We recognise that a curriculum has to be broad, balanced and ambitious to enable all children to grow as learners so they can achieve exceptional outcomes as well as supporting them to grow as individuals and overcome barriers to learning whether they are due to background or personal circumstances and succeed in life. Our curriculum reflects the needs of our particular context and we will continue to review it to ensure we meet the changing needs of our community. We want our children to contribute to and learn in a thriving inclusive community and value and learn from their locality and the wider world. We build on the innate curiosity of children so that they become responsible, healthy and successful learners.

We love reading and our goal is that every child reads fluently, confidently and with enjoyment.  Reading is the key to so much learning and by becoming a confident reader it will enable children to access all future learning. Reading improves wellbeing and we believe it is an essential life skill and our ambition is to nurture a love of reading. Reading is at the centre of our curriculum.

We want to see all our pupils thrive as successful learners socially and academically; including pupils with special educational needs and, or disabilities.

We aim to develop independent, thinking children who are ambitious, emotionally equipped and confident enough to make good life choices.

We encourage our pupils to relate well to one another with confidence, care, openness and respect.

We want our children to value equality and diversity and develop confidence in their own skins, to be able to be themselves and have the confidence and skills to be able to ‘call out’ unacceptable behaviour in others.

We want to ensure that our children have a wide range of experiences, are exposed to background knowledge and wide range of vocabulary that allows them to develop connections and context within their learning.

We aim to meet the needs of all learners in our curriculum, challenging them and enabling them to critically think, problem solve and undertake learning at a deeper level.

We want all pupils to develop Cultural Capital. To have the knowledge, behaviours and skills to face the future with confidence

We deliver the National curriculum because it

‘Provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought or said, and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’ (National curriculum in England 2014)

The school curriculum goes beyond the National curriculum and is all that is learned through lessons, routines, traditions, celebrations, relationships, visits and experiences.

Statement of Implementation

We support learners to thrive as individuals by working in partnership with families to overcome barriers whatever they may be.

Our curriculum is planned cohesively to connect new knowledge to existing knowledge. 

Within each subject we identify the ‘big ideas’ and key themes that are central to each subject discipline. These themes are used to ensure progression and cohesion and allow children to build on prior knowledge and understanding.

We are focussed on developing the literacy and numeracy skills that children need to move forward confidently to the next stage of their learning. We have rigour in improving phonics and early reading so children have the skills to access the whole curriculum as they move through the school. Reading is prioritised across the curriculum alongside the joys of reading for pleasure.

We recognise the importance of reading fluency and oracy as a means to accessing a broad and balanced curriculum. We prioritise children’s learning to read so they can read to learn and we recognise the importance this has on their educational future.

Alongside this we promote personal and social development so that we raise personal and social aspiration and self-efficacy. PSHE, therefore, has a central place in our curriculum as we want pupils to be able to lead safe and healthy lives in modern Britain and become responsible individuals who can contribute positively to their community and environment. Our community is diverse and so our curriculum encourages pupils to value difference and develop a sense of belonging, understanding and acceptance. Strong communication skills and a wide vocabulary will enable our children to cooperate with others, relate effectively with their peers and treat people with respect. This learning is embedded within our curriculum from a carefully curated reading spine to the artists that are studied within Art.

We aim to ensure children enjoy learning, progress well and feel prepared for life. We recognise that pupils should be challenged and supported. We will celebrate their successes whilst our personal development curriculum helps them to develop a growth mindset and resilience so they can accept mistakes and move forward.

We are engaging with local, national and internationally renowned experts and subject associations to inform and curate an inspiring curriculum. We want the curriculum to be aspirational so we are cultivating a level of challenge around the academic content whilst building on children’s lived experiences by enhancing and providing opportunities for children beyond their experiences.

Each subject area is taught discretely with an emphasis on domain specific skills and knowledge that the children develop. Each subject is designed cohesively so that children make progress and are able to know more and remember more. Prior learning is activated and retrieval opportunities are planned into the sequence of learning. Core knowledge is identified alongside the richer hinterland that allows children’s thinking and understanding to develop deeply.

Meaningful links across subject areas are signposted for children to allow them to build and develop their schemas and develop an understanding of a bigger picture.

Statement of Impact

We aim to ensure that children enjoy and rise to challenging learning, progressing very well academically, socially, physically and emotionally so they are well prepared for life. They will know what success looks like for them and for others and celebrate this success. By the time they end their primary education they will have experienced success in a rich and meaningful way.

By the time they leave Angel Road Schools, children will be confident within each academic discipline. They will have been exposed to subject-specific vocabulary in a planned and coherent way. Explicit teaching and repetition of key vocabulary and concepts will provide a structure for future learning, ensuring that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

Pupils will develop curiosity and a desire to acquire new knowledge and experience the world around them. Children will have opportunities to retrieve learning and apply their knowledge in different contexts.

For more details, please see Year group pages or click on the subject links below.