What drives our curriculum?
Together We Believe, Together We Achieve
We aim for all pupils at Brandesburton Primary School to experience a high quality education and develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitude required to lead a fulfilling life in our local and global communities, today and in the future. Children’s access to these skills is an entitlement which requires the active and mutual partnership of our whole school community. We are committed to this partnership and summarise this is a simple statement: Together We Believe, Together We Achieve
This is the driver which underpins everything we do at Brandesburton Primary School.
From this statement we have four core fundamental drivers:
- Community
- Inclusion
- Tool kit for life
- Skills and knowledge
The drivers above underpin every aspect of our curriculum starting from Foundation Stage One and progressing through to Year 6.
Community: We are UNIQUE
It is so important to know and feel that we are all part of a local, national and international community. We teach and learn about ourselves and our place in the world around us, through the world around us.
What does this look like in practice?
We plan celebration events throughout the school year to share and champion Brandesburton children. The events range from assemblies, fairs, breakfast drop ins, coffee mornings, visits to the local church, stay and read sessions, parents evenings, topic celebrations and many more. We love inviting the community into school to support and share our children’s outstanding outcomes.
The school is incredibly fortunate to have a very active PTFA who plan regular events to fundraise for the school. These events happen every half term and support the school. A school purchase from the support of the PTFA was our new phonics scheme Read, Write, Inc.
We regularly apply for grants to support school improvement. Most recently, the successful grant application was received to enhance our wildlife garden with additional resources and high quality CPD for staff on outdoor teaching and learning. Also, we were successful in the application to the Woodland Trust to receive free trees to plant next year to support the sustainability of the local environment.
In addition to our classes and subject leaders planning events, we also with small groups of children to have working parties (school councillors, play leaders, eco warriors, librarians). The groups work hard to look at tackling local issues to more global problems. This work extends from our local community to worldwide.
Inclusion:
We believe that every child can make progress and achieve and that it is our job to make sure that this happens. We ensure that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all of our pupils.
We ensure that appropriate provision and challenge is in place for all pupils irrespective of their starting points to enable maximum progress from foundation stage to year 6.
What does this look like in practice?
Assessment is used effectively and regularly (half termly formal and ongoing summative assessment throughout each sequence of a learning journey). This is supported by regular communication and feedback from parents. Staff work hard to have the knowledge of the curriculum starting and end points (FS1 – Year 6) to ensure precise knowledge of the steps before, currently and next to ensure every child has personalised provision to meet their needs.
Staff also are very aware of learning styles, wellbeing and the importance of creating a safe learning environment for all children. The Brandesburton team work hard so children can be their very best and any barriers to education are removed. Additional interventions are planned across the school: ELSA, Dyslexia Intervention, RWI fast track, communication and well-being. We also provide same day intervention depending on outcomes.
The curriculum has been developed by subject leaders who have had high quality CPD, extensive time to research and develop their subject and worked with advisors from our Local Authority. From this, we now have clear guidance for all staff in all subjects for the knowledge and skills taught, how to assess and how to ensure progress for all children.
Tool kit for life:
Every child at Brandesburton we want to leave armed with a ‘Tool Kit for Life’ which will enable them to be successful at secondary school and then into adulthood.
What does this look like in practice?
Core skills: resilience, good communicator, respect, active listener, team player, kindness, inclusion for all, independence and empathy.
This underpins every part of our curriculum and the culture at Brandesburton. We explicitly teach this through our JIGSAW programme. Staff model these skills continuously and have high expectations for all children. These life skills we believe are crucial and must be taught. Guest speakers contribute to whole school assemblies to share knowledge and skills of how to build this tool kit.
Recently we had Chair of governors, Phil White and Tommy Coyle the local boxer from Hull. Our range of speakers helps deepen the understanding of these skills in the working world.
Skills and Knowledge:
Our curriculum aims to allow the pupils to achieve identified curriculum goals, embedding progressive key knowledge and the development of key skills in all subject areas, as defined in the National Curriculum. We have a strong commitment to develop pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills – which we believe will serve our pupils best in becoming successful life-long learners.
What does this look like in practice?
- Accurate identification of skills and knowledge progression for each subject from Foundation stage to Year 6 shared and understood by all staff
- Accurate and effective assessment communicated in a meaningful and purposeful way to children and parents
- Outstanding CPD for subject leaders
- Subject leader coaching to support subject development
- Working collaboratively with local school leaders for each subject area
- Staff delivery of the skills and knowledge is exciting, innovative and inclusive for all
- Staff work collaboratively to support, challenge and share good practice
- Regular research is explored to ensure the school stays up to date with changes and developments across England to ensure the best delivery of the National Curriculum.
- The school work with local advisors to develop teaching and learning
- Staff have the additional time to lead their subject well and ensure all children are receiving the best quality education
Additional supporting information:
JIGSAW: https://brandesburton.e-riding.sch.uk/phse/
RWI: https://brandesburton.e-riding.sch.uk/phonics-2/
Curriculum: https://brandesburton.e-riding.sch.uk/curriculum/