Curriculum - Overview
The context of our school and its community is at the heart of our work as we build on existing strengths and relationships while bridging gaps to create the best start in life for our pupils.
All curriculum planning reflects our vision and values, identifying where appropriate how core values are woven through subject knowledge and content. Curriculum overviews identify key end points based on the National curriculum for the EYFS and Key Stage 1, as well as identifying the progression of knowledge and skills taught across the year groups. There is a strong focus on revisiting and building on prior knowledge and identifying common themes within subjects. Progression maps are used by teachers to identify key gaps for individuals and ongoing progress, and by subject leads to monitor progress in their subjects across school.
Our teaching is based on broad themes related to our goals and values and engaging topics, each with an overarching ‘big question’ aimed at arousing curiosity and interest and focused around a high quality text. Half termly curriculum maps, displayed in classrooms identify the key knowledge and skills across the subjects. This is shared with children and revisited across the half term.
Topics are enriched by meaningful opportunities including visits, speakers, community links and inspirational role models wherever possible. A range of approaches such as drama, engagement and active learning, collaborative opportunities, self and peer assessment, ‘Can you still?’ displays and ‘plenary triangles’ help children to recall, retain and secure learning. Our ‘language rich’ approach includes use of high quality texts, extensive reading across the curriculum and whole school approaches to the acquisition and use of subject and wider vocabulary.
While it is sometimes appropriate for pupils to take part in interventions or for planning to be differentiated according to pupils’ learning needs, it is also vital that all children are able to access the full curriculum and whole class teaching opportunities. Our quality first teaching approaches ensure high levels of inclusion, collaboration and pupil engagement, efficient use of pupil time and strong focus on learning, high expectations for all pupils, high standards and high quality feedback opportunities. Within this metacognition and self-regulated learning approaches build skills in planning, monitoring and reviewing learning and optimise working memory. Our Growth Mindset and Mindfulness approaches ensure that pupils are able to build resilience as learners and regulate their emotions.
Assessment of learning and progress is continuous and includes peer marking, feedback and self-review as well as discussion, review of books, learning walls and curriculum maps, quizzes and pupil voice exercises. Our children take part in the following statutory national assessments, reported to the DfE:
OUR WIDER CURRICULUM
In keeping with our intentions, school provides a wide range of opportunities to:
Sports Premium supports our Stockport School Sports Partnership as well as a range of fitness workshops and partnership with PE and dance experts. Community links are made wherever possible such as Warburton ‘Healthy Sandwich’ making workshops, local authors, RSPB and Aldi environmental workshops and singing club concerts for our neighbours at Elm Court, sheltered accommodation.
School clubs are reviewed regularly in terms of addressing our goals and the needs of the pupils and community. These include Multi-skills club organised by Stockport County, singing club, Science Club, Dance Club organised by UK Sports Coaching, Homework and Reading Club and the opportunity to take ukulele lessons. A small charge is made for clubs run by outside agencies such as Multi-Skills club, Science Club, Dance Club and Ukulele Lessons. Pupils registered for income related Free School Meals are offered support with charges for access to clubs.
The Banks Lane Infant Experience, which is currently under review, identifies the opportunities and experiences which we believe all children should have during their time in our care. Experiences have been planned to strengthen our curriculum offer, in keeping with our vision and values and include, making a healthy meal, helping a plant to grow and observing a live musical performance. Children are provided with their own record of experiences which they are able to complete over time. Themed weeks/months such as anti-bullying week, ‘values month’, British Values week, Science Week and our ‘health month’ incorporate competitions, wider community involvement and additional opportunities and enable us to promote our intentions and values.
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
At Banks Lane Infant and Nursery School, we want our EYFS children to learn through an exciting and stimulating curriculum which enables each child to develop from their own starting points but reach their full potential. We use a balance of whole class teaching, learning together through structured play and opportunities for the children to be creative and independent. Outdoor learning provides opportunities for collaborative learning, exploration and problem solving.
There are seven areas of learning:
By the end of Reception most children are expected to reach the Early Learning Goals for each area and to display positive characteristics of learning as a foundation for learning within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1.
All curriculum planning reflects our vision and values, identifying where appropriate how core values are woven through subject knowledge and content. Curriculum overviews identify key end points based on the National curriculum for the EYFS and Key Stage 1, as well as identifying the progression of knowledge and skills taught across the year groups. There is a strong focus on revisiting and building on prior knowledge and identifying common themes within subjects. Progression maps are used by teachers to identify key gaps for individuals and ongoing progress, and by subject leads to monitor progress in their subjects across school.
Our teaching is based on broad themes related to our goals and values and engaging topics, each with an overarching ‘big question’ aimed at arousing curiosity and interest and focused around a high quality text. Half termly curriculum maps, displayed in classrooms identify the key knowledge and skills across the subjects. This is shared with children and revisited across the half term.
Topics are enriched by meaningful opportunities including visits, speakers, community links and inspirational role models wherever possible. A range of approaches such as drama, engagement and active learning, collaborative opportunities, self and peer assessment, ‘Can you still?’ displays and ‘plenary triangles’ help children to recall, retain and secure learning. Our ‘language rich’ approach includes use of high quality texts, extensive reading across the curriculum and whole school approaches to the acquisition and use of subject and wider vocabulary.
While it is sometimes appropriate for pupils to take part in interventions or for planning to be differentiated according to pupils’ learning needs, it is also vital that all children are able to access the full curriculum and whole class teaching opportunities. Our quality first teaching approaches ensure high levels of inclusion, collaboration and pupil engagement, efficient use of pupil time and strong focus on learning, high expectations for all pupils, high standards and high quality feedback opportunities. Within this metacognition and self-regulated learning approaches build skills in planning, monitoring and reviewing learning and optimise working memory. Our Growth Mindset and Mindfulness approaches ensure that pupils are able to build resilience as learners and regulate their emotions.
Assessment of learning and progress is continuous and includes peer marking, feedback and self-review as well as discussion, review of books, learning walls and curriculum maps, quizzes and pupil voice exercises. Our children take part in the following statutory national assessments, reported to the DfE:
- Reception Baseline Assessment (commencing September 2021)
- The Year 1 Phonics Screen
- Key Stage 1 SATS in Year 2 as well as Phonic Screen retakes
OUR WIDER CURRICULUM
In keeping with our intentions, school provides a wide range of opportunities to:
- Promote healthy lifestyles, such as cookery workshops and health focus months
- Provide experience of arts, such as theatre groups and visiting musicians
- Broaden religious and cultural awareness, such as weekly Spanish lessons and our annual multicultural market
- Promote a love of language and literature, including visits and workshops by librarians and authors, annual reading weeks and Reading Club
- Provide visits from a range of inspirational role models who reflect and embody our school values
Sports Premium supports our Stockport School Sports Partnership as well as a range of fitness workshops and partnership with PE and dance experts. Community links are made wherever possible such as Warburton ‘Healthy Sandwich’ making workshops, local authors, RSPB and Aldi environmental workshops and singing club concerts for our neighbours at Elm Court, sheltered accommodation.
School clubs are reviewed regularly in terms of addressing our goals and the needs of the pupils and community. These include Multi-skills club organised by Stockport County, singing club, Science Club, Dance Club organised by UK Sports Coaching, Homework and Reading Club and the opportunity to take ukulele lessons. A small charge is made for clubs run by outside agencies such as Multi-Skills club, Science Club, Dance Club and Ukulele Lessons. Pupils registered for income related Free School Meals are offered support with charges for access to clubs.
The Banks Lane Infant Experience, which is currently under review, identifies the opportunities and experiences which we believe all children should have during their time in our care. Experiences have been planned to strengthen our curriculum offer, in keeping with our vision and values and include, making a healthy meal, helping a plant to grow and observing a live musical performance. Children are provided with their own record of experiences which they are able to complete over time. Themed weeks/months such as anti-bullying week, ‘values month’, British Values week, Science Week and our ‘health month’ incorporate competitions, wider community involvement and additional opportunities and enable us to promote our intentions and values.
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
At Banks Lane Infant and Nursery School, we want our EYFS children to learn through an exciting and stimulating curriculum which enables each child to develop from their own starting points but reach their full potential. We use a balance of whole class teaching, learning together through structured play and opportunities for the children to be creative and independent. Outdoor learning provides opportunities for collaborative learning, exploration and problem solving.
There are seven areas of learning:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
By the end of Reception most children are expected to reach the Early Learning Goals for each area and to display positive characteristics of learning as a foundation for learning within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1.
Find out more about the curriculum in each year group in the
Curriculum Booklet area
Curriculum Booklet area