Chaucer Curriculum 2019-20

Curriculum Statement 2019-20

Intent

  • The curriculum at Chaucer Primary School is intended to provide a broad and balanced education that meets the needs of all pupils and gives them the skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare them for their future lives.
  • It ensures that academic success, creativity and problem solving, reliability, responsibility and resilience, as well as physical development, well-being and mental health are key elements that support the development of the whole child and promote a positive attitude to learning.
  • The curriculum celebrates the history of the local area, it’s geographical features as a coastal town as well as the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of the community while supporting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

At Chaucer Primary School we offer a curriculum which is broad and balanced and which builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children, whatever their starting points, as they progress through each Key Stage. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and enhances these requirements with experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the pupils in our school. The intent of our curriculum is for pupils to have the requisite skills to be successful, independent and motivated learners in readiness for their next stage of education. It is important that the curriculum considers the development of the whole child and not only concentrates on academic success.

The National Curriculum is delivered using an integrated topic approach and assessed using National Curriculum statements as a basis to ensure coverage and progression throughout the school. The more able are challenged further in their learning and children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so that they too are enabled to experience success. National requirements and school requirements are mapped out as a whole school and then individual year groups plan the curriculum for their pupils accordingly. The curriculum is underpinned by the school’s Core Values and these are taught on their own and through other areas of the curriculum, including assemblies. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and their understanding of the core values of our society are woven through the curriculum.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum with class texts chosen to ensure children experience a wide variety of texts, broaden vocabulary and understanding of grammar and allow children experience reading as a pleasurable experience which underpins all their learning across the curriculum.

Implementation

On entry to school in the early years the focus is phonics and learning to blend and segment words with individual reading books supporting the developments of word reading. Class texts are read daily and repeated to allow children to build fluency and understanding of the vocabulary across a range of genres. Daily Supported Reading in EYFS and KS1  ensures children are applying their knowledge of phonics often and ensuring all children are challenged to read with fluency.  Children move onto Accelerated Reader at the end of KS1 and into KS2 where they challenge themselves to move through the age bandings with a focus on comprehension for understanding and word count which increases attention span and allows children to become immersed in books. Children have weekly guided reading sessions as well as whole class/ supported reading lessons, school have invested in a guided reading scheme to support this. Children who find reading difficult are supported throughout school with additional 1:1 and group interventions to ensure they make progress and enjoy reading for pleasure and obtaining information to support their interests and learning.

The development of vocabulary has been a focus at Chaucer and continues to underpin the curriculum with teachers using opportunities in reading as well as the wider national curriculum subjects to identify key vocabulary, explore meaning and apply to their learning.  Children across school are developing a much wider and richer vocabulary which they enjoy applying.  

The mathematics curriculum is currently delivered through a framework developed by consultants and coordinators within the Local Authority and supported by the White Rose Scheme of Work. We are currently developing a teaching for mastery curriculum which enables children to develop their reasoning, investigative and problem solving skills. Children are challenged to master key arithmatic skills throughout the key stages in order to give them the confidence and strategies to complete more complex number problems.   

The core subjects are taught in mixed ability groups in Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2 but there is targeted ability grouping in Upper Key Stage 2. In all year groups there are small group interventions in order to support pupils in gaining the key skills to become successful readers, writers and mathematicians.

Specialist teachers and instructors support music and physical education. All subject leaders are given training and opportunity to keep developing their own subject knowledge, skills and understanding so they can support curriculum development and their colleagues throughout the school. Whole school activities and opportunities within and outside school all enrich and develop the children’s learning. After school clubs and events extend these opportunities further. Additional whole school programmes and approaches support quality teaching and learning and the school is well resourced in terms of learning materials, books and technology.

The outdoor environment and the local community are considered an opportunity for active learning for all our pupils.

Pupils have opportunities to share their learning with each other, their parents and carers and other learners through school-based and external exhibitions, performances, competitions and events involving other schools. Developing their independence and motivation as learners and their sense of responsibility as future citizens is at the heart of all our teaching and learning.

Impact