Curriculum Intent
Elliston is an enquiry driven school; we believe that learning is much more than just retaining knowledge and we recognise that our role is to develop learners for the 21st Century. Our children are very well prepared for the next stages in their education as we aim to give them a secure grounding in basic skills, including reading, writing, spelling, grammar, secure mathematical understanding and confidence in the use of ICT. We firmly believe in furnishing our young people with a set of learning tools, attitudes and habits that they will be able to use throughout their lives, even when faced with unfamiliar challenges. We believe in delivering a curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of OUR children and serves to challenge them to reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. Above all, we strongly believe our work in developing independent thinkers and learners ensures excellence throughout all curriculum areas.
Developing Critical Thinkers and Learners
Critical thinking is a key focus ensuring children develop skills of learning which will stand them in good stead for any situation in our academy and beyond.
There is an emphasis on quality across the curriculum. ‘Fewer things in better quality’ is a focus in classrooms and allows us to develop a depth of learning
The theory behind ‘Austin’s Butterfly’ is our mantra when it comes to improving performance; Pupils support each other with clear and precise guidance for improvement through Critique.
We believe in developing a ‘mastery of learning’ approach so every child is challenged and supported to a secure foundation of understanding. Strategies are used to ensure they are given a chance to practise and perfect performance; Rubrics, Critique and Collaboration are key.
We recognise children grasp learning in different ways and at different speeds and our practice reflects this.
We also ensure they are respectful and tolerant members of society, by developing an understanding of different beliefs and cultures; this is reflected in our spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum and is supported by the Academy Drivers.
Curriculum Content
As an academy, Elliston Primary is not legally required to follow the newNational Curriculum introduced in September 2014. However, we have chosen to devise a skills based curriculum in line with the skills promoted in both, the National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework as this suits the needs of our pupils.
Project Based Learning
We have a whole school themed approach to the curriculum, which is driven by enquiry questions, specific to each cohort. We ensure that all learning is purposeful and aimed at a real audience. In this respect, children organise and deliver end of term projects and/or performances which aim to include parents and the wider community. Every cohort uses a Power of Reading book as the stimulus for each theme, along with a focus piece of artwork, drawing support and guidance from sources such as Chris Quigley Essentials Curriculum and Awesome Art. ‘I-Compute’ supports the teaching of Computing ensuring high standards in explicit Computing lessons as well as when IT is used to enhance learning in other curriculum areas.
In addition to this the school follows the East Riding Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
Curriculum Planning
Learning teams work together to plan the curriculum for the term, ensuring that there are fun and exciting ‘hooks’ to generate questions to lead learning. There are a range of real life, hands on experiences or visits out of school to reinforce learning in the classroom. The timing of each topic, and the length of time each topic lasts for, is driven by the needs of the children.
Curriculum Monitoring
Areas of the Curriculum are monitored by teams of staff. They use a variety of Curriculum Monitoring processes to ensure coverage, progression and high standards in their areas. Standards attained in the core subjects are demanded in cross curricular work.
Details of individual National Curriculum subjects for each academic year group can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
Parent Maps - Foundation Stage
Parent Maps - Key Stage 1
Parents Maps - Lower Key Stage 2
Elliston Primary Academy Maths Curriculum Plan
Intent
At Elliston Primary Academy, we want all children to experience the enjoyment of mathematics and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject with a clear understanding. We foster positive attitudes and promote the fact that ‘We can all be successful mathematicians!’ We believe all children can achieve in mathematics, and teach for secure understanding of mathematical concepts through a mastery approach. We use misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich problems.
Implementation
At Elliston, the majority of children progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deep knowledge and through individual support, the use of resources and intervention. Teaching is underpinned by methodical curriculum design and supported by carefully crafted lessons to foster conceptual and procedural knowledge. Practice and consolidation play a central role. Teachers use precise questioning in class to assess children regularly to identify those requiring intervention. The Maths Lead, who is a Primary Mastery Specialist, supports staff with this.
To ensure whole school consistency and progression, White Rose Maths long and medium term plans, which have been adapted to meet the needs of the school, are used. Mathematical topics are taught in blocks, to enable the achievement of ‘mastery’ over time and staff use NCETM materials to support them in planning carefully crafted lessons. The concept of teaching children to tell the time has been removed from the Mathematics curriculum and children are taught to do this continuously, by stopping at regular intervals throughout the day to practise this skill.
New concepts are introduced using small steps, where children are able to discuss and reason with their partners. Often, these concepts are introduced with objects (concrete manipulatives) or images. Independent learning provides the means for all children to develop their fluency further, before progressing to more complex problems. Each lesson provides the means to achieve greater depth, with children, who grasp concepts quickly, being offered sophisticated problems, as well as exploratory, investigative tasks.
To support children in developing their fluency, a regular lesson of 15 minutes exists outside of the maths lesson. In addition, ‘Times Table Rockstars’, is an online learning platform, which is used both at school and at home, to support children in practising their multiplication and division facts.
EYFS
Promoting British Values at Elliston Primary Academy.
The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated by the Prime Minister. In our school these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy:
We listen to child and parent voice. Children and parents are regularly consulted regarding aspects of our school. Our Pupil Council team are appointed by vote and recommendation and they make suggestions, walk the school and share ideas on behalf of all children (including; the re-design of the Year 6 common room, use of learning equipment to support learning and have worked co-operatively with children from other primary schools.) They regularly lead assemblies. Our school behaviour policy is clear that children are expected to contribute and co-operate, taking into account the views of others.
The Rule of Law:
We consistently reinforce our high expectations of children. We have whole school ‘Diamond Rules’ and classes may set their own class rules. They are taught the value and reasons behind our expectations that they are there to protect us, that everyone has a responsibility and that there are consequences when rules are broken.
Individual Liberty:
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe, caring and supportive environment. From our youngest pupils we encourage our children to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and SMSC lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, plan do and review, how they record work, selection of lunches or participation in our developing extra-curricular clubs- pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect:
Our school ethos and behaviour policy stems from Core Values such as ‘Respect’ and ‘Teamwork’, and children are encouraged in this by caring, sharing and listening to others. Adults help children to understand how to respect by talking about how actions/words can affect others.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
This is achieved through activities aimed at developing our young pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Class work involves discussions and activities to celebrate our diverse community of different faiths and different cultural heritage. Using age appropriate language we aim to educate our children about prejudices and prejudice-based issues by learning in about these issues in RE and SMSC. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning. Children have the opportunity to dress up in clothes and try foods from different cultures and we encourage parents/carers to participate and support our multi-cultural events which this year has included our Olympic Opening Ceremony.
We aim thatall learnerswillstriveto achieve their potential through developing:
- Spirituality = be caring, empathetic and open to learn newthings
- Teamwork = be willing to share knowledge, skills andexperiences
- Risk Taking = be prepared to have ago
- Independence = be confident, safe and happyindividuals
- Vision = be creative, imaginative andresourceful
- Endeavour = be the best that you canbe
At Elliston we believe that it’s not just what you learn but how you learn; children need to become learners for life to reach their full potential.