Curriculum
What does your child learn at school each day?
Find information about our curriculum subjects here.
Our aim is for every child to be 'caring, sharing and learning together' and we value celebrating success in school life to enable our children to become life long learners and responsible citizens in society. Our vision and values translate into a creative, child-centered curriculum, which is broad and balanced to meet the needs of all children at every stage in their learning. Our lessons are carefully designed to meet the needs of all learners through differentiated challenges, bronze (basic learning), silver (advanced learning) and gold (deeper learning). To encourage independence and ownership of their learning, our children are encouraged to choose their own learning challenge, at other times the class teacher facilitates the learning. Our curriculum is ambitious to challenge the more able learners through greater depth teaching. An ambitious curriculum which is also designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged or SEND children the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
Our curriculum is a framework for setting out the aims of our programme of education including;
- The knowledge and understanding to be gained at each stage (intent)
- Translating that framework over time into a structure, narrative and with subject specific pedagogy (implementation)
- Evaluating what knowledge and understanding children have gained against expectations (impact)
Addressing the learning gaps
Children may have gaps in their knowledge and understanding and have not grasped a key concept in one or more subjects. We use summative assessments (on-going assessment in class) and have developed our curriculum maps to ensure the essential skills are covered in each class. To support the children to progress in their learning as well as looking after their mental health and well-being, it is important that we assess:
The 'stage' (skills they currently have) they are at in their learning
Rather than the 'age' (standard to attain at the end of each year) they are expected to be.
Further gaps will develop unless the children have a solid foundation and understanding of the basic skills in each subject.
At King's Court we are addressing the learning gaps through:
Tailored challenges: bronze, silver and bronze: learning challenges are adapted the learning needs of the children
Phonics catch up groups: focusing on key gaps in phonics
Support Plans: small step targets for children with SEND
Influences on curriculum thinking
- Chris Quigley: The Essentials Curriculum
- Shirley Clark's formative assessment
- Sweller - cognitive load theory
- Kirschner - problem based and inquiry learning
- Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction (2012)
If you wish to contact a member of staff to find out more about our school curriculum, please contact the school office by telephone - 01753 866272 or email the school: office@kingscourtfirstschool.co.uk