Curriculum

Intent:

Our curriculum encourages the development of the whole child. Through our school Core Values, we foster an environment where the academic, social, cultural, spiritual, moral, emotional and physical development of each child is equally valued.

At Baldwins Hill Primary School, we believe in teaching that leads to high quality learning.  We aim for our children to enjoy an ‘irresistible’ curriculum. This is a curriculum that is mapped to include coverage of the National Curriculum and delivered in a way that challenges them, engages their imagination, and motivates them to take the next steps in their learning.

Our ultimate goal is for learners to be successful, confident individuals, who make a positive contribution to the community and society - both now and in the future.

Implementation

We use the Edison Learning Achievement Statements to teach and assess our Reading, Writing and Mathematics curriculum, as outlined separately.

We plan Science and most of our foundation subjects (Geography, History, Design & Technology, Art) in ‘Learning Experiences,’ utilising the EdisonLearning Connected Curriculum and seek to involve the children and their interests in our plans.

If at any time a subject cannot be meaningfully linked to the learning Experience it is taught discretely- such as Physical Education, which follows the ‘Power of P.E’ scheme and Religious Education which follows the West Sussex SACRE syllabus. For in-depth detail on the delivery of the curriculum please see our individual subject policies, Curriculum policy and Teaching and Learning policy.

In Early Years, all teaching and learning is based around the government non-statutory document ‘Development Matters’ and children work towards achieving the Early Learning Goals in the Prime and Specific areas. Teachers work closely with the children to ascertain and follow their interests, and so adapt the curriculum and learning to their specific needs.

Each Learning Experience takes appropriate objectives from the National Curriculum, broken into key skills acquisition for year groups. Each Experience has a ‘Stunning Start’ to 'hook' the children in to their new learning and ends with a purposeful outcome- a ‘Fabulous Finish’. Throughout the Experience, children are encouraged to think about what they are learning, why they are learning it and how they will be able to apply these new skills in a meaningful context. This is underpinned by a rigorous set of foundational skills such as times tables, phonics and handwriting.  From recent reading we would consider our curriculum to have a ‘knowledge-engaged’ approach, where knowledge underpins and enables the application of skill and where both are taught explicitly.