Our curriculum

The Shirehampton Primary School curriculum is designed to provide a broad and balanced education that meets the needs of all children and furnishes them with 

skills, knowledge and understanding in preparation for their future lives.  We strive to provide an equitable experience for all our children, regardless of need; inclusion is at the very heart of everything we aim for.  We celebrate diversity and utilise the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of our supportive community, while nurturing the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Our curriculum ensures that academic progress, knowledge, creativity and problem-solving are highly valued and embedded through every year groups' learning.  These coupled with our overarching core vision: Learn – Aspire - Achieve, as well as physical development, emotional well-being and mental health, are key elements that support the development of the whole child and promote a positive attitude to learning and life.

Like all schools, we are constantly striving to improve our curriculum and, to this end, regularly review, amending if needed, our provision for the children.

Intent

At Shirehampton Primary School, we are further developing our curriculum offer which builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children, whatever their starting points, as they progress from EYFS, through each Key Stage.  The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the individual children.  The intent of our curriculum is to provide the very highest standard of education, ensuring the children flourish academically, for life in the 21st Century, within a broad and balanced curriculum. Our whole school approach to the curriculum handbook sets out the features of all relevant subject areas, for example: assessment, Thrive, community time and Shirehampton University. This is underpinned by the school's Core Values (Learning, Creativity, Positive Attitudes, Perseverance, Respect, Happiness and Relationships) and these are taught individually and through other areas of the curriculum, including assemblies.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our children and their understanding of the core values of our society are woven through the curriculum.  Our children are supported to acquire the requisite skills, confidence and self-esteem to be successful, independent and motivated learners in readiness for their next stage of education and to make a positive contribution to society as they grow up.

Implementation

The National Curriculum is delivered using a creative, topic-based approach which builds year on year upon the children's learning.  The curriculum is covered through a range of different topics in each class, making relevant and meaningful links between the subjects.  We believe no child is born 'clever' at a subject, but rather, everyone is able to succeed and improve upon their personal best, if the conditions are right.  Formative assessment is used to understand where the children are in their learning 

and plan next steps, accordingly, thus ensuring the implementation of our lessons is appropriate for all our children providing suitable challenge to build resilience.

Impact

The impact of our curriculum is assessed throughout the time our children are with us, including the statutory assessment points such as end of Key Stage SATs, as well as other nationally reported results.  Impact is assessed throughout the topics and lessons in order to plan next steps and also summatively so that we can gauge the impact of what we have taught versus what the children have learned, thereby informing us of where we need to make changes.  It is the shift of knowledge to the long term memory that demonstrates understanding.  No matter the child's starting point, they should progress and achieve to the highest possible standard for them; not only in reading, writing (including grammar), maths and science but within the foundation subjects such as Art, Music and History.  When they move onto secondary school, they are equipped to access the next step of their educational journey but also to thrive due to the building blocks of learning that they have received.  More than this though, they will be ready to make a positive and worthwhile impact to the wider community as informed and responsible 21st Century citizens.

Our whole school approach to the curriculum handbook sets out the features of our curriculum that are relevant to all subject areas, for example assessment, Thrive, community Time and Shirehampton University.

Subject handbooks detail the progression of the curriculum for the subject across our school, from Nursery up to Y6. Please click on the subject title on the right to view them.

Year group handbooks map out the curriculum that will be delivered to each child. You will find these on the year group page under the classes tab.