Curriculum Overview

OUR CURRICULUM

Intent

At Hawes Down Primary school our intent is to implement a curriculum that provides all pupils with skills that are transferable both in the classroom and outside.

Our curriculum is broad and balanced [as exemplified in the NC] giving children opportunities to excel and enjoy different areas of learning and through the extensive enrichment opportunities we provide.

Our intent is to instil in our pupils, a sense of pride in their achievements and a passion for learning that will empower them to become independent, successful and resilient learners who will make positive contributions to the local community and beyond.

Implementation

From Early Years to Year 6, teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills for each subject area, with consideration given to ensuring progression throughout each year group and across the school. Before beginning a new area of learning, children are given the opportunity to express ‘what they already know’ and ‘what they would like to find out’ which subsequently informs teachers’ planning. Teachers use targeted questioning, plan for active learning and provide explicit opportunities for pupils to develop their oracy skills to ensure high quality implementation.

In Early Years our curriculum is taught through a thematic approach. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 the curriculum is taught through discrete subjects. We enrich the curriculum by: utilising the local area to achieve desired outcomes, opportunities for learning outside the classroom are embedded in practice; providing opportunities to take part in workshops, visits from outside educators, school trips including residentials in Year 5 and 6.

Impact

Pupils at Hawes Down are equipped with a broad and balanced curriculum and this is evidenced in their work: in books; confident oracy skills; and in our pupil outcomes. As children progress through our school, they develop knowledge that enables them to transition through each stage of their primary school with confidence and have the knowledge and understanding to support their transition to secondary school.

For further details on the curriculum please click on the tabs below and the subject links on the left hand side of this page.

Identifying What Children Should Know and Be Able to Do

Our progression documentation has been planned to show clearly the journey of learning that a child makes from EYFS, through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2. This journey enables both teachers and children to understand the sequence of their learning and how what they are doing now builds on what they have already learnt, and will feed into what they will need to know. Building vocabulary is a key part of learning and is built on throughout the child’s time at HDPS to equip them for future learning.

Subject Curriculum Overviews and Progression of Skills documents available under the separate subject tabs. These can be found by selecting 'Subjects' on the left-hand-side of this page.

Using Assessment

Addressing the gaps in children’s knowledge

We measure the impact of learning through both formative and summative assessment. At the start of each lesson we adopt the “remembering process” including revision of prior learning and vocabulary, and key vocabulary for the upcoming lesson. Children deposit into their knowledge bank. At the end of the session children are quizzed informally through an activity or game to ensure the knowledge has been retained and remembered. All foundation subjects are assessed using the Milestones for the end of each phase of learning (Foundation Stage Early Learning Goals in EYFS and Langley Park Learning Trust Milestones for end of phases). These milestones are carefully woven into our progression documents so that they can be assessed, and gaps be identified and filled where relevant.

Subject Milestones are available under the separate subject tabs. These can be found by selecting subjects on the left-hand side of this page.

Identifying the Important Knowledge and Planning How It Is Sequenced

We build on our progression documents by planning in sequences of lessons within each topic area. By following the progression documents, subject leaders have built a sequence of lessons for each specific topic or area. We organise the learning into key vocabulary, key knowledge and key skills and ensure that milestones will be met through this. Important knowledge, skills and vocabulary are shared with parents and carers termly to enable them to support the learning.

Curriculum Maps

Year group curriculum maps can be found by selecting the 'Curriculum Maps' tab on the left-hand side of this page.

Reading at HDPS

Click here for information on Reading