Curriculum

Our Curriculum Intent at Sandiway Primary School

Together, we take our children on a journey that is engaging, exciting and empowering for all.

Mrs Kathryn Harvey is our curriculum lead.

Our planned curriculum is organised to promote a love of learning, growth and development.

• Engage: Through high-quality texts and reading opportunities, active learning, discussion, enquiry led approaches, direct and real-life experiences.  Both independence and creativity are promoted, and our children have a clear purpose for their learning.
• Excite:  Exciting opportunities support and drive learning; including rich and varied texts, active classrooms, visits, visitors, learning outside the classroom, whole school projects etc.
• Empower: All children experience a progressive curriculum that encourages resilience and a passion for learning.  This in turn, ensures that our children are confident individuals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary they need in order to apply their education to become lifelong learners.

What does our curriculum look like for each year group?

Our high-quality, broad and balanced education teaches pupils to be articulate, literate, numerate, creative and technically, physically, socially and emotionally capable.

We have strong subject disciplines across the curriculum with knowledge and skills at the heart of the children’s progressive learning experiences.

We use the EYFS and National Curriculum guidance as the foundations for our curriculum to ensure that pupils can access and progress effectively.    A bespoke curriculum is in place for the children at Sandiway Primary School.  Schema is used where appropriate for our children's learning.  School have carefully selected  and adapted schema in English reading,writing and phonics, Maths, Science, Computing, PE, Geography, History, DT, French and RE.   

How is the Curriculum at Sandiway Primary School Structured?

To meet the need of the children in our school, Over-arching enquiry based questions are set at the beginning of each theme giving the hook for learning.  To enable our children to articulately answer the over-arching question they have six way-marker questions that facilitate learning.

Historically, our children have struggled to understand and separate subjects within a thematic approach so we have moved toward a subject specific approach with clearly defined subject disciplines.

Knowledge and skills are built upon to ensure children’s learning is embedded in the long term, providing memorable experiences that the children can draw upon to further develop in the future. 

Vocabulary development is pivotal in the curriculum at Sandiway Primary School, enabling our pupils to articulate their learning, reflecting the high expectations set for them.

Promoting a love of reading, providing accessible yet engaging materials across the curriculum is a priority.

How do we provide for all learners?

Our curriculum is equitable and appropriate for all groups ensuring full access and parity for all pupils.  We provide a mastery approach to the curriculum, further support or challenge is provided through scaffolding to individuals or small groups. External providers are also used where needed, for example we use a private speech therapist to support those with communication and language difficulties. Additions and adjustments are made across the curriculum to meet individual needs, particularly for those with SEND or are vulnerable in other ways. Wherever possible, children access Quality First Teaching. 

How do we build relationships within the Curriculum?

Our pupils develop culturally, morally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually through the exposure to challenging and quality learning.  Children’s personal well-being is a significant focus with regular opportunities to explore and support the children’s emotional well-being and respect for diversity within society.

Our relationships curriculum is designed to enable children to become independent citizens who can keep themselves safe and develop the skills required to be active, tolerant and responsible members of society.  We actively encourage our children to make a positive contribution to the world around them. We aim to ensure that our children develop a sense of pride in British culture and heritage, as well as an understanding, respect for and appreciation of the diverse and rich nature of Britain today.

How do we enrich the curriculum?

Out of class learning experiences and an extensive range of extra-curricular activities are offered to enrich the learning experiences of all of our learners.  The school grounds and locality of the school are used to support and enhance in class learning. Children experience a variety of curriculum-based visits and/or visitors and are offered the opportunity to go on Residential visits from Y2 up to and including Y6.  We work with external partners including sports coaches, swimming lessons, external peripatetic music teachers.  Pupil voice is developed through: School Council, Sports Crew, Reading Ambassadors and the Northwich Children’s Parliament.  Buddy systems are used to build relationships and responsibility between our youngest and oldest children.

How do we assess the curriculum? 

Assessments are linked to the curriculum to evaluate the progress children make with regards to extending their knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers use formative and summative assessment to plan next steps of learning for pupils to ensure that they are prepared for the next phase of their education.

What is the Impact of the curriculum?

Through the teaching and learning of a memorable broad and balanced curriculum our children have a positive view of their education; are able to enthusiastically discuss, explain and draw on their previous learning using rich and varied vocabulary.  Our children become increasingly inquisitive, can pose and solve problems and apply their learning in a variety of contexts. Results at key assessment points demonstrate the school’s high expectations in the core subject areas.

Our children are articulate, confident individuals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and enthusiasm they need in order to apply their education and become lifelong learners.

Web page: Autumn Term 2021

If you would like more information about the school's curriculum, please contact the school's deputy headteacher (Mrs Kathryn Harvey) at deputy@sandiway.cheshire.sch.uk

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