect of our curriculum is celebrating the outcomes it brings. We hold ‘Inspire’ days in each class every half term so parents and carers can spend time in school, learning with their child(ren) and celebrating their success.
A key aspect of our curriculum is celebrating the outcomes it brings. We hold ‘Inspire’ days in each class every half term so parents and carers can spend time in school, learning with their child(ren) and celebrating their success.
We are also very active on Twitter and Facebook, and we produce ‘Excellence, enjoyment and enrichment’ videos for our school YouTube channel and website.
We are also very active on Twitter and Facebook, and we produce ‘Excellence, enjoyment and enrichment’ videos for our school YouTube channel and website.
Each class/phase also produced their own learning portfolio for each topic which showcases the excellent learning that has gone on. You’ll also find the children’s work on high quality displays throughout the school.
Each class/phase also produced their own learning portfolio for each topic which showcases the excellent learning that has gone on. You’ll also find the children’s work on high quality displays throughout the school.
Enjoy our You Tube videos showing all the fun things we've been getting up to!
Enjoy our You Tube videos showing all the fun things we've been getting up to!
