Curriculum at Allens Croft Primary School 

The staff team have worked hard to establish the 'best practice' in teaching and learning across all areas of learning. 

In our school, staff ensure that lessons are well organised and prepared. Teachers provide a range of practical experiences to give your child the best opportunity to learn.

Your child will be given clear expectations and targets to help them improve over time and specific lesson objectives and feedback on achievement of these will be given either verbally or written.

Ready for the beginning of each half-term, the children will have a discussion about what they already know, what they would like to learn about and how they would like to learn.  This is then mapped out and the teacher will then plan the learning, ensuring that the National Curriculum objectives being met across all areas of their learning.  Each term, the children are provided with either a WOW event or an educational visit which links with the learning that is taking place.

Through this approach, the children are engaged in their learning, as they are hooked through a memorable experience and the activities are carefully planned which will stimulate the children’s interest and curiosity.  The children will also learn facts and information about the topic, which will deepen their knowledge and understanding of a range of curriculum subjects.  From this, the children will learn new skills and will be provided with creative opportunities to support their learning.

At the beginning of each half-term, the children are provided with project ideas that they can complete at home and then bring in at the end of the topic to showcase to the rest of the class and their teachers.

The National Curriculum

The Education Act of 1988 states that children between the ages of five and eleven must study four core subjects: Maths, English, Science and Computing, as well as seven foundation subjects: Design and Technology, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music and Physical Education. There is also now a requirement to teach a modern foreign language in Key Stage 2. Personal, Social and Health Education and Citizenship are taught across the curriculum.

Children learn in many, many ways and because of this we vary our teaching methods, eg. whole class, group and individual. These different methods allow children to develop a deeper understanding of what has been taught by direct teaching, playing, investigating, exploring, experimenting, problem solving, listening, researching, interacting and applying what has been learned.

New Primary Curriculum

The Government have released a New National Curriculum which has been implemented from September 2014. The national curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.

BIRMINGHAM CURRICULUM STATEMENT

1. PREAMBLE

In Birmingham, community cohesion means working towards a society in which strong and positive relationships flourish and continue to be developed in schools, the workplace and wider community. This is achieved through our shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance and mutual respect for people. The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on us to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations. To achieve this, every child in Birmingham should have the best opportunity to go as far as they can in life and education is the key to that success. This is our commitment to equip children and young people to be happy, talented, confident and ambitious citizens of Birmingham and of the world.

2. THE STATEMENT

A statement for our children in Birmingham: a guarantee for their future.

ALL children in Birmingham will experience a broad and balanced curriculum enabling them to grow and learn in an environment without prejudice or inequality.

It will prepare them for adult life by:

enabling them to play an active role in their school and community

experiencing a culturally rich and diverse life

developing and benefitting from a range of positive relationships

The curriculum will:

promote children’s engagement in learning through enquiry-led approaches that develop skills, dispositions and attitudes to learning

equip children for their futures in a rapidly changing world recognising the importance of technology, science, languages and communication for dialogue and understanding between different groups

value, celebrate and build on children’s religious and cultural heritage and develop a sense of identity, honouring the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

promote the fundamental shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

help children develop an understanding of all faiths and none, and participate in the celebration of different religious events in understanding and accepting differences

develop children holistically: their intellectual, practical, aesthetic, spiritual, social and emotional capacities

ensure an understanding of protected characteristics of the Equality Act and how through diversity they can be celebrated

develop children to take the lead, accepting responsibility for their behaviour, to show initiative and compassion for others, to make a positive difference in their own lives and in the lives of those living and working in their local, national and global communities.  At school, all children and young people will be given the opportunity to learn the benefits of physically and emotionally healthy lifestyles, by participating in high quality personal, social and health education including sex and relationships education.

Opportunities will be provided for children to explore their talents and abilities through:

developing an appreciation of the arts

taking part in a wide range of physical activities, sports and games

developing a sense of self in a non-judgemental, mutually supportive environment

experiencing music and its intrinsic value for enjoyment and self-expression through performing, singing and the playing of instruments

experiencing social, moral, spiritual and cultural education that broadens children’s awareness and understanding of the world and their place within it

independent careers advice that inspires and motivates them to fulfil their potential

The UNCRC, Article 29 states that education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures and the environment. We will not allow any attempts to narrow the curriculum, or to deny our children and young people their right to education.

Birmingham Curriculum Statement

A statement and guarantee from the Council for the future of children in Birmingham.