We have a two year rolling programme, our topics are:

What are we learning?

Intent

Our curriculum encompasses a curriculum that is broad and enriched by a variety of first hand experiences using a learning model which helps our children to build confidence, concentration, curiosity, creativity, be inquisitive and have an enthusiasm for learning. This shared aim is enhanced by our ethos and vision to create an environment where children can and will achieve ensuring that we are an integrated learning community.

Highly skilled practitioners ensure that children make strong and sustained progress from the start. This clear and shared vision ensures that the curriculum is delivered consistently and our children are able to overcome the disadvantages and deficit which they face therefore diminishing the huge vocabulary gap.

Although a consistency of approach, established routines and methods provide security, no one day is the same at Caldmore. We aim to ensure that our children believe in their abilities, are able to manage risk and have high expectations of themselves. The curriculum in dynamic and evolves to maximise learning as our children develop.

We aim to develop children’s skills and knowledge with a huge focus on core skills to ensure that children have strong foundations which can then be transferred and applied across all areas of learning as they move through our school and beyond. Reading and empowering our children to keep themselves safe are golden threads which weave throughout our curriculum and school life.

We see parents as partners and strive to actively engage them with their child’s learning. We ensure that half termly workshops are delivered and parent’s views and needs are met.

Implementation

Teaching is based on ‘Corner Stones’ which encourages and develops all areas of children’s learning. It enables children to learn through theme based activities taught across all areas of the curriculum.

A Tiered leadership approach enables each subject to be monitored and continuous improvement to continue. All staff work collaboratively to create LTPs and MTPs to ensure that subjects are taught consistently and the progression of skills and knowledge builds throughout each year group.

Cornerstones is used throughout the school and is consistently planned and delivered where children have the opportunity to contribute their ideas and interests. Skills and knowledge are taught consistently and coherently sequenced in line with the national curriculum and EY guidance.

Ongoing informative and summative assessment ensures that next steps are carefully planned for and challenge is built into all aspects of the curriculum. A strong focus on high levels of engagement ensures that our children have a sense ownership over their learning, recognising successes and showing resilience.

We ensure that children receive a well-rounded education and incorporate safeguarding, PSHE and SMSC into the curriculum.

Language development is a huge focus and taught progressively throughout each phase. Teachers work alongside the SALT and the Principal to plan progressive vocabulary linked to themes.

Language strategies are used such as ‘Word Aware’ and ‘Colourful Semantics’ with a focus on reading ensure that our children make rapid progress in language equipping them with the skills and foundations they need to succeed.

Impact

A high proportion of children make good/ rapid progress where the majority have very low starting points.

Children demonstrate this through being happy, deeply engaged and staff has a sharp focus on language development which enables them to articulate effectively what they know therefore breaking down barriers to learning enagbling them to access the rich and varied curriculum in which we provide.

A range of high quality texts are linked to the curriculum themes where children foster a ‘love of reading’ and not only develop reading skills but also tackle the vast vocabulary gap evident among the families which we serve.

Parental Engagement positively impacts children’s learning as well as developing their own skills to enable them to support their child.

What Do We Teach Your Children?

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum which is organised under four themes and seven areas of learning:

A Unique Child

Positive Relationships

Enabling Environments

Learning and Development

Personal Social and Emotional Development

Communication and Language

Physical Development

Mathematics

Literacy

Understanding of the World

Expressive Arts and Design

For more information click on these links to the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance and Outcomes:

www.foundationyears.org.uk/eyfs-statutory-framework/

www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-outcomes

Cornerstones

The EYFS teaching is based on ‘Cornerstones’ which encourages and develops all areas of children’s learning. It enables children to learn through theme based activities with an even mix between adult-led and child initiated learning.

Cornerstones is based on a four stage pedagogy –

Engage) to hook learner in with a memorable experience (Develop) teach knowledge for depth of understanding, (Innovate) provide imaginative scenarios that provoke creative thinking and (Express) to encourage reflective talk by asking questions.