Our Curriculum
Dynamic | Emergent | Interconnected | Creative
Our values drive our curriculum
Awe: The world is awe-inspiring. Sometimes it is enough to sit and wonder at the universe. And we want to find out more - how have people discovered things, what has changed in our life-time and beyond, what do different people do in different parts of the world, how can we look after our amazing planet, can we get better at something if we practise? Everyone is part of this awesome world and we can all contribute in different ways.
Balance: Sometimes we want to run and shout, sometimes we want to sit and dream. How can we all exist together - so that everyone feels safe and a sense of belonging? It's important that children learn to read and write, but it is not the only thing. Just as important is drawing, and singing, and laughing, and running and playing. And how can we exist on this planet in harmony with nature?
Creativity: When we are creative we are coming up with ideas, making connections, solving problems, entertaining and bringing value to the world. Scientists are creative, artists are creative, teachers are creative, children are creative. In fact, we say - we create to learn and we learn to create! And we can all bring our own experiences, knowledge, temperaments and capabilities to be unique creators - this diversity is what makes the world amazing.
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We have three core principles that underpin our school and how we work. We believe:
children learn best in meaningful contexts;
agency and connection are key to human flourishing;
the richest learning comes from narratives and from creating.
What this means in practice is that, for a significant proportion of their time in the classroom, children take part in carefully planned, emergent sequences of activities that use the Mantle of the Expert approach. Click here to find out more about Mantle of the Expert.
However, there are lots of aspects to our curriculum - what we do, how we do it, when we do it that are really important. It is all carefully thought through.
Click here to see our curriculum overview.
THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
As a local authority, mainstream school we follow the national curriculum in terms of what the children cover over their time at school. To find out more about the national curriculum for the Early Years, KS1 and KS2, click here.
Schools are free to develop their own curriculum that incorporates the national curriculum. We seek to weave much of what we teach into learning enquiries, or narratives, using an approach called, 'Mantle of the Expert'.
We have a two year 'overview' plan that maps out what key areas are covered and recapped as the children move through the school. This is constantly under review and we plan together as teachers, checking in on coverage and deciding makes the most sense to teach.
Click here to see our curriculum overview.
TWO OTHER MODES - DISCRETE and CONNECTED
Discrete: There are also some things that we teach discretely. A lot of our maths teaching is done in this way - the lessons are simply maths lesson. However, we also make sure that some maths appears in our enquiries as then the maths becomes purposeful and 'real-life'.
Connected: We have found that learning is always more interesting to children if it is connected to what they are currently exploring and creating. In art, music, reading, MfL and in other areas, as the opportunities present themselves, we might teach a standalone art lesson or series of lessons, but we may choose an artist that connects with the Mantle. For example, if the children are intergalactic space miners, the children may listen and respond to music that has been inspired by space, such as Holst's Planets or compare Kraftwerk's Spacelab with Sinatra's Fly Me to the Moon. Describing the planets in French is an obvious piece of connected curriculum planning.
Some other things that are really important parts of our curriculum are:
WHOLE SCHOOL COLLABORATIONS
We plan a number of whole school events or days across the school year. These are key in realising our core values - awe, balance and creativity. They allow us to connect and work together, co-create, explore topics like sustainability and the changing seasons, and contribute to our school and community. Examples are: Equinox Walk, Christmas making day and National Poetry Day. We especially value the mixed age aspects of these opportunities. We see our school as an interconnected learning community.
GATHERINGS
We gather as a whole school over the week. There are themes that we explore together and the gatherings are designed to enable contributions from everyone. On Thursdays we usually have a 'School Meeting' where children are invited to share ideas or contribute to ideas or proposals. On Fridays we sing together - with the piano, or with a guitar, or sometimes accompanied by digital recordings. We are not just singing, but we are learning to sing as well, and we find out about different genres of music. Often we will do a warm up together, listen to intervals and sing in two or three parts.
GUARDIANS
The Mantle is so effective because it asks children to take responsibility for something. In the same way, we try to pass on responsibilities to the children. In Year 6, children are supported in running clubs for the younger children that are very much led by them. We have had an art club, a singing club, dance, lego and board games. Pupils choose what kind of club they would like to run. This agency means pupils are naturally purposeful and thoughtful about what they create.