‘Let Your Light Shine Before Others…’ (Matthew 5:16)
Curriculum Policy
(Intent, Implementation and Impact)
Introduction
At St Uny CE Academy we view the design of the curriculum as an evolving and fluid process which takes into consideration: the needs and character of our children; the children’s prior learning; children’s experiences; the community in which school exists, the statutory curriculum (National Curriculum) and educational research which is evaluated and relevant to our school. We have designed a curriculum which inspires, engages and challenges learners so that they know more, remember more and understand more.
The Curriculum Intent
The intent of our school curriculum is to deliver a curriculum which is accessible to all and that will maximise the development of every child’s ability and academic achievement. Our curriculum will also nurture the development of every child's character as we prepare them for life in modern Britain. As a school, we have identified three key intentions which are at the heart of our curriculum.
Intention 1: To build a curriculum, with reading at its core, which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge so that they know more, remember more and understand more.
It is our view that reading is the pathway to learning and it is at the centre of everything we do at St Uny CE Academy. It is our intent that reading inspires, engages and challenges pupils and we aim to develop key skills to enable all children to become fluent and confident readers. We aim to promote a love of reading across all ages so that children access high quality texts across the curriculum, encounter rich & varied vocabulary and develop their comprehension skills. We want reading to develop as a transferable skill which will enable pupils to become inquisitive, improve their spoken and written literacy skills and become lifelong learners.
Whilst the National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary so that children know more, remember more and understand more.
Implementation:
National Curriculum Programmes of Study
All subjects within the National Curriculum are planned for and covered in full within the KS1 and KS2 school curriculum.
Whilst the National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary and when necessary so that children know more, remember more and understand more.
Please visit our subject-specific curriculum pages for more detailed information about each subject.
Implementation:
National Curriculum Programmes of Study
All subjects within the National Curriculum are planned for and covered in full within the KS1 and KS2 school curriculum.
Whilst the National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary and when necessary so that children know more, remember more and understand more. We have also mapped out our long term planning to include links to local history, people and stories.
Intention 3: To build a curriculum which ensures children know right from wrong, celebrate diversity and are equipped to live well with Jesus Christ and others.
Our intent is to design a curriculum which results in children developing crucial life-skills and positive moral traits, so they understand their role within the community and wider world. To understand what it means to be a British Citizen or, someone from another country who lives in Britain. To be aware of the rule of law, tolerance and being mutually respectful whilst understanding what it means to live in a democracy and to have individual liberty. To experience cultural capital and to use this to make links across their learning. We want our curriculum and learning experiences to enable pupils to combat prejudice, live well with others and develop skills for lifelong learning.
Implementation
Introduction of the SCARF curriculum for PSHE (please visit subject area) to ensure a spiral progression of skills throughout the school. School vision and values.
Assessment
We maintain high standards of attainment and progress through continuous assessment and tracking of children’s learning. Through this on-going process and involving children in their personal assessment and progress judgments, we build a picture of all aspects of each child’s development. Assessment takes many forms; we assess through discussion, marking and observation as well as using more formal procedures such as tests.
Parents receive information about progress in their child’s annual school report, but discussions regarding progress form a significant part of our parent consultation meetings. Our home/school communication books also provide valuable ongoing dialogue regarding progress between parents and staff. Individual targets in English and Maths are shared with parents each time they are set and achieved to ensure that parents are fully aware of their child’s next steps in learning. National Curriculum Tests (SATS) are administered at the end of each Key Stage i.e. KS.1 - Year 2 (to confirm teacher assessment only) and KS2 - Year 6. Teacher assessments, especially in the core subjects, are an integral part of the recording cycle of each child's progress.
Phonics Screening - This screening measures the number of Year 1 children who have achieved the required standard of phonic sound acquisition. It is taken in June and retested in Year 2 if the necessary standard is not met. Parents are informed of their child’s result in the summer term.
Year 4 Multiplication Check – This check measures the number of Year 4 children who have achieved the required standard of multiplication knowledge by the end of Year 4. It is taken in the Summer term and parents are informed of their result in the Summer term.
Inclusion
We ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. School staff recognise individual pupil’s needs and set high expectations for every pupil. Teachers use appropriate assessments to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound) targets. Lessons are planned to ensure that there are no barriers to engagement and achievement and so that pupils can access all national curriculum subjects/ areas of learning and development. In some cases, pupils have access to specialist equipment and different approaches.
Please visit our 'Special Educational Needs' page under 'Statutory Information' - 'Special Educational Needs' to find out more information about our provision in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.
Community Cohesion
We believe our school has a key part to play in promoting community cohesion through our approach to:
Equity and Excellence: removing barriers to access and participation, offering equal opportunities to all their pupils to succeed at the highest level possible.
Engagement and Ethos: providing opportunities for children, young people and their families to interact with others from different backgrounds.
Equality and Diversity: It is our intention to ensure that every member of our community, child or adult, is given their opportunity to shine regardless of age, gender, culture or background.
Teaching and Learning: Teaching pupils to understand others, promoting discussion and debate about common or differing values and social/cultural/spiritual diversity.
Parent Contact
Should you require further information on our school curriculum please contact the school office at hello@stunyorg.uk and we will arrange for the relevant subject leader or Head of School to contact you with further information.