Curriculum
Whole‑School Curriculum Intent Statement
Our Vision
Our curriculum is designed to nurture curious, confident and compassionate young people who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and character to thrive in an ever‑changing world. We want every child to feel seen, valued and inspired, and to leave our school as articulate, resilient and responsible global citizens. Our curriculum reflects the rich diversity of our community and celebrates the unique identities, cultures and experiences our children bring. It is ambitious for every learner and rooted in the belief that education has the power to transform lives.
We build on the strengths our pupils already possess — their eagerness to learn, their desire to be inspired, their appreciation of opportunities, their curiosity about the world and their instinctive care for the environment and for one another. At the same time, our curriculum is intentionally designed to address key areas for development, including vocabulary, oracy, disciplinary language, recall, world knowledge, aspirations and the ability to challenge pre‑conceived ideas.
Our Curriculum Principles
Our curriculum is built on three core principles:
1. Representation and Belonging
We ensure that every child sees themselves reflected in what they learn. Our curriculum provides:
Mirrors – opportunities for children to see their identities, cultures and experiences represented.
Windows – opportunities to explore the lives, perspectives and achievements of others, both locally and globally.
This balance helps children develop pride in who they are and empathy for others. It also broadens their understanding of the world, counteracting limited experiences and challenging pre‑conceived world views or potential prejudice.
2. Knowledge‑Rich and Skills‑Focused
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build deep, secure knowledge alongside the skills needed to apply it. We prioritise:
- Strong vocabulary development
- High‑quality oracy, particularly around explanation and reasoning
- Disciplinary language and literacy in every subject
- Opportunities to revisit, retrieve and deepen learning
We want children to know more, remember more and do more over time, strengthening recall and building the cultural capital they need to understand the
wider world.
3. Character, Citizenship and Personal Growth
We aim to develop the whole child. Our curriculum promotes:
- Resilience, independence and self‑belief
- Respect, kindness and positive relationships
- Critical thinking and problem‑solving
- Responsibility, leadership and active citizenship
- Ambition and high aspirations for the future
We build on pupils’ natural curiosity and care for others, while raising aspirations and expanding their sense of what is possible.
Curriculum Structure
Our curriculum is organised around four strands that run through every subject:
1. Procedural Knowledge
The practical skills children need to succeed — from reading and writing to scientific enquiry, design skills, physical movement, artistic techniques and language communication. These skills are mapped progressively and revisited regularly, supporting pupils who need structured opportunities to practise and embed learning.
2. Disciplinary Knowledge
The “big ideas” and ways of thinking that define each subject — such as historical enquiry, scientific method, geographical thinking, mathematical reasoning and artistic creativity. These concepts help children understand how knowledge is constructed and strengthen their ability to explain, justify and reason.
3. Substantive Knowledge
The specific content children learn — facts, concepts, vocabulary and ideas. This knowledge is carefully selected, sequenced and revisited to build strong foundations and broaden children’s understanding of the world.
4. Substantive Concepts
Recurring ideas that appear across year groups and subjects — such as identity, community, sustainability, change, structure, pattern and representation. These concepts help children make connections, deepen understanding and challenge narrow or limited world views.
Repetition, Retrieval and Memory
Our curriculum is deliberately designed for long‑term learning. We embed:
- Regular retrieval practice
- Spaced repetition
- Revisiting of key concepts
- Opportunities to apply learning in new contexts
This strengthens recall and ensures that knowledge is secured, strengthened and remembered.
Assessment
Assessment is used to support learning, not label children. We use:
- Ongoing formative assessment
- Clear learning outcomes
- Opportunities for children to demonstrate understanding in different ways
- Subject‑specific assessment approaches
Assessment helps us understand what children know, what they can do and what they need next — particularly in areas such as vocabulary, oracy and world knowledge.
Our Commitment
We are committed to providing a curriculum that is:
- Ambitious for every child
- Inclusive and reflective of our community
- Coherent and carefully sequenced
- Enriching, offering memorable experiences and opportunities
- Empowering, preparing children for the future
Our curriculum builds on pupils’ strengths, addresses their needs and ensures that every child leaves our school with the knowledge, skills and character to flourish — academically, socially and personally.
Further information can be found by clicking on the links below: