Curriculum Statement
Our Curriculum
Intent
At Silkstone Primary School our ambitious curriculum is designed to meet the needs of our children and our local community. We aim to inspire our children with a love for learning and for life. Our curriculum is planned to enable children to build a strong and broad foundation of knowledge and skills to support their transition to high school and beyond. We want all children to be critical thinkers, to question and to care as they develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive in our complex world. Our curriculum is designed to provide all children with the cultural capital to succeed in life.
As a maintained school we follow the National Curriculum. Our curriculum is underpinned by a commitment for all children to develop as fluent readers, who read widely and often in addition to our three key drivers
- Culture and diversity – an understanding of the world that we live in
- Social responsibility – to be active citizens
- Health – to be physically and mentally healthy
Our curriculum is coherently planned with key knowledge to be learnt, both disciplinary and substantial, with explicit end points to be achieved in all subjects. The curriculum is designed to ensure that there is appropriate coverage, content, structure and sequencing so that children can make connections with their learning and build their knowledge and skills in a logical and well sequenced manner. The EYFS curriculum is planned following the Early Years Framework and Development Matters guidance, whilst also recognising the demands of the National Curriculum 2014 as part of the transition from EYFS into KS1. We follow the Barnsley locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Our curriculum is designed from Early Years to the end of Year 6.
Implementation
High quality teaching enables children to acquire and develop their knowledge and skills through an engaging and stimulating curriculum. There is a cohesive, progressive sequence of learning across all subject areas, building on previous knowledge and skills to enable children over time to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts and retain in their long term memory. Subject matter is introduced clearly and explicitly. The curriculum is planned to enable all children to develop both an understanding of the place they live and a global dimension. Formative and summative assessment for learning is used robustly to assess children’s understanding and plan effective learning sequences. Children are supported to take ownership of their learning and develop positive learning behaviours with an ability to work collaboratively and the confidence to tackle learning challenges. The stimulating and supportive learning environment ensures that all children have equality of access. The work of pupils with identified additional needs is guided by School Focussed Plans.
Our curriculum is enriched through a wide variety of educational visits. Further enrichment is provided through sports coaches and visitors to school. Children have the opportunity to learn to play a different instrument each year from Year 2. Children have the opportunity to participate in a number of sporting clubs and competitions and there is a range of afterschool clubs to widen their experience. Focus weeks are held throughout the year that are linked to our key drivers or national events.. Weaving through our curriculum is the school commitment to wellbeing. We want all children to feel valued and cared for and to develop compassion and kindness for others through a sense of social responsibility.
Impact
The impact of our curriculum is that children leave Silkstone Primary School as confident, caring individuals who are well equipped for the next stage of their education.