At Ovingham C of E and Mickley First Schools, we provide a bespoke curriculum which acknowledges our schools’ unique characteristics and meets the needs of our pupils. The aim is to provide opportunities for all children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations. Through the curriculum we deliver our pupils will become understanding British citizens who make a positive contribution to their community and wider society. Aspirational expectations will combine the acquisition of knowledge and the progressive development of skills to create a purposeful and imaginative learning journey for every child.

Our curriculum has been designed to align our curriculum intent with our four golden threads which are – diversity, resilience, aspirational and nurturing. Our curriculum aims to allow all pupils to:

• Learn within a coherent and progressive framework enriched with memorable learning experiences
• Connect meaningfully with our local community so that they develop a strong sense of themselves and their place within modern Britain
• Broaden cultural partnerships, so that our pupils are introduced to the diverse and rich culture opportunities within today’s society
• Raise aspirations by increasing awareness of the diversity of local career opportunities available
• Improve resilience through the provision of a planned and sequential ‘challenge’ programme

Our curriculum enables children to develop a deep understanding of all subjects but also allows them to make links and connections between subjects.

Reading, oracy and basic literacy and numeracy skills are at the centre of our curriculum. As well as the direct teaching of phonics and comprehension, we provide opportunities  to foster a lifelong love of reading. Our curriculum incorporates planned, purposeful enrichment and outdoor learning opportunities, which have been carefully chosen to enhance and extend our curriculum and engage all pupils. Our golden threads run through our academic curriculum with a strong emphasis on personal development. Each class teacher explicitly reinforces  learning behaviours whilst promoting independence and resilience.

Implementation

In order to achieve our aims and fully prepare our children for life in modern Britain and beyond, we have designed a curriculum that is exciting and engaging. Units of learning are carefully sequenced to ensure that pupils build on prior knowledge. Lessons incorporate retrieval skills to help children learn, link and remember previous learning. We have high expectations for children to learn and use new, rich vocabulary in all subjects.

We teach our children about British Values, diversity and equality. Our lessons refer to future career opportunities and inspire children to think about their future and what they can become in the wider world.

Impact

Senior leaders, teachers and  staff monitor individual subjects across both schools: reviewing learning, evaluating pupil voice, providing individual feedback to move practice forward, celebrating positives and highlighting areas for development. We assess and monitor  learning  through careful analysis of the application of skills both across the curriculum and the school year.