Curriculum

St Andrew's School Curriculum
Our Curriculum Aims:

• To promote our Christian values of Friendship, Respect, Perseverance, and British values, to support all aspects of every child’s development
• To ensure reading is central to the curriculum and a love of reading is fostered 
• To ensure quality curriculum content of each subject is sequential and builds on previous learning, meeting and often exceeding the requirements of the National Curriculum, so children learn more and remember more
• To support all children to achieve their best in every aspect of their learning, whatever their individual needs; ensuring they receive their full entitlement and the cultural capital to prepare them for future success
• To inspire and motivate children to have a love of learning and high aspirations, through the provision of an engaging and bespoke curriculum specific to our setting and the local area
• To instil a growth mindset for children, so that they can be independent and resilient learners
• For children to be emotionally and physically healthy, socially confident and understand how to have positive relationships with others
• To promote social action within the local community and beyond so that children understand they can contribute to change and improvement, giving children the chance to take a lead and make a difference, within the community and wider world
• To work in partnership with pupils, parents, governors and other organisations, supporting families through a caring and nurturing ethos

At St Andrew’s CE School, our curriculum intent is derived from our Christian values, school vision, unique context and the community it serves. We believe in providing a bespoke curriculum for excellence, that has high aspirations and expectations for all, not only ensuring that our children exceed academically, but also to develop truly amazing individuals who will thrive and make positive contributions to our society. We provide opportunities for pupil voice so that they can have a positive influence to their school, the community it serves and the wider world.

Our learning themes are carefully selected to make links with children’s previous learning, creating meaningful associations embedding knowledge and deepening understanding to ensure long-term retention. This ensures children know more and remember more. There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge for each subject, which meets the statutory aims of the National Curriculum and often exceeds these through enrichment activities. The curriculum becomes more complex and builds over time by providing opportunities for pupils to apply prior knowledge to new and more complex situations. Underpinning our curriculum is a focus on metacognition, vocabulary and language development, effective feedback, and questioning to secure high-quality teaching. Progress is tracked, from starting points, to ensure everyone’s potential is realised, and that pupils are prepared for the next stage of their learning.

To immerse and engage children in their learning children’s experiences are enriched through, launch days, trips, visitors, artefacts and end of topic celebration of learning. In addition, home/school engagement is strengthened through knowledge sheets, which are sent home prior to the topic launch, for pre-learning with parents. Homework projects, which further learning and engage pupils and parents, are issued at the start of the topic and parents are regularly invited into school to celebrate their children’s learning through special events e.g. museums, pop-up restaurants etc.

If you would like to find out more about the curriculum St Andrew's CE School is following, please visit the Department of Education's (DfE) website. Please click on the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum