Our Curriculum
The Highway Primary School Curriculum
Intent
(the extent to which schools demonstrate a rich and varied curriculum, one which is not simply focused on teaching to the tests or achieving good exam results)
Our curriculum is driven by putting the child at the centre, with the need to prepare our children for lifelong learning and to be global citizens. At The Highway, we offer a vibrant curriculum which is rich in oracy and ambitious for all children. Through our curriculum, we expose and develop the essential and progressive knowledge, skills and understanding which are the building blocks for later life. Our curriculum encompasses not only the formal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum, but goes beyond the experiences of the classroom to ensure that our children are exposed to the richest and most varied opportunities that we can provide. Our aim is to enrich every child's school experience by creating an environment where they are encouraged to succeed and be the best they can be. At The Highway, our ethos of kindness ensures our children have positive relationships, based in mutual trust and respect, and is at the heart of everything we do . The exploration of new skills and experiences help to nurture resilience, curiosity and creativity and develop independent thinkers. The curriculum is further enhanced by our commitment to a values-based influenced education (including British Values) and, through this, we provide harmonious learning experiences which promote confident, self-motivated children, eager for lifelong learning.
The aims of our school curriculum are:
- to enable children to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills; being ‘determined to succeed’ and becoming independent thinkers and questioners; acquiring a solid basis for lifelong learning
- to nurture kindness, show empathy and compassion, so children take responsibility for themselves and their actions, are respectful and value diversity
- to develop an awareness and understanding of how to keep a healthy body and mind, by building the skills to foster strong relationships, resilience and celebrate uniqueness.
- to go beyond fulfilling the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum and the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education ensuring all areas of the curriculum have equal value and enrichment.
Implementation
(that teachers present all aspects of this broad and balanced curriculum (not just English and maths) and are visibly encouraging discussion and the whole-hearted engagement of children, without an over-concentration on outcomes and with a far greater emphasis on processes)
Our Curriculum is implemented with our Curriculum Intent at the heart of all we do at The Highway Primary School.
The carefully sequenced whole school curriculum offer ensures breadth and depth through a building progression of knowledge, skills and oracy, as well as cultural capital. Our curriculum overview meets the needs of all children by structuring the learning in each year group to build cohesively and coherently throughout a child’s time in our school. Intentionally selected enrichment opportunities are key to providing all children with rich experiences to enhance their learning. Developing an understanding of the fundamental British values infiltrates aspects of the curriculum and assembly themes.
Our curriculum design is based on evidence from principles of learning, on-going assessment and organisation and cognitive research. These main principles underpin this:
- Start from a child’s existing understanding.
- Involve the child actively in the learning process.
- Develop the child’s overview, i.e. metacognition – this requires that students have a view of purpose, have an understanding of the criteria of quality of achievement, and self-assess.
- Emphasis the social aspects of learning (i.e. learning through discussion) as these make a unique contribution to learning.
- Curriculum organisation and timetabling enable children opportunities for constant recapping of knowledge and skills with well-spaced reviews.
The Core Curriculum
For our core subjects, we use a variety of planning resources as we believe that following one programme does not provide the bespoke teaching and learning experience that we want for our children. Using prior knowledge as a starting point for all future planning and teaching, we plan lessons which are required for all children to make progress.
We teach reading as a whole class from Y2 - 6 with a focus on understanding and applying reading skills, using Reading texts that are enriching and vibrant. Early reading is developed through Read Write Inc, where we teach a daily phonics lesson to develop segmenting and blending skills. Reading across the curriculum and reading for pleasure is an integral part of our curriculum.
Our writing curriculum has been carefully structured around a review cycle. For the first half of the academic year, the classes work through two-week blocks where they focus on one text type and build a skills tool-kit to support their writing. These blocks are then revisited (with new focus texts) in order for them to build on the skills they have recently acquired. This also gives teachers a clear measure of progress so we can adapt our teaching quickly and effectively.
Maths is taught primarily through the White Rose Maths programme. Skills are taught in small steps and consolidated and applied throughout the lesson. Problem solving and reasoning are integral components of our Maths lessons.
Support in the Core Curriculum
We use PiXl Primary for all vulnerable children and children who aren't making the required progress, allowing us to be certain that we are meeting our INTENT of developing children academically. We place a huge emphasis on child engagement and design lessons with the help of our children.
The Whole School Overview:
From YR to Y6 teachers organise each half term's learning under a theme. They plan lessons to ensure the children make connections across a variety of subjects and with prior learning.
- The curriculum is planned thoroughly, revisiting the children's prior learning and then building on this knowledge and skills, so that progress is planned and measured.
- The topics have rich, inclusive, diverse and relevant texts to complement the learning and enrich the love of reading
- Each term there are a variety of visits and visitors planned in each year group to enrich the learning and create lasting memories via real experiences - The Houses of Parliament, Rocksteady workshops, Pizza Express etc.
The curriculum is reinforced by the school’s ethos and 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 children and their understanding of British Values and the core values of our society are woven through the curriculum.
Specialist teachers support the teaching of PE and French. Themed days such as Roman Day, World Book Day etc, whole school activities including Science Week and opportunities within and outside school, all enrich and develop the children’s learning. After school clubs and events extend these opportunities further.
Impact
(that children develop detailed knowledge and skills across the whole curriculum. It follows that there will be a greater emphasis on the behaviour and attitudes of children and a much less single-lens approach to data)
Children leave The Highway Primary School with a secure understanding of the academic content; with the understanding of how to be socially, morally, spiritually and culturally responsible and globally aware; how to make positive contributions to the local area and how to endeavour to be the best that they can be. We aim for all of our children to leave The Highway Primary School as kind, respectful, skilful and ambitious young people with the motivation and passion to continue to learn and with a thirst for life and all it has to offer.
We measure the impact of this through:
- Reflecting on the standards achieved against planned outcomes.
- Celebrating the learning, where children demonstrate the knowledge they have gained
- Sampling children's learning across the school, where they demonstrate learning
- Child discussions with teachers and Senior Leaders about their learning
- Annual tracking of standards across the curriculum