Intent

We aim to produce a broad, balanced, engaging curriculum that celebrates diversity.

Our intent is to support the development of pupils' respect and resilience by raising their aspirations within a safe learning environment where mistakes are part of the journey. Through ambitious programmes of study and high-quality teaching and learning, we intend to achieve excellent progress from their individual starting points.

We also aim to generate the sense of personal fulfilment that comes with rising to challenges and exceeding what our pupils thought they were capable of.

We want to provide our pupils with essential 'cultural capital'. This is the essential knowledge that everyone needs to be educated citizens. As such, our curriculum is not solely focused on academic progress, but also on safety, social and morals.

The curriculum promotes pupils' problem-solving and risk-taking skills in a safe space. This enables them to protect their own health and emotional wellbeing and develop their understanding of online and offline risks.

We intend to offer a broad range of experiences which prepare them for their next stage of learning and ultimately for life as a responsible member of society.

Implementation

To reflect the mixed-age nature of our classes, our curriculum is organised in a two-yearly rolling programme based on the national curriculum.

Pupils are taught as a whole class for all subjects, except for PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education), where year groups are taught individually based on age-appropriate content.

Careful consideration has been given to the schemes we use to supplement our curriculum. We pay attention to the progression of skills and knowledge across the two years, and adapt them, where necessary, to make the learning more relevant to the pupils of Bradwell Junior School.

Please see our curriculum for more detail about the learning themes in each class.

Not only has careful consideration gone into the content of our lessons, but also how lessons are delivered. We want learning to be accessible to all, and for knowledge to be embedded in the long-term memory.

A variety of engaging whole class instruction, small group, paired and independent work is done throughout lessons. These include interactive or practical elements developing children's problem-solving, collaboration and resilience.

A large number of practical resources, technology and the outdoor environment add to engaging and motivating lessons. Trips and enrichment activities are also used to supplement learning across the curriculum.

Throughout the curriculum, we provide opportunities for pupils to reflect on their learning and progress through retrieval tasks, which recap prior knowledge before moving on to new learning. In addition, understanding the endpoint for their learning enables pupils to engage actively in lessons.

This combination of retrieval and knowing the purpose for their learning secures mastery of knowledge and skills so that pupils can see how and why their learning journey grows as it does. Knowledge organisers are also available for all pupils to refer to throughout their learning.

Teachers and teaching assistants work together to support all children through high-quality questioning and scaffolding, including those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).

More information about how we support pupils with SEND, and their families, can be found on our dedicated SEND page.

British values are woven into lessons, making it clear where learning develops the values of:

• tolerance and respect
• the rule of law
• democracy
• individual liberty.

When building our curriculum, due consideration has been paid to diversity. This means that we show representations of people from different backgrounds to raise the aspirations of all our pupils.

Note: Parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and/or collective worship. Download our RE withdrawal application form for further information at www.chorustrust.org/policies.

Impact

Reflecting on the curriculum is essential in deciding whether it is fit for purpose.

At the start of a unit of work, teachers test pupils' learning through a variety of methods, including:

• multiple choice questions
• quizzes
• mind-mapping activities.

This helps to inform the planning process and provides a baseline for each unit of work.

The progress of pupils is assessed, analysed and reviewed against objectives through:

• informal assessments within lessons
• more formal assessments at the end of units of work

We monitor and assess the impact of our curriculum through regular staff discussions, dropping into lessons, regularly reviewing student exercise books, and pupil voice. This information is used to reflect on, adapt, review and refresh our curriculum and teaching strategies, so that it continues to address the needs and aspirations of our pupils.

Further information

Schools are asked to publish a music development plan. This plan shows their music offer and sets out how it will be staffed and funded.

To find out more about the curriculum, please contact us.