Introduction
We define ‘curriculum’ as the totality of a child’s experience at Chew Stoke Church School, ensuring that they are secondary school ready with the right knowledge but also with the right skills for the next stage of their educational journey.
Curriculum Intent
At Chew Stoke Church School, we value the uniqueness of each individual child, recognising and nurturing their potential for learning. We recognise that not only is each child an individual but also each class and each member of staff, who all have unique interests, skills and talents. Our ambitious curriculum is designed flexibly to meet the needs of these groups. Our aim, through our tailor-made curriculum, is to enable each child to fully participate in current and future society as a responsible, self-confident citizen.
We believe that our curriculum offers a balance between understanding and using knowledge as well as developing and applying skills, leading to better understanding and progression for the pupils.
Our curriculum has been designed with the following principles: it is personalised around what our children need, most importantly reflecting the background and experience of the pupils we have; it is outward-facing, setting learning in local and global contexts wherever possible; it celebrates diversity to emphasise unity and it is rooted in authenticity and context so that learning is relevant, purposeful and sequenced, because we want children to know certain things at certain points of their life
Curriculum Implementation
We strive for children to learn skills alongside knowledge, ensuring that both are developed and intertwined. The curriculum is about how we can ensure that pupils develop both. We do this by having an emphasis on cross-curricular teaching with a strong focus on sequential and progressive skills. We believe that this is important for making the curriculum relevant and meaningful to pupils and for putting knowledge into context.
We believe that it is our responsibility to develop the Literacy and Numeracy skills for all of our pupils. Using the Early Years Foundation Stage Strategy and National Curriculum as a basis, age-appropriate progression and knowledge for each core and foundation subject has been identified. This has been mapped out to ensure coverage of identified knowledge is secured across KS1 and KS2. We carefully select the sequence of when, what and how knowledge is taught and subject leaders work actively to review this regularly
Curriculum Impact
The impact of our curriculum can be evidenced in the following ways:
Children
Children are able to talk about what they are learning both currently and what they have previously learnt, including the skills they have gained and the experiences they have had.
They can talk about how they learn in different subjects and they can identify the characteristics of different subjects.
They can talk about how their learning is part of a ‘bigger picture’ and builds on their prior learning.
They are able to make links between different subjects and lessons.
They make progress in their learning, regardless of their starting point.
They demonstrate good learning behaviours in lessons.
Teachers
Teachers plan and teach high quality lessons which are well structured and follow a clear sequence.
They know who to talk to for support, especially when teaching new or challenging concepts.
They demonstrate clear pedagogical understanding in all lessons.
They are in charge of their own professional development and seek ways to improve their knowledge and skills.
They are confident in their planning, teaching and assessment of learning.
They are confident to give feedback to subject leaders.
Governors and visitors
Governors and visitors give purposeful feedback to subject and senior leaders on curriculum areas.
They comment on the interesting learning they observe and/or are part of.
They comment on the creativity, dedication and relentless drive for every child to succeed.
Parents and Carers
Parents and carers provide us with positive feedback about their child’s attitude towards school.
They share examples and talk to teachers about learning experiences their child has enjoyed or is looking forward to.
Outcomes
Children take pride in their learning, including their written and creative outcomes.
Cohorts achieve above the National Average in all core subjects.
Children’s written and oral work captures their increasing understanding of key concepts within each subject.
Curriculum Design
As part of the curriculum design, we have addressed the following:
Developing sequential, progressional learning, where pupils know more and can do more, building on what they have been previously taught
- Local context and enriching the lives of pupils
- Strong focus on subject disciplines and subject-specific skills
- Considering depth, breadth and curriculum content
- Seeing the curriculum as a progressional model, by reviewing and evaluating curriculum design
- Having a clear purpose for assessment
- Listening to pupil's voice so that this feeds into the curriculum
- Clear curriculum leadership and ownership for all
Christian Values
Chew Stoke Church School is a Values-based school. In order to give our children the opportunity to thrive socially, morally, personally and culturally, we underpin our practice with eighteen Christian Values including six carefully-chosen core Christian Values. Our Values help to build the children's character education.
In choosing our core Values, we consulted with children, parents, all staff and governors to ensure that the final Values reflected the needs of our children.
Each Value is studied in-depth during one term: it is introduced and worked upon in-class and then consolidated and extended in Collective Worship. The Values are not just taught in ‘one off’ lessons, they are linked throughout the curriculum, especially through PSHE and RE. Values can also be seen in everyday events and goings-on in school. They are not just studied; they are lived in classrooms, corridors, on the playground and in the dinner hall.
Our eighteen Values are studied in each and every year group so that, by the time children leave at the end of Year Six, they have a thorough understanding of the Values that we feel build good, whole children, who can go out into the world and genuinely make it a better place.
In actively teaching and promoting our Values, we aim for our children to develop into well-rounded individuals who are ‘confident in learning and caring in life’.
British Values
At Chew Stoke Church School, we value the diverse backgrounds of all pupils, staff and families and undertake a variety of events and lessons to celebrate these throughout the year. We teach our children to be tolerant and respectful towards others, embracing the differences in our community and the wider world. Within this, we recognise the importance of promoting fundamental ‘British Values’ as part of our school’s programme of spiritual, moral, cultural and social development.
These include the values of:
Democracy
The Rule of Law
Individual Liberty
Mutual Respect
Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
At Chew Stoke Church School, we recognise that such development is most successful when those values and attitudes are promoted by all the staff and provide a model of behaviour for our pupils.
How do we promote British Values at Chew Stoke Church School:
Democracy:
The ability to communicate is the most important area of learning. At Chew Stoke Church School we ensure that pupils are given a ‘voice’ to communicate. The method of using this ‘voice’ could be using words, objects, photographs, pictures, symbols, touch cues, eye pointing or body language. We empower our pupils by giving them opportunities to make choices about the things that they believe to be important. By valuing each ‘voice’ and by listening and responding to that voice we demonstrate that we support democracy and liberty. We hold the bronze ‘Rights Respecting Schools Award’ and are currently working towards becoming a silver level school.
Rule of Law:
We involve pupils in setting codes of behaviour; helping pupils to make decisions and choices that are acceptable to the school community and society at large. Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. Staff are committed to providing a consistent and enriched learning environment within the school and beyond. We can help some pupils to understand the connection between actions and consequences. This type of environment enables pupils to feel safe and secure; this in turn, promotes the optimum conditions for learning to take place.
Individual Liberty:
Pupils at Chew Stoke Church School are encouraged to become good and valued citizens. We do this by supporting each pupil to become as independent as possible. We endeavour to demonstrate that everyone has rights; this includes the right to say ‘No’ to ideas or activities that they do not want to take part in. Some pupils will be able to take responsibility for particular roles and to understand that with certain rights comes a level of responsibility. Learning to do things independently is an important part of learning to understand yourself.
We support others by participating in charitable events such as Red Nose Day/Comic Relief, Children in Need, distribution of food through the Bristol foodbank. At Chew Stoke Church School we believe that by engendering a caring and helpful environment and by learning to be independent can boost and nurture a healthy self-esteem.
Mutual Respect:
We promote each pupil’s inclusion, where possible, in a range of activities, settings and locations. The children in Early Years have opportunities to integrate with other children in the school. As pupils move into the other Key Stages, further planned events and circumstances are planned for pupils to go into the community to meet with a range of people in a variety of situations which include: sports events, community functions (helping at the soup lunch) and shared participation with other schools. It is important to facilitate opportunities for Chew Stoke Church School to be part of the community as the pupils, families and staff have much to offer in the development of community cohesion.
Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs:
At Chew Stoke Church School every person is respected and valued equally without regard to ability, gender, faith, heritage or race. Cultural appreciation and development form part of our curriculum. We place great emphasis on providing encounters and participation in events and celebrations to broaden all pupils’ experiences and awareness of others. Our school values help all pupils to find out about themselves and others linking their lives to the communities to which they belong.