CURRICULUM

The aims of our school curriculum are: to promote the development of each pupil regardless of gender, race or social class so that all the children achieve their maximum potential. We wish to recognise the potential and to maximise the achievements of the school community.

We will develop strong links with parents, families, directors and the wider community to enable them to enhance their educational experiences and to make them feel part of the school family. To achieve this we will: Develop a positive ethos within which we will promote high standards for raising achievement. Have high expectations of pupils, encouraging them to have enquiring, imaginative and creative minds, to enable them to become ‘independent learners’.

Provide clear direction and purpose for each individual and always strive to improve on prior achievement. Develop an understanding of the need for good behaviour and courtesy and teach them to take responsibility for their own actions.

Develop an appreciation of their own and other cultures, teaching tolerance, understanding and respect. Provide an enriching and stimulating curriculum through creative and high quality teaching and learning experiences. Encourage good personal health, interests and skills to make the best use of life long leisure and educational opportunities.

Ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all. Prepare children for a smooth transition for the next step in their education and help to lay the foundations for lifelong learning.

We plan our curriculum in three phases. We agree a long-term plan for each key stage on a two year rolling cycle and for the Foundation Stage . This indicates what topics are to be taught in each term, and to which groups of children. We review this long-term plan on an annual basis.

Through our medium-term plans we give clear guidance on the objectives and teaching strategies for each topic. As we have adopted the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies for our school as deemed appropriate for the needs of our children, we take our medium-term planning directly from the guidance documents and from electronically published supporting material. We also use the national schemes of work as a basis for much of our medium-term planning in the foundation subjects. In Early Years we deliver the Foundation Stage curriculum.

Our short-term plans are those that our teachers write on a weekly or daily basis. We use these to set out the learning objectives and success criteria for each session, and to identify what resources and activities we are going to use in the lesson.

In the Foundation Stage, and at both Key Stages, we adopt an multi-disciplinary modular approach to curriculum planning. We plan the curriculum carefully, making good use of natural links, so that there is coherent and full coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum and early learning goals, and there is planned progression in all curriculum areas.

The curriculum in our school is designed to be accessed by all children who attend the school. If we think it necessary to modify some children’s access to the curriculum, in order to meet their needs, then we do this only after their parents have been consulted and by detailing the alternative plan on an Individual Education Plan.

If children have special needs, our school does all it can to meet the individual needs, and we comply with the requirements set out in the SEN Code of Practice. If a child displays signs of having special needs, then his/her teacher makes an assessment of this need. In most instances the teacher is able to provide the resources and educational opportunities that meet the child’s needs, within normal class organisation. If a child’s need is more severe, we consider the child for a statement of special needs, and we involve the appropriate external agencies in making an assessment. We always provide additional resources and support for children with special needs. The school provides an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for each of the children who are on the special needs register. This sets out the nature of the special need, and outlines how the school will aim to address it. The IEP also sets out targets for improvement, so that we can review and monitor the progress of each child at regular intervals.

The curriculum that we teach in the Nursery and Reception classes meets the requirements set out in the revised National Curriculum at Foundation Stage, and the guidance produced in 2002. This encompasses the revised Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (EYFS, 2008) – Our curriculum planning focuses on the Early Learning Goals, as set out in these documents, and on developing children’s skills and experiences. Our school fully supports the principle that young children learn through play, and by engaging in well-planned and structured activities. Teaching in the reception classes builds on the experiences of the children in their pre-school learning. We do all we can to build positive partnerships with the various nurseries and other pre-school providers in the area.

During the reception year the teachers will assess the skills development of each child, and record this in the Foundation Stage Profile. This assessment forms an important part of the future curriculum planning for each child.

We are well aware that all children need the support of both the parents and the teachers to make good progress in school. We strive to build positive links with the parents of each child, by keeping them informed about how the children are being taught, and how well each child is progressing.

The following skills have been deemed ‘key skills’ in the revised National Curriculum:

• communication;
• application of number;
• information technology;
• working with others;
• improving one’s own learning and performance;
• problem-solving.

In our curriculum planning we emphasise these skills, so that the children’s progress in all of these areas can be identified and monitored. Teachers in all subject areas seek to contribute to a child’s progress in these skills, because we believe that all children need to make good progress in these areas if they are to develop their true potential.

The role of the subject leader is to:

• provide a strategic lead and direction for the subject;
• support and advise colleagues on issues related to the subject;
• monitor pupils’ progress in that subject area;
• provide efficient resource management for the subject.

The school gives Key Stage leaders non-contact time according to needs identified on the school Improvement so that they can carry out their duties. It is the role of each subject leader to keep up to date with developments in their subject, at both national and local level. They review the way the subject is taught in the school, and plan for improvement. This development planning links to whole-school objectives. Each subject leader reviews the curriculum plans for the subject, ensures that there is full coverage of the National Curriculum, and sees that progression is planned into schemes of work. The subject leader also keeps a portfolio of children’s work, which s/he uses to illustrate the achievements of children at each key stage, and to exemplify the attainment expected.

At LPS we are committed to embedding an ethos that embraces the ECM Agenda. This Curriculum Policy and its implementation pays particular attention to ensuring that the following ECM standards are met:

• Standard 1 – Ethos
• Standard 2 – Policy
• Standard 4 – Leadership and Management
• Standard 5 – Personalised Learning
• Standard 6 – Curriculum Entitlement, Access and Choice

The Director of Learning is responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the curriculum. The SLT monitors the weekly lesson plans for all teachers, ensuring that all classes are taught the full requirements of the National Curriculum, and that all lessons have appropriate learning objectives.

Heads of Department and Subject leaders monitor the way their subject is taught throughout the school. They examine long-term and medium-term planning, and ensure that appropriate teaching strategies are used. Subject leaders in liaison with the school’s Administrator also have responsibility for monitoring the way in which resources are stored and managed.