Curriculum Statement

At Grassmoor Primary School, our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of our children and community. After consulting with all stakeholders, we established key principles that underpin our curriculum:

·        Fundamental Skills: Communication, language, English, and Maths are paramount.

·        Well-being: Mental health, well-being, and personal, social, and emotional development are foundational to our provision.

·        Inclusivity and Engagement: The curriculum should be inclusive, exciting, and engaging for all pupils.

·        Broadened Horizons: Children need experiences with visits and visitors to raise their aspirations and knowledge of the world.

·        Outdoor Learning: Ample opportunities for outdoor learning are essential.

·        Relevance and Expansion: The curriculum should relate to children's lives and experiences while broadening them.

·        Parental Involvement: Active parental involvement in education is crucial.

Our curriculum is planned to holistically meet the needs of all children, considering the local context and ensuring relevance and excitement. Each topic includes a visit, visitor, or experience to bring learning to life. The curriculum is broad and balanced, emphasizing the fundamental skills of English and Maths. Topics are integrated into English lessons to build vocabulary, knowledge, and skills for reading and writing across subjects. Reading is prioritized from nursery, with daily reading expectations. Our phonics scheme, Little Wandle, recognized by the DfE, is used throughout Nursery, Reception, and Key Stage 1, with Keep-up phonics extending into Key Stage 2 as needed. High-quality narrative and non-fiction texts foster a love of reading for pleasure. Parental involvement and outdoor learning are integral to our long-term plans.

The curriculum ensures continuity, sequencing, and progression of skills, knowledge, and attributes. Subject leaders ensure age-appropriate coverage and sequence, with skills taught, applied, and built upon as children progress through the school. Annual overviews and termly curriculum plans are available for each class.

We enrich the curriculum with daily Tai Chi lessons for healthy bodies and minds, music partnership teaching instruments in Years 3 and 4, choir opportunities in the community, and participation in various sports events. Our outdoor provision includes Forest Schools for targeted classes, and KS2 children are offered residential experiences to develop resilience, teamwork, confidence, and independence.

A key strength of our curriculum is the range of academic and pastoral interventions available to support individual progress in various ways.

Overall, our curriculum embodies our motto, "Nurture, Grow, Succeed," and our S.H.A.R.E.D. aims: Safe, Healthy, Achieve, Responsibility, Enterprising, and Diversity. This ensures all children develop into well-rounded individuals ready for their next stage of education and beyond.