Learning at Leedon Lower

Themes that drive our school curriculum offer are:

• Nurture & Safety
• Excellent Outcomes & Ambition
• Health & Wellbeing
• Low thresholds and High ceilings
• Independent working and thinking

Intent

At Leedon our rich and inclusive curriculum provides a breadth of learning experiences with a balance of progressive skills and knowledge that allow children to meet aspirational milestones.

Our curriculum seeks to motivate and inspire children by creating memorable, experiential learning opportunities where children think deeply, extend their thinking and develop their ideas further preparing them for the next stage in their lives. They are given time to learn independently to support and broaden their understanding.

We want our children to:

• Build their knowledge and cultural capital to enable them to succeed in life by applying their knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Experience new things outside of their day to day lives to open up the world.
• Develop resilience and perseverance in an ever-changing world and develop a sense of self.
• Be tolerant, kind and considerate with the ability to build and sustain positive relationships.
• Notice and develop a love and respect for the natural world.
• Be curious and fascinated by people and the world around them.
• Lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
• Be kind and supportive adults who think of others when making decisions.

Implementation

Our curriculum is designed to reflect our local community and the needs of our children (see themes above). The knowledge and skills for each subject area are mapped to ensure progression and coverage. We believe that first-hand, learning experiences and engagement through motivating events effect a change in the long-term memory, enabling children to retain knowledge and skills and make links. We aim to create memories that children will carry with them forever. Reading threads through all aspects of the curriculum with carefully planned core texts providing a rich vocabulary and love of books and reading for pleasure. Quality books throughout the school shows our investment in the importance of reading to open experiences, worlds and doors to learning.

Our teachers

• Are life-long learners
• Deliver learning that challenges, inspires and motivates
• Know and understand each child as an individual, enabling all to feel safe and thrive
• Have a deep understanding of cognition and learning
• Have an expert knowledge of the subjects they teach
• Are excellent role models
• Make conscious connections in their teaching
• Monitor constantly and give clear feedback to support next steps
• Promote high quality oracy and expect high standards with full sentences and correct grammar
• Understand that progress is effecting change in the long-term memory and provide opportunities for ‘sticky learning’ to take place

Impact

Personal Development: Children participate in a wide variety of activities to broaden their interests. They know that keeping physically healthy keeps them mentally healthy. They are responsible and respectful towards others and the environment and are aware of their place in the community.

Behaviour and attitudes: Children demonstrate excellent behaviour around the school and are caring and safe. They are resilient learners and take pride in their achievements.

Quality of Education: Children achieve well, making at least expected progress.

We teach the curriculum through themes, known as Learning Journeys.  We use Mathematics Mastery as the vehicle through which we teach the Mathematics curriculum, and our English curriculum is based on high quality key texts using the Talk for Writing scheme.

We follow Letters and Sounds phonics programme of study and teach this through the Phonics Play scheme.