Unlocking the Learning Journey: A Curriculum Overview
At Saxton C of E Primary School, our curriculum serves as a gateway to holistic development, aiming to foster the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental, and physical growth of our students. We nurture our pupils, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to embrace future opportunities and responsibilities. Central to our curriculum is the commitment to ensure that every child emerges as a fluent and confident reader, poised to access a diverse range of subjects.
The fabric of our school curriculum comprises all learning and experiential facets we offer our students. We follow the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage Framework in EYFS and the National Curriculum in Key Stages 1 & 2. In addition, we enrich our planning with key experiences we believe are vital for our children. These experiences also provide a foundation for understanding essential British values, preparing them effectively for life in contemporary Britain.
Aligned with the STAR MAT curriculum aims, our educational purpose seeks to secure a consistent entitlement for every pupil across all domains of learning. We aim to develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-fulfillment as lifelong learners. This approach aligns with the recognized standards in the EYFS Statutory Framework and National Curriculum, setting high expectations for pupil performance in various subjects.
Our curriculum adheres to the STAR MAT Curriculum Principles. This blueprint equips children with the capacity to:
Develop Themselves:
- Foster physical and mental well-being
- Cultivate informed risk-taking, confident problem-solving, and critical thinking
- Hone articulate communication skills
- Nourish reflective and resilient qualities, fostering self-regulation and personal responsibility
Interact with Others and Contribute Positively to Society:
- Promote tolerance and respect for others, celebrating diversity and difference
- Nurture responsible, aware, and engaged citizenship, locally, nationally, and globally
- Encourage the development of meaningful, positive, and successful relationships
Equip Them for Life:
- Ensure the development of essential literacy skills, mathematical fluency, and digital literacy
- Deliver a comprehensive, age-appropriate program of study in every subject
- Facilitate access to stimulating learning opportunities both within and beyond the classroom
- Provide opportunities to engage in sports, performance, and creative activities, nurturing talents and broadening aspirations
- Prepare students for their next stage in education or career
Curriculum Organization:
In adherence to the Statutory Framework for EYFS, we affirm that every child merits the best possible start in life. Good parenting and high-quality early learning provide the essential foundation for children to maximize their potential. We embrace the principles of EYFS, which recognize that children are unique and continually learning.
In Early Years, we abide by these guiding principles:
- Every child is a unique, resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured learner.
- Children build strength and independence through positive relationships.
- Enabling environments support children’s development by responding to their individual needs through a strong partnership between practitioners, parents, and caregivers.
- Children develop and learn in varied ways and at their own pace.
Through seven crucial areas of learning and development, we offer children rich, meaningful experiences to explore, think creatively, and stay active. Our goal is to foster positive attitudes toward learning, confidence, communication, and physical development.
For Foundation Stage Curriculum:
- We engage with children in play to plan their next steps for learning.
- We adapt to the different rates at which children develop, adjusting our practice accordingly.
- We endorse the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning: playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically.
These prime areas of development form the foundation for igniting children’s curiosity, enthusiasm for learning, and capacity to thrive. In addition, four specific areas further bolster the prime areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
For Key Stage 1 & 2 Curriculum:
- We organize our curriculum into a 2-year rolling program, ensuring that essential knowledge and skills are imparted to students over a 2-year span.
- Students are taught at an age-appropriate level, with the curriculum designed to meet their abilities and in line with age-related expectations, regardless of the year group in which a topic is introduced.
- This approach promotes collaborative planning among staff, capitalizing on shared interests, experiences, and talents.
We believe that this approach offers valuable advantages compared to individual teacher planning.
Curriculum Content:
Our curriculum is designed as a 2-year rolling program, facilitating continuous learning without redundancy in mixed-age classes. This allows teachers to plan collectively, resulting in a cohesive curriculum that engages students in meaningful ways. The links provided identify the foundational knowledge and skills children will acquire each year.
Our teachers employ these documents to craft plans that connect learning meaningfully, enhancing students’ educational experience. You can access these resources under the ‘Curriculum’ menu, providing a comprehensive guide to our educational offerings.
Our curriculum epitomises our commitment to a rich, well-rounded educational journey for all our pupils.