The Curriculum at Barton Seagrave Primary School
The BSPS curriculum delivers all the statutory elements set out in the EYFS Framework and the National Curriculum. The BSPS model for the delivery of the content and skills has been structured to meet the particular needs of the children in our school, and can be seen in the overview documents for each term that accompany this document. Careful consideration has been given to the community in which our children are growing up, to ensure that their learning enables them to ‘confidently face the future’. This is done through the delivery of a coherent and engaging curriculum that raises children’s awareness of:
a) Cultural diversity;
There is limited cultural diversity reflected in the pupils and staff in our school, so it is particularly important that our children learn to value diversity. We look for opportunities to learn from each other and are enriched by expanding our knowledge of other cultures.
b) Keeping healthy (including diet, emotional wellbeing and physical literacy);
We prioritise teaching our children to make healthy choices when eating, drinking and exercising. We teach children how to build an ‘emotional toolkit’ so that they know what to do when they are facing a stressful situation.
c) Career aspirations;
We seize opportunities to open the eyes of our children to a full range of possibilities for their future careers and raise their belief in themselves so that they can aspire to follow their chosen goal.
d) Environmental concerns;
We develop our children’s environmental awareness, so that they grow up as responsible citizens who can make informed choices about the impact of their actions on the environment.
e) Keeping safe (e-safety, county lines, protective behaviours);
We recognise that our children are growing up in an environment where they are likely to be exposed to a number of risks over time. We ensure that we do everything in our power to prepare children to recognise and deal with potentially unsafe situations, so that they know what to do, and not to do, and who to go to for help. We address situations that may occur in the real and virtual world.
f) Digital Literacy;
We consider that our children need to understand and recognise the importance of blending practical software skills with the ‘softer skills’ of staying safe online. We encourage in our children their ability to blend practical knowledge with critical thinking to help them understand and create digital content, which is key to ensuring that they are prepared for life in an increasingly digital age.
Inclusion
The school promotes the individuality of all our children, irrespective of ethnicity, attainment, age, disability, gender or background. We cater for each individual and actively seek to remove any barriers to learning and participation that could hinder or exclude individual pupils, or groups of pupils. We make this a reality through careful monitoring of the engagement and attainment of the different groups of children within our school:
· girls and boys;
· disadvantaged pupils;
· minority ethnic and faith groups;
· children who need support to learn English as an additional language;
· children with special educational needs;
· children with disabilities or medical needs;
· children who are at risk of disaffection or exclusion;
· travellers;
· asylum seekers.
Broadening Horizons
We aim to broaden children’s horizons by providing a range of opportunities throughout their time at our school including:
These opportunities are planned to link to current learning content wherever possible.
Pupil Voice
We believe that it is important that every child’s voice is heard. We recognise that children are motivated in their learning when they see that their contributions have been considered and have made a difference to what they are learning. Children are encouraged to discuss and share their ideas and questions. We know that the process of questioning and debating their thinking promotes the effective formation of links with the children’s prior learning.
Progression
We ensure progression by:
1. Teaching a coherent narrative in each subject;
The progression of content and skills within each subject discipline is planned to build systematically on previous learning.
2. Teaching children metacognitive strategies to support their learning;
Children are explicitly taught how to plan, monitor and reflect on the success of their learning. They are taught how to ask subject specific questions and how to set about answering these. They are given opportunities to try things out, to make mistakes and to reflect and improve on their learning.
3. Providing opportunities for pupils to demonstrate what they have learned.
Children are given the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge through practice and spaced retrieval of their learning.
Reading and Phonics
Reading forms the backbone of the BSPS curriculum, with age-appropriate texts used across all subject disciplines. Throughout EYFS and KS1, children are taught phonics using the Read Write Inc scheme, and children in KS1 are taught to read using the Oxford Reading Tree scheme.
Across the school, teachers ensure that children are consistently exposed to quality texts, including digital texts, and encounter new vocabulary and ideas that stretch them.
Knowledge Organisers
Children are supported in developing their understanding through the use of Knowledge Organisers (KOs). These detail subject-specific key facts and vocabulary that the children need to learn and remember, and explain how new knowledge links to their prior learning. These Knowledge Organisers are shared with parents throughout the year to align with what the children are learning in school.
Further Information
If you wish to know anything further about the BSPS curriculum, please contact the school office.