A Curriculum for Twenty First Century Learners Powered by Brave Teachers

Our Intentions: Norbury Hall pupils will thrive because of the full range of positive experiences they enjoy. We believe that the curriculum encompasses every aspect of school life every minute of every school day. It is our ambition that children will succeed and make accelerated progress from their starting points as a result of teaching which is consistently good or better. Additionally, we seek to provide a rich and vivid curriculum that will allow children to develop the life skills and values that will enable them to become personal, local and global citizens with the capacity and desire to change things for the better. We will strive to ensure that children are fully equipped for life in the twenty first century. To support this ambition, children will appreciate and understand the benefits of new technologies whilst being made fully aware of the dangers. Throughout all our work we will aspire to ensure that pupils feel a sense of ownership and partnership within our school improvement strategies. Therefore, when pupils were consulted about curriculum design, they stated a desire to make stuff, do things and use their hands. This has been fully considered within our curriculum implementation strategies.

Our Implementation Strategies: Neuro-science tells us that the young brains seek to create links. Therefore, a key element of our curriculum will centre around thematic learning where children see connections between the subjects. To enhance this approach brave teachers will take risks and initiate imaginative ideas that engage the hearts and minds of pupils in order to achieve deep learning. Our strategies will also promote the use of high quality children’s literature because a passion for reading can provide knowledge whilst creating a sense of curiosity, spirituality and love of language. To complement this work, we will also equip the children with a vocabulary that strengthens their own power of verbal and written communication. Our curriculum recognises that stimulating the senses can also be a vehicle to enrich language use and boost learning. To augment this belief, we will use the school grounds and immediate locality as a powerful teaching resource for all curricular subjects. Additionally, we will provide children with discovery time to find their own unique talents by providing opportunities for their natural aptitude and personal passion come together.

The National Curriculum will underpin our work. Planning systems, assessment strategies and learning environments will ensure that all subjects are valued and teaching strategies promote continuity and progression. Subject leaders will provide support for classroom professionals. Additionally, teams of middle leaders will enrich the curriculum by providing guidance relating to creative and expressive education, personal, local and global learning, scientific and technological studies and physical health and wellbeing.

The Impact: Under the guardianship of our curriculum, children in all key stages will attain high standards compared to those in similar schools whilst providing them with the essentials for learning and life. As independent enquirers children will plan their work and make reasoned decisions. As creative thinkers they will use links across the curriculum to generate new ideas. As reflective learners children will evaluate their performance and strive for future goals. As team workers children will experience the power of working in collaboration. As self managers children will recognise the importance of personal responsibility and as effective participators will engage with a range of issues that surround them. We will report to parents how children are progressing in these key areas annually.

CURRICULUM VISION & OVERVIEW

Our themes for 2022 – 2023 are outlined below – each theme covers a half term block and so there will be 6 themes over the full academic year.

Each theme will begin with a title, question or a statement. We want the children through these broad theme headings to explore a key area of the curriculum and complement it with other subjects that will easily links and enhamce the learning experience. These concepts or elements are our Norbury pathways and through them the children will have a sequenced set of skills, a breadth of knowledge and through an enquiry led curriculum they can make meaningful connections.

Theme 1 – Autumn Term 2022 – Norbury Explorers…

This theme has a geography focus as the children consider local and other locations in world and how they might be compared for their features. The children will make some comparisons with places in the locality and make links with other subjects.

Theme 2 – Spring Term 2022 – coming soon as we are just working on the finer details.

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AUTUMN CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Our Curriculum:

Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of learners at our school.
Prepares learners at our school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Provides learners with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens.
Introduces learners to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.

Each theme has a curriculum driver – geography, history or science. Art, DT, additional areas of scientific learning and some music are linked and connected to this main thread. Computing, PE, RE, PSHE, some aspects of music and languages at KS2 are taught more discretely.

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CURRICULUM SUMMARY

Term 1

·A sequence of learning from Nursery to Year 6, allowing the children to build both a knowledge and understanding of the communities they are part of at a local, national and global level.

·An appreciation of the awe and wonder of the world as a natural landscape and a celebration of human innovation in the locations studied.

·An awareness of the rich diversity of the communities the children are a part of at a local, national and global level.

·A curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

•A developing ability to interpret and use a range of sources of geographical information, particularly maps and aerial photographs. The development of these essential skills will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Term 2

·A sequence of learning from Nursery to Year 6 allowing the children to build an understanding and knowledge of the history of these islands and the wider world exploring the similarities, differences and significance of different monarchies.

·A growing understanding of the methods of historical enquiry understanding how interpretations of the past have been constructed.

·A knowledge of how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

·Learning which inspires curiosity to know more about the past and helps children to understand the processes of change.

Term 3

·A high-quality sequence of scientific learning providing the foundations for understanding the world through the scientific discipline of biology.

·A developing sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena.

·The opportunity to work scientifically focusing on the key features of scientific enquiry.

·The opportunity to recognise the power of rational explanation and to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Term 4

·A sequence of learning enabling the children to place their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding some connections between local, regional, national and international history.

·A way in which children can understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change and the challenges of their time.

·A further knowledge of how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

·The opportunity to use historical enquiry to make connections, draw contrasts and frame historically-valid questions.

Term 5

·A sequence of learning to build on half term one and consider the world as a series of interdependent communities in terms of the natural resources we share.

·A deepening awareness of the rich diversity of the communities our children are a part of at a local, national and global level.

·An appreciation of the awe and wonder of the world as a natural landscape and a celebration of human resourcefulness in the locations studied.

·A curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Term 6

·A sequence of learning supporting understanding and knowledge about living things within their natural habitats.

·A developing awareness of the interdependent nature of habitats and the impact human behaviour can have, both positive and negative.

·A growing sense of responsibility when considering how as global citizens we have an obligation to consider the sustainability of our planet.

·An understanding of how as individuals we can make a difference to the longevity of our planet.