Curriculum
CurriculumOur Curriculum – our offer to all children
The curriculum offer at Little Paxton is ever evolving and changing to meet the needs of the children we serve. It is a curriculum that is meaningful and relevant, making the most of our links to our local area and using the amazing resource of Paxton Pits and the River Ouse.
Each subject is taught to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum (2014). We firmly believe that a curriculum needs rigour and it needs to be progressive in terms of coverage, knowledge and skill development. We also have a responsibility to ensure children are prepared to leave us at the end of Year 6 with the knowledge and learning to allow them to successfully transition into the next phase of their education.
Our primary aim is to provide our children with opportunities to be curious, excited, ambitious, inspired, knowledgeable and articulate. We do this by delivering an enquiry based curriculum and asking the children a big question at the start of each unit of work. At least one topic per year per year group has strong associations to a river theme, linking back to the River Ouse and therefore our local area.
Alongside these important academic aspects, we place great importance on the development of our children’s social, emotional and physical development. We provide opportunities for staff and children to enrich their learning through offering trips, visits, clubs, visitors and experiences outside the National Curriculum.
Curriculum Policy and Planning
Intent
Our intention is that we will teach a well-planned, structured curriculum that ensures children’s learning is built on effectively, year on year.
Our curriculum will enable our children to be curious, articulate, excited, ambitious, inspired and knowledgeable.
Teaching and Learning will ensure children’s wellbeing and self-esteem is planned for so that children learn resilience and self-discipline
Curriculum tasks will enable and develop independent and collaborative learning skills.
Implementation
Embedded in our curriculum subjects and our curriculum are high level thinking skills and active teaching and learning strategies that promote the teaching of learning behaviours that support the curriculum offer to equip children with the skills in how to learn and apply what they know.
Pupil Voice: Active planning input from the children is integral to enquiry based learning; we want the children to feel that they are able to drive part of their learning journey. This is essential to ensure that the curriculum meets the ongoing varied needs and interests of the children. Pupil voice is used throughout the unit of work to steer learning by asking children to pose questions that they want to know more about. Teachers refer to children’s questions throughout the unit of work so that children can see that their contributions are valued and their questions drive their learning.
Outcome: Each unit of work has an agreed outcome that is shared with the children and may be negotiated with the children. e.g. art exhibition, powerpoint presentation, class debate etc.
Reflection Activity ~ Review & Celebration of Learning: At the end of each unit of work there is a reflection and evaluation of learning. This focuses on what has been learnt and how it has been learnt; we want the children to become reflective learners.
How teaching and learning is delivered
Planning Year groups plan together to ensure children in parallel classes have similar experiences. Some subjects are planned as “stand alone” subjects and some subjects are incorporated into a unit of work based upon a “Big Question” the children study termly.
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Stand-alone subjects |
Subjects integrated into Big Questions |
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Literacy skills – phonics, reading and guided
Reading, handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar
Physical Education: gym, dance, ball sports and team games
Maths – mental and oral skills, written maths, practical, problem solving and reasoning
Some Science is “stand-alone”
Computing and some IT skills
Modern Foreign Language (MFL)
Personal Social Health Education (PSHE)
Music – Instrumental and Rhythm Skills
Religious Education |
Cross Curricular Literacy –includes the application of reading, writing, handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar with the study of key texts links to themes
Applied and practical maths
Some Science is integrated into a unit of work based upon a big question
History and Geography
Integrated IT – (IT investigation, presentation, research and some key software)
Art
Design Technology and Food Technology
Singing, dance and drama
Production and Performances
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Impact of the Curriculum
To assess whether the curriculum has met the intentions planned (see above) teaching staff and teaching support staff are actively engaged in reviewing:
- Annual data analysis for each group
- Pupil voice feedback on key issues
- Children’s wellbeing and involvement
- Co-curricular engagement and parental engagement in children’s learning
- Children’s attendance on trips/visits and “catch-up” teaching sessions
- Opportunities to use the PPG to support the curriculum offer for each child
Year One topic questions
Was the Great Fire of London really great?
Would you like to sail the seas?
Could you grow a pineapple in Paxton Pits?
Year Two topic questions
Would you like to live on the moon?
Could “Wild” live in Little Paxton?
Why can’t a Meer Kat live in the North Pole?
Year Three topic questions
What lies beneath your feet?
Which Greek god or goddess would be your BFF? (Or Which Greek monster would be your Patronus?)
Queen Elizabeth 1st – kind or cruel?
***current Year 4 are working on the year 3 big questions as they were taught the Year 4 topics last year***
Year Four topic questions
What did the Romans do for us?
Was Victoria the greatest sovereign?
What was St Neots like during WW2?
Year Five topic questions
Where would you boldly go?
Why should we protect the rainforest and our world?
What was more sacred to the Egyptians – the Nile or their gods?
Year Six topic questions
Can you chase a storm?
Why is Hueng Ho China’s sorrow?
Vikings settle in St Neots – are they mad?
Children
Classes
Staff
Years Established
Get in touch
Location: Gordon Road, Little Paxton, PE19 6NG
Telephone: 01480 375600
Email: office@littlepaxton.cambs.sch.uk
School Hours: M-F: 8:50am - 3:15pm
School Office open: M-F: 8.15am - 4pm
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