Our Curriculum Intent

Curriculum Intent

With the child at the centre of all that we do at Etwall Primary School, our curriculum is designed to be rich and vibrant, broad and balanced and ambitious for all learners.  It is exciting, relevant and responsive to the needs of the individuals within our learning community, enabling them to shine academically and flourish socially, emotionally, morally and culturally. 

At Etwall, we believe that the curriculum should be seen in its widest sense – as the entire planned learning experience, including formal learning opportunities as well as the environment, the events and the enrichment activities that take place outside of the classroom. Our aim is to enrich every child’s school experience by creating an inclusive environment where they are encouraged to succeed and be the best that they can be.  Through an ambitious curriculum, we develop the essential knowledge, skills and understanding which are the building blocks for later life. 

Underpinned by Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural aspects of learning, the breadth and balance of our curriculum content allows pupils to learn through a coherently planned, knowledge-based curriculum.  A clear progression for learning and knowledge is encompassed within the formal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and the Primary National Curriculum in order to prepare children for their future and next stage in learning.

Our aim is for each child to confidently enter the next stage of their education with the necessary skills, knowledge and mindset to reach their academic potential and to thrive, knowing and understanding their place in the world and their importance and value to society as global citizens.

Curriculum Design Principles

We have designed our curriculum with how children learn and remember in mind, recognising that progress means knowing more and remembering more. The principles behind the design of our curriculum are as follows:

• •          Children should enjoy, be engaged and be challenged in their learning
  •          Children should experience a wide breadth of study which is knowledge-rich
  •          Reading is an essential building block for learning across all subject areas

The full range of core and foundation subjects have been mapped out across school in clear progression frameworks so that knowledge, understanding, skills and concepts build over time.  These progression frameworks begin with the Early Years Foundation Stage and have both checkpoints and end points to support assessment of progress.

Teaching and learning opportunities need to be thoughtfully planned to enable pupils to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to contribute successfully in the modern world.  We intend to make sure that learning is made memorable and is committed to the long-term memory by repeating concepts, making links and building upon previous learning. Pupils will revisit, apply and deepen their learning within and across subject areas, whilst maintaining each subject as an independent discipline, with its own unique set of skills.   Questioning, tasks and resources will be skilfully planned to scaffold and challenge, ensuring that every child, whatever their starting point, can deepen their understanding.

Taught reading skills are embedded and applied across our curriculum.  Provision of resources, along with supportive teaching, should immerse children in a wealth of literature.  Since we believe that reading opens the door for every child to succeed, we are determined that every child, by the end of their time at Etwall Primary, will have a lifelong love of reading, and will be able to read fluently and comprehend all that they read.  In addition, we will exploit every opportunity in all subjects to develop our children’s language acquisition and expose our children daily to challenging new vocabulary.

Our School Values

Our school values are at the core of everything we do.  They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens.  The values that sit alongside this curriculum are for our children to be: