Curriculum

The National Curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary schools to ensure children learn the same things. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject. This is a statutory document that all schools must follow. Schools have the autonomy to decide on how this content is delivered and what approach to take to ensure that our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of our children and community. 

INTENT 

At Felsted Primary School our curriculum links closely to our core values, vision and school ethos.  We have designed an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum which develops the whole child.  Our curriculum is designed to be accessible for all, including children with SEND and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. If we think it is necessary we adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of individual children.

Our enhanced curriculum runs alongside and compliments the National Curriculum, but aims to broaden the horizons of our children and links to our school values. The opportunities offered aims to provide our children with unique experiences outside of the National Curriculum. 

The government have placed great emphasis on schools developing Cultural capital. Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success. It is about giving children the best possible start to their early education.  

We see Cultural capital as the accumulation of knowledge, attitudes, habits, language and possessions that enables individuals to demonstrate their cultural competence and social status. Our school plays a crucial role in developing this through immersing children in dance and music, visiting theatres, galleries and historic sites and by introducing them to literature and art. 

Embedding cultural capital into our curriculum is a way of closing the gap between children from differing socio-economic backgrounds by ensuring that children from all backgrounds have the same opportunities in society to achieve their full potential.  

IMPLEMENTATION 

Implementation describes the way in which we deliver our intent consistently each day.

To do this we have carefully designed our knowledge engaged curriculum. This is designed to enable learners to acquire relevant subject knowledge which underpins the application of skills. Skills are carefully and progressively mapped across each key stage and subject area. The subjects taught may vary from term to term, for example, a child may concentrate in one term on a history topic, then switch to a greater emphasis on geography in the next term. Over the three terms of the academic year, each child has the opportunity to experience the full range of National Curriculum subjects.

Knowledge is consolidated and built upon to support retention and recall and is clearly outlined. This ensures that by the time children leave our school they have learned, and are able to recall and apply the key information that we feel is important in order for them to be successful in the future. 

We aim:

  • to enable all children to learn and develop their skills to the best of their ability;

  • to promote a positive attitude towards learning, so that children enjoy coming to school, and acquire a solid basis for lifelong learning;

  • to teach children the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and computing;

  • to enable children to be creative and to develop their own thinking;

  • to teach children about their developing world, including how their environment and society have changed over time;

  • to help children understand Britain’s cultural heritage and fundamental British values;

  • to enable children to be positive citizens in society;

  • to fulfil all the requirements of the National Curriculum and the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education;

  • to teach children to have an awareness of their own spiritual development, and to understand right from wrong;

  • to help children understand the importance of truth and fairness, so that they grow up committed to equal opportunities for all;

  • to enable children to have respect for themselves and high self-esteem, and to be able to live and work co-operatively with others.

We broaden horizons by developing global learners, which underpins all of our values. We plan opportunities to develop awareness of the wider world and its current issues and to understand and respect cultural diversity and differences with an understanding of how the world works.  We encourage participation in the community at a range of levels, from the local to the global. We teach our children to make the world a more sustainable place and to take responsibility for their actions. We do this by providing learning linked to: 

  • International or Cultural understanding 

  • Respect for others and our differences 

  • Community participation (local and global) 

  • Sustainability and environmental issues

  • Challenging stereotypes 


Values:

  • We aim to promote the all-round development of the children and prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life

  • We value the way in which all children are unique, and our curriculum promotes respect for the views of each individual child, as well as for people of all cultures. We value the spiritual and moral development of each person, as well as their intellectual and physical growth

 

IMPACT 

Pupils leave Felsted Primary School with a secure understanding of the academic content; with the understanding of how to be socially, morally, spiritually and culturally responsible and aware; how to make positive contributions to the local community and how to endeavour to be the best that they can be. We aim for all of our children to leave Felsted respectful, skilful, ambitious and with a thirst for life and all it has to offer. 

MONITORING  

Our governing body is responsible for monitoring the way the school curriculum is implemented.

We have named governors for all subjects. The governors liaise with the subject leaders of these areas, and monitor closely the way the school teaches these subjects.

The Headteacher is responsible for the day-to-day organisation and delivery of the curriculum.

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Careful planning and awareness of individual children’s needs and interests will ensure that every child will have equal access to the Curriculum regardless of race, gender or class.

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