Our Curriculum

Curriculum Statement of Intent

At Flitwick Lower school we believe the curriculum is a powerful tool that promotes a love of learning and willingness to explore and the time to have fun.  We are committed to developing the whole child. Our children will have the opportunity to be creative, physically active and to be academically challenged.

Our broad and enriched curriculum aims to deliver a twenty first century education that will equip each of our children with the skills required to be an independent and responsible citizen who will continue learning effectively throughout their lives. The National Curriculum sets the expectation of what children should be taught, however we want more for our children. They deserve an experience and to learn about all that life has to offer. We have high expectations for our children’s learning journey and as a staff we agree on the following main drivers that underpin our curriculum to ensure it is enriched, personalised and aspirational.

• Developing a sense of community and belonging, contributing to our community and others through direct interaction – making links both within local organisations and globally with other cultures.
• Developing a cohesive, progressive curriculum that builds on children’s interests and skills.
• Equipping children with skills for life, through practical experiences.
• Making learning more meaningful, through putting it into context.
• Establishing cross curricular links to foster broader understanding.
• Developing the use of ICT across the curriculum.
• Making space for true depth of study through opportunities for a flexible timetabling approach. 
• Enabling children to ask questions and take risks.
• Promoting a positive attitude towards learning, so that children enjoy coming to school, and acquire a solid basis for lifelong learning.

Curriculum Statement of Implementation 

Learning and Teaching

We use a variety of teaching methods that accommodate the differing learning styles of all children. We ensure that all children are able to access learning opportunities and make progress through quality first teaching. Teaching assistants are used effectively to support learning of all children. 

Effective learning takes place when:

• Children know what they are going to learn and why (learning outcomes).
• Children know what they need to do to be successful (success criteria).
• Tasks are sufficiently open ended to elicit a variety and depth of response to meet the needs and learning styles of all learners.
• Children are helped to assess their own learning and the learning of others (through self and peer evaluation and response partner work).
• Children receive positive feedback that helps them to identify what they have done well and what they need to do next (next step marking).
• Children have time to reflect and review their learning.
• Children feel secure, motivated and stimulated.
• The learning environment is stimulating and enhances learning opportunities.
• Displays show children’s work at all levels with an emphasis on writing across the curriculum  • Children experience a variety of learning situations, both indoors and outdoors
• Expectations are high
• Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and progress.

CURRICULUM ORGANISATION AND PLANNING 

The curriculum has been organised into contexts for learning and links have been made to all curriculum areas. Where appropriate some coverage may be taught discretely but this is minimal. ICT is embedded into the learning contexts so that it is integral to the learning that is taking place. 
We adopt an inter–disciplinary approach to curriculum planning in all 3 key stages. We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of the National and Foundation Stage curriculums, ensuring the inclusion of key learning behaviours to develop independent, motivated learners. We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of the National and Foundation Stage curriculums, ensuring the inclusion of key learning behaviours to develop independent, motivated learners.

We plan our curriculum in three phases:

• The long term plan indicates the context for learning and the elements to be covered; 
• The medium term plans give clear guidance on the objectives, experiences, activities, and outcomes;
• The short term plans are those that our teachers write on a weekly basis to enhance the activities and experiences offered to the children. These are all differentiated to meet the needs of the children.
• Curriculum groups play an important part in the success of the curriculum by being involved in  a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING SEND 

Flitwick Lower provides a highly inclusive environment where learners enjoy their education. Pupils at all levels are helped to achieve their potential. Those who are most able are challenged, encouraging them to expand their skills and knowledge through varied curriculum opportunities. Those who find learning more difficult are encouraged and given targeted support to embed skills, to develop at their own pace and to learn in a style that best suits their individual needs. The curriculum is designed to provide access and opportunity for all children who attend our school. If we think it necessary to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of individual children, then we do so after consultation with the parents/carers.

RESOURCES

The class teacher and Key Stage teams are responsible for monitoring the resources for each context for learning. Should there be a need for additional resources or replacements, this should be discussed with the Key Stage leader.

MONITORING AND REVIEW

This takes place through the scrutiny of children’s work, pupil discussion, questionnaires, discussions with staff, learning walks and lesson observations.
Our governing body’s curriculum committee are responsible for monitoring the way the school curriculum is implemented.
We have named governors for all our curriculum groups. The governors liaise with their curriculum group and monitor the way in which the school teaches the subjects. 

Curriculum groups are responsible for monitoring the coverage of their subjects across the school, including Early Years. They examine the planning to ensure progression and continuity and appropriate teaching strategies are used. They have a responsibility to ensure that staff have the skills and resources they need to deliver the curriculum. 

Class teachers have the responsibility to ensure planning adopts appropriate learning styles so all children make progress. 

Curriculum Statement of Impact

Our curriculum ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their lives. They develop behaviours and habits to become effective learners. This is seen by observing how the children approach challenges every day. This could be on the playground, in a game or disagreement, or in class in a complex learning challenge. Our children don’t give up, are highly motivated to succeed and achieve and are equipped with all the personal skills to do this. Our children are able to form meaningful relationships based upon mutual respect and trust, recognising and celebrating difference, not only within the school community, but in the wider world as well.

Through a range of assessment opportunities, we are able to see that pupils make good progress from their individual starting points.  Teachers have high expectations of all children and are able to provide challenge, stretch and enrichment in learning because they know the starting points of the children and understand the progression required to reach the end goal. This is achieved through the use of a range of assessment and analysis strategies: timely testing, moderation of work, pupil interviews, use of assessment grids and data tracking systems. The results are seen in outcomes of work, feedback from the community and in the pride the children have of themselves and their school.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW BY TOPIC AND SUBJECT