At The Willows Primary School, we believe that our curriculum is one that is broad and balanced and is ambitious for all. It is exciting, relevant and meaningful and responds to the needs of the individuals within our learning community, enabling them to shine academically and flourish socially, emotionally, morally and culturally.
We believe that our curriculum should be seen in its widest sense – as the entire planned learning experience, including formal learning opportunities as well as events, routines and enrichment activities that takes place outside the classroom. At our school we strive to ensure that pupils not only become great learners but also responsible and active citizens.
The school’s curriculum is rooted in the knowledge and skills that pupils need in order to take advantage of opportunities, responsibilities and experiences in later life, helping to address disadvantage.
Children are taught that learning is a journey and that there are steps that we can all take to understand our own learning in order to make progress on that journey.
We use the Learning Pit and the 5B’s (learning behaviours) to promote positive attitudes to learning which reflect our school values as well as the skills needed to promote responsibility for learning and future success. Every child will have the chance to shine and will leave us prepared for a future of possibilities.
Our curriculum is designed to allow each one of our learners to:
- Achieve the best possible academic standards, whatever their ability
- Support language development and acquisition at all ability levels?
- Read at an appropriate level for purpose and pleasure
- Explore real world, first hand experiences, so that children can see the relevance their learning has in the real world
- Become mentally and emotionally happy and resilient citizens, ready for the challenges of the 21st Century.
- Develop interpersonal skills, build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers.
- Develop skills and personal qualities for lifelong learning, preparing them to make an active contribution to society
- Actively prepares children for the responsibilities and opportunities that arise throughout life, including those offered by the family and the world of work, within a multicultural and technological society.
The organisation of the curriculum ensures that pupils use and extend the basic skills acquired in the separate subjects such as English and Maths to the wider curriculum. The school fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.
Each subject curriculum is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before and towards its clearly defined end points. Content is taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly enough for all pupils to acquire the intended knowledge and skills.
Individual subject sequences are also planned within and linked to a curriculum overview at phase/key stage and whole school level to ensure that sequences support cohesive learning and that children have a wide range of opportunities to apply knowledge, understanding and skills across the curriculum, strengthening learning and adding depth, allowing the children to know more and remember more.
Through detailed planning, implementation and review, we provide a curriculum which:
- contains well planned and creative activities which are enticing and relevant to pupils' needs.
- provides continuity of coherent learning experiences, as well as progression within and across each age range/key stage;
- offers challenge for all - giving opportunities for the highest standards of personal achievement through recognition of individual needs
- assesses the progress and attainment of each pupil:
Underpinning our ‘curriculum design’ are our key drivers. These shape our curriculum, bring about the aims and values of our school, and respond to the needs of the school community.
Our curriculum drivers
- Language and vocabulary
- Reading for purpose, pleasure and research
- Promotion of basic skills applied in a range of contexts ensuring security and depth of learning at whatever level
- Active engagement in learning
- Leading healthy and physically active lives both in and out of school
- Ensuring children receive first hand experiences to enrich their knowledge and understanding within and across subjects
- Becoming internationally minded – develop their knowledge and understanding of their home country, a range of host countries, their local, national and international community
What does international mindedness mean?
- Building an awareness of global issues, global co-operation
- Developing an understanding and awareness of cultural values
- Learning about the world – experiences, home life, culture, music, literature, art, education and values
- Identifying, realising and understanding the connections you have in your everyday life with the rest of the world
International mindedness should enable children to :
- Develop knowledge and understanding beyond that related to their own nationality
- Develop their understanding of the independence and interdependence of peoples, countries and cultures
- Develop both a national and an international perspective
This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity.
If you have any questions about our curriculum, please contact the HT via the school office email office@willows.w-berks.sch.uk
School topic structure