Progression and Sequencing

Our curriculum has been developed to ensure we have full coverage of the National Curriculum. It follows the programmes of study for each year group very carefully and provides the right balance of knowledge and skills.

Our rich, broad and balanced curriculum provides children with:

• A curriculum which has strong foundation in reading, writing, mathematics and communication skills:

Every Child a Writer

Every Child a Reader

Every child Numerate

• A curriculum that is word-rich, enhancing vocabulary and reading.
• A curriculum which ensures knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
• A curriculum which values subject specialisms and the unique subject disciplines to enable pupils to develop knowledge of the wide range of training and employment opportunities which they can aspire to in the future.
• A curriculum which offers a wide range of experiences.
• A curriculum which nurtures all elements of well-being for our pupils and the sense of community.

We are a reflective school and continually strive to improve our teaching and learning in light of the latest research and this has included a focus on how to improve children’s long-term memory of the knowledge set out in the schools learning threads.

Our curriculum is based on the 3 key principles of Brunner’s Spiral Curriculum. https://helpfulprofessor.com/spiral-curriculum/

Subjects are separated into well thought out Learning Threads which are revisited year on year within our long-term plans as we believe that a build-up of knowledge over time enhances learning and enables our children to  build upon and recall previous learning.  Enabling them to learn more and to remember more.

Our fundamental foundations of the curriculum are:

• child centred, encompassing children interests and supporting the range of learning styles of our children
• a refinement of basic skills and automatic recall/fluency
• the opportunity to transfer knowledge and skills built on previous learning

all learning is independent and interdependent.

A Curriculum of Breadth and Opportunity

We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum, and there is planned progression in all curriculum areas. This in conjunction with subject association resources and some materials from Kapow Primary to ensure clear learning intentions and progression across the year groups.

Our curriculum consists of 7 key areas:

1.Mathematics

2.English (Reading, Writing and Phonics)

3.Global Understanding – History, Geography, French, Music and Art.

4.Spiritual, Moral Social Cultural (SMSC) – RE, British Values interwoven with Personal Health Social Education (PSHE)- including Relationship and Sex Education, physical and mental Wellbeing.

5.STEM – Science, Technology, Computing (Engineering)  and Maths in the wider world.

6.Physical Education

7. Learning outside the Classroom - curriculum enhancements, Assemblies, Trips and Visits

Our curriculum is all planned on a yearly cycle with an emphasis placed on learning supported by quality texts and other quality experiences. Opportunities are sought within the curriculum to encourage community cohesion. In making these links, the children’s learning will be committed to their long term memory more easily.

Our curriculum has been designed so that pupils can initially explore their local area in depth – so they understand the human, social, physical and recreational features of their locality as well as developing an understanding of the history of their local area.

Children will develop an understanding of how Walkden and Salford and the surrounding area of Manchester were a cradle of industrialisation in Britain and how significant individuals and inventions helped to fuel change nationwide and paved the way for the British Empire to expand globally. They are then encouraged to make meaningful comparisons with other places in the UK, Europe and the wider world.

Our History and Geography plans are based around elements of Belle Wallace’s TASC Wheel and a Cooperative Learning Approach. We believe that both of these approaches build the children’s self-esteem, improve social skills, develop higher level thinking and resemble ‘Real Life’ social & work environments, thus preparing them for the next steps in education and future careers.

Our long term plans set out what will be taught throughout the year.