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Intent and Implementation

 

CURRICULUM INTENT
At Wrenthorpe Academy our intention is to enable every pupil to become a successful learner, a confident individual and a responsible citizen. We aim to achieve this by providing a stimulating education which nurtures and develops children, celebrates their achievements and challenges them to aim high and be the best they can be in all that they do.
We aim to have a curriculum which is:
  • ACTIVE
  • ENGAGING
  • MEANINGFUL
  • MEMORABLE
OUR KEY VALUES:
  • Wrenthorpe: where everyone is valued
  • Wrenthorpe: where everyone is learning
  • Wrenthorpe: where everyone is tolerant
  • Wrenthorpe: where everyone aims high
Click to see a video of ‘SCHOOL LIFE’

 

Click to see a video of our SCHOOL CURRICULUM 

 

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION
  • We have designed our curriculum to meet the needs and the interests of the children who attend. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum which inspires children to question and investigate the world around them.
  • It is vital that our curriculum ensures that all children are happy in their learning and strive to achieve the challenging targets we set for them. We are determined to ensure that children receive a full and varied curriculum which allows them to deepen their knowledge and interest in the full range of subjects that we study.
  • We plan our curriculum to provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations. Our aim is that children know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.
  • We provide an inclusive environment where learners will enjoy their education and make good progress.  Pupils at all levels are helped to achieve their potential.
  • We develop our curriculum to ensure thorough coverage, progression and depth of understanding. We aim to provide pupils with memorable experiences, in addition to diverse and rich opportunities from which children can learn and develop a range of transferable skills.  A primary focus of our curriculum is to develop in children a lifelong love of learning, raise their aspirations and encourage a sense of pride in achievement.
CURRICULUM ORGANISATION
Teachers plan in PHASE TEAMS and work to a two year cycle. Varied and engaging topics are planned across the year and have a main curriculum driver to enable children to develop a real interest in and a depth of understanding of the subject studied. Alongside the curriculum driver, teachers plan to include many opportunities for applying the taught skills and knowledge of other foundation subjects and to include reading, writing and maths in a meaningful way.
Fundamental British Values and SMSC Values are taught within the topics and may also be taught as part of a theme day or week across school. For example Anti-Bullying Week and the theme of Safeguarding Day are planned for the whole school.
PSHE, RSE and SMSC is taught weekly as part of a comprehensive ‘Jigsaw’ curriculum.
Science is taught for one afternoon each week.
2 hours of PE is taught over two lessons each week.
English and Maths are taught each morning. (GPS, Reading and Writing) is planned using a class novel as a stimulus.
Teachers plan an activity on the first day of a new topic as a ‘hook’ to launch a new topic and to encourage questions and interest, for example:
  • Drama session
  • Examination of artefacts
  • Outdoor learning in the school environment
  • A visitor
  • Role play experience
  • A class problem/challenge
OUTDOOR LEARNING
Teachers plan to make use of the outdoors as often as possible to make teaching engaging, varied and memorable. Our outdoor learning environment includes opportunities to study in our:
  • wildlife areas
  • allotment area
  • pond area
  • hen area
  • and our newly established challenge area which includes fire and den building.  
  • Teachers also plan to include curriculum enhancements to bring the topics to life.
CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTS
  • Class visits – eg: Church, Science Museum, Wildlife Park, Farm Visit
  • Residential visit – Y6 children take part in a number of outdoor challenges eg: den building, raft building and orienteering.
  • Visitors to school – eg: parents who share their skills and work experiences, Religious leaders, Drama groups, Dance specialists.
  • Workshops delivered by specialists – eg: sculpture, music teacher, history experience
  • Competitions – eg: Science, Drawing, DT, Spelling, Talent Show
  • Themed Weeks/Days – eg: British Values, Sports Week, French Café, Arts Weeks
  • Class Assemblies – children present their work to parents and grandparents
  • Inspire Mornings – parents and grandparents work alongside their children in school, writing poetry, designing and making products or sewing for example.
  • Performance opportunities – eg: Pantomime, Christmas Performances, Performance Poetry, Musical Extravaganza.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS
As part of the whole school curriculum offer we also encourage pupil attendance at the huge variety of After School Clubs which we offer:
  • Drama Club
  • Chess Club
  • Ukulele Club
  • Choir
  • Poetry Club
  • Gardening Club
  • Computing Club
  • Cooking Club, to name a few, and
  • a large range of Sports Clubs are also available.
INTER-SCHOOL and INTRA-SCHOOL TOURNAMENTS and COMPETITIONS
To give the PE experience real purpose and challenge we take part in many competitions and tournaments:
  • Cross Country
  • Tag Rugby
  • Dance
  • Netball
  • Swimming
  • Dodgeball
  • Hockey
  • Multisport (SEND)
  • Cricket, plus many more.
PUPIL LEADERSHIP TEAM and other school responsibilities.
Children are encouraged to take on additional roles of responsibility in school:
  • Head Boy/Girl (Y6)
  • Junior Leadership Team (Y6)
  • Team Captains (Y6)
  • Prefects (Y5)
  • School Council (Y1-Y6)
  • Classroom Monitors (Y1-Y6)
  • Playground Leaders (Y2 and Y6)
  • Members of Parliament for the Trust (Y5) 
EYFS CURRICULUM
INTENTION
At Wrenthorpe Academy we ensure our children are safe, happy and engaged in their learning.  We work in close partnership with parents to encourage independent, enthusiastic learners who thrive in school and reach their full potential.  Our curriculum is designed to encourage children to learn cooperatively and collaboratively, with a specific emphasis on the Prime Areas of learning.  We provide a language-rich environment which develops children’s thinking and understanding. Promoting language acquisition develops higher-level thinking and high quality interactions between children and adults, resulting in children being more inquisitive and asking lots of questions to find out more and remember more.  Our warm enabling environments are led by adults whose interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration. We follow the children’s interests and ideas to foster a lifelong love of learning both in and outside of school. By the end of the Reception year, our intent is to ensure that all children make at least good progress from their starting points and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a smooth transition into Year One.
IMPLEMENTATION
Each half term, EYFS staff introduce a new theme to provide inspiration for learning, whilst providing the flexibility for children to follow their own interests and ideas. Children learn through a balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. The timetable is carefully structured so that children have directed teaching during the day. The timetable changes throughout the year to take into consideration the changing needs of the children. These sessions are followed by small focused group work. This means the teacher can systematically check for understanding, identify and respond to misconceptions quickly and provide real-time verbal feedback. This has a positive impact on the acquisition of new learning. Children are provided with plenty of time to engage in ‘exploration’ throughout the variety of carefully planned experiences to engage and challenge them in the provision. The curriculum is planned to enable learning both inside and outside and equal importance is given to learning in both areas.
IMPACT
We strive to ensure that our children make good progress across the EYFS curriculum from their varied starting points and that children reach the Early Learning Goals at the end of Reception which are at least in line with National Expectations. The impact of our curriculum will be measured by how effectively it helps our pupils develop into well rounded, resilient and motivated individuals who embody our values. We aim for them to carry with them the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will make them lifelong learners.

 

OUR CURRICULUM
  • Purpose – There is a real purpose given to our curriculum and our children are given real scenarios that excite and enthuse. For example, this could be letters that children receive from characters in our core text who may present a problem to solve or a challenge. We continually ensure that the whole curriculum is put into a real life context where EVERY child feels a sense of purpose in everything they do. We cleverly enter their world on an imaginative level selecting topics which are based on child-led experiences. We develop and explore their ideas to help support their learning and understanding ensuring that we differentiate for all abilities.
  • Excite – Our curriculum is exciting and creates a real sense of awe and wonder. It is designed to have surprises and not to always be predictable. Our children can’t wait to see what we are doing each day, and each day is like a new adventure in their learning. They thrive from the unpredictability that the EYFS team provide. Our curriculum is child-led and our learners’ interests and needs are at the forefront of any activities/opportunities that are planned.
  • Inclusion of Parents – We have a strong parent partnership. We include our parents in the child’s learning journey through meetings, information evenings, sharing of electronic Learning Journeys and by celebrating the children’s achievements at home. The children’s learning through the topic is shared on the school’s Twitter page. We consider parents to be part of our daily open dialogue.
  • Community Based­ – From the initial meeting with our parents, we get to know and understand their skills and contacts and aim to use them within school. Our EYFS team work hard to get to know the parents. We quickly and confidently make links with the parents and invite them into school to share their skills, jobs and experiences with the children.  We also invite community members to our school and include then in our curriculum, for example: School Crossing Patrol, Firefighters, Doctors etc.
  • Learning More, Remembering MoreWe focus heavily on the ‘learning more and learning at depth’ in our EYFS so that the concrete learning that takes place in class is transferred into their everyday lives. We constantly revisit past learning in order to continually develop understanding. Our children are able to use their learning with independence and this becomes evident at the end of each half term when we end with our spectacular Topic Teaser! This is an engaging quiz where children are challenged to answer topic-specific questions.  All children are involved, with additional opportunities for high achieving children to expand on their explanations, for example:  I know that is correct because….. I learnt this when we did….. I now know that…… I have researched at home and also found out…..
  • Cultural Capital – We are a Champion School for the ‘50 Things to do Before You’re Five’ initiative. The homework activities for each half term are specially selected from the list of ‘50 Things’ and are linked to our topics in school.  We strongly believe that the ‘50 Things’ initiative provides endless opportunities to make memories that will last a lifetime.  It also embeds the key skills that children need to be successful, independent learners, as well as giving children more awareness and understanding of the world around them.
  • High Quality Language Rich Environment – We provide a language rich environment. EVERY child is challenged each day to ensure that their acquisition of language continues to develop. We strive to broaden the children’s vocabulary and speak clearly and articulately within the setting. Children are introduced to many new, topic related ‘WOW words’ that increase their knowledge and understanding of language. Children are encouraged to use these words, independently in their everyday speech and to learn the different meanings.
  • Reading and Writing – In preparation for writing we take part in many activities such as: rhythm and write, dough disco and writing muscles to name just a few. We develop a love of reading and writing through exposure to high quality texts. Each week we use a book as a hook to engage the children. We take part in many shared writing opportunities where the children can observe the expectations that are required within their own writing. We believe in over reading books to internalise language, widen vocabulary and to encourage children to start to read the book themselves as they know it in depth. Writing and reading opportunities are evident in ALL areas of provision, both inside and outside. We are passionate about our children becoming independent and enthusiastic writers from the start of their Reception journey. This love of writing provides a strong foundation for the children to carry with them as they progress through school.
  • Systematic Synthetic Phonics – We teach a RWInc session 4 times a week. Both reading and writing is in integral part of the session. Our phonic lesson structure often incorporates reading comprehension within each session to ensure that the books the children are reading are fully understood.
  • Maths – We teach maths in a practical and fun way so that children leave the EYFS with a solid understanding of the number system. The children are confident to use their maths skills independently and collaboratively in a range of ways and they are confident at choosing the correct apparatus to aid their understanding of a particular concept.
  • Every Child Matters – The needs of each child are continually catered for within our rich learning environment. Specific intervention groups and challenge groups are identified quickly to ensure that children are well supported and challenged in their leaning. We aim for all children to thrive in EYFS and to achieve their full potential.

OUR AMBITIOUS CURRICULUM

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