Our curriculum is rooted in our school’s unique context and the local area: drawing on the historic nature of the town and region; the mix of the agricultural and urban; and the stunning geographical features we have on our doorstep. We have designed an ever-evolving curriculum which builds on our pupils’ strengths, experiences and backgrounds whilst providing relevant, new experiences to build their knowledge and understanding of the wider world (e.g. religious diversity).
We provide a broad, rich, contextually-relevant and exciting curriculum that ignites a love of learning. Subject leaders and teachers have planned the curriculum with precision to ensure clarity, simplicity and consistency as well as making it explicitly clear what we expect all pupils to know by the end of each unit of work. Our curriculum affords the opportunity to regularly revisit and deepen learning in a way that incrementally builds on prior knowledge.
We achieve accelerated progress through the rigour of each subject. Leaders and teachers focus on discrete subjects and disciplines and adapt their practice according to what helps pupils know and remember more in each subject. Disciplinary reading (or reading things related to subjects) helps pupils to retain information in the long term. Our non-fiction texts have been recently and carefully curated. They are of the highest quality and relevance.
Where there are strong and purposeful links between subjects, these are utilised effectively to deepen children’s understanding. We ensure that our children develop an increasingly insightful understanding within each subject and are able to apply their knowledge and skills within and across subjects fluently.
At Applegarth, we are passionate about fostering a love reading for every child; it is for this reason that high-quality literature is the beating heart of our curriculum. Selecting literature which is rich in language enables our children to develop a varied vocabulary so that they can express themselves articulately and communicate with confidence.
Our curriculum is designed to ensure all children access a wide range of memorable experiences to spark their curiosity, enjoyment and interest. These experiences contribute to pupils’ cultural capital (through the significant places they visit), and it is systematically built up through the great thinkers, pioneers, mathematicians, musicians and artists they study across the curriculum.
The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. We carefully scaffold learning using Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction and The EEF’s 5-a-day. We adapt the delivery of teaching, content and concepts (not the offer). This ensures that all pupils receive a full entitlement and have equal opportunity to succeed.
Teachers adjust their timetables and lesson design flexibly to meet pupils’ learning needs. Pupils who require further support or extension may access further adult support in class or be withdrawn for intervention activities. This is delivered in short bursts at varying times so that pupils do not miss out on learning in other curriculum areas.
In short, we equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills, vocabulary, values and cultural capital that they need to succeed in life whilst also ensuring that children are socially and emotionally prepared for their future.
Curriculum Drivers
Happy
We enable strong and enduring relationships by placing the wellbeing of every member of our school community at the heart of what we do (Safe).
Ambitious
Our learners will be confident and aspirational individuals, who have high expectations of themselves and are courageous risk-takers, ready for the next step in their lives (Ready).
World Citizens
Our children will celebrate their own unique qualities whilst showing respect and care for the diverse and ever-changing world around them. Every child at Applegarth will be able to explain what it means to be a good citizen and to make a positive difference to their locality and the wider world (Respectful).
Our Extended Curriculum
Enrichment activities, educational visits and workshops are built into our curriculum each year, plus an extensive range of free and subsidised extra-curricular clubs on offer every week.
In the 2021 – 2022 academic year, we ran over 40 after school clubs and around 70% of the school cohort engaged in at least activity. Clubs are accessible to pupils from Reception to Year 6, depending on the activity, and cover most areas of the curriculum and all sports the children can compete in locally.
Home Learning
Pupils are encouraged to extend their curriculum learning using several online platforms including Times Table Rockstars, Developing Experts (science), Reading Eggs/Eggspress as well as the daily reading of their phonics decodable or home reading book. For our younger children, we also have ‘Read to me’ books which are high quality texts for parents to read to children to promote talk about the story or information within the book. Visit our Home Learning page for more information.
Our Curriculum Newsletters contain more information about additional learning activities that are encouraged at home.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
At Applegarth Primary School, we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The curriculum encompasses all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development of all pupils. Our whole school Provision Map goes further, outlining the numerous ways in which school and external agencies can support pupils with SEND to ensure they reach their potential. Further information can be found in the SEN Information Report
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment with our SENDCo, Mr Steve Edwards.
Curriculum Subjects
Please see the individual website pages (below) for each of our subjects to find out lots more about the exciting learning opportunities in store for our children (long term plans), the progression throughout school in each subject and the impact our curriculum is having on pupil outcomes.
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