Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Policy

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Policy

Introduction

In our school we believe that the curriculum should be appropriate to the needs and abilities of all our children. This document outlines the purpose, nature and management of the curriculum and Teaching and Learning at Goffs Oak Primary and Nursery School.

The mission of the school is to provide all children with the opportunity to fulfil their potential academically, socially and physically in a caring and well ordered environment where each child can thrive and develop a sense of responsibility and worth.

We believe that:

all children are entitled to receive the best education possible and achieve the highest standards
the curriculum should meet pupils’ individual needs
children learn best from a broad and challenging curriculum
the curriculum should involve first-hand experience and be taught in ways which makes sense for children
achievement in a range of subjects across the curriculum, improves confidence and self-esteem, enabling children to tackle more challenging work and develop a positive attitude towards school
improving children’s confidence and self-esteem has a positive effect upon their attainment

The curriculum will be taught using the New National Curriculum; The Early Years Foundation Stage framework the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus for RE. Where possible skills, themes and curriculum areas have been linked together, to produce a curriculum map for each year group. Please see the EYFS policy for further information relating to Nursery and Reception.

Subject Leaders will support colleagues.

Curriculum Aims

At Goffs Oak Primary and Nursery School we aim to provide a stimulating and secure environment where:

all individuals are valued
everyone achieves their full potential
co-operation is encouraged
effort and achievement are recognised and celebrated
similarities and differences are recognised and tolerated
moral and spiritual issues are explored
learning is enjoyable and challenging

We aim to provide a well-resourced, broad, balanced curriculum, relevant to the needs of each child so that children can learn:

to make mistakes, and learn from them, in an atmosphere of trust
how to make informed choices
to plan and evaluate their own work
to respect and care for themselves, for others and for the environment

and can become:

literate and numerate, effective speakers and listeners
independent learners
creative, observant and questioning
caring and responsible members of the school community
physically active and able to develop a healthy lifestyle, and can develop the skills they need to prepare for future life in a technological world

Teaching and Learning

The staff of Goffs Oak Primary and Nursery School believe that:

All children should have access to Quality First Teaching.

Learning occurs in different ways and that there are many factors, which contribute to effective learning; including age, previous experience, emotions and beliefs.

The physical learning environment has a marked effect on how and what children learn. An attractive, tidy environment and effective use of a wide range of resources are significant contributors to the quality of the learning experience.

Resources should be accessible to the children.

The school needs to maintain a positive ethos where a wide range of achievements of pupils and staff are identified, shared and valued.

The teacher is the key manager of the child’s learning. The range of opportunities and stimuli for learning are widened when teachers support each other in planning the curriculum.

Learning occurs best when tasks are met to individual needs and therefore the curriculum needs to be differentiated to suit the needs of individual children.

Current learning activities should relate to what has gone before and what will come next.

Planning should provide structure with flexibility, which has a range of approaches to learning for children to experience.

We believe that children should:

experience a safe, secure, caring environment which will promote confidence and self-esteem
gain and build on success at their own level, appropriate differentiation will match learning tasks to individual needs
establish positive attitudes to learning
experience a range of approaches to learning – class, group, individual
be actively engaged in their own learning and should understand what they are learning and why
gain first hand experience, engage in investigative work and communicate their findings in a variety of ways
engage in problem solving
learn through discussion and debate
develop basic study skills
acquire a sense of well being and a concern for others
engage in self-evaluation of their work and identification of future needs

learn from adults in the wider community

In order to learn successfully children need to have access to, and make effective use of a wide range of resources. To facilitate this, teachers will:

ensure complete coverage of the school curriculum map so that children experience all aspects of each curriculum area as appropriate for their year group
provide the children with ‘first hand’ (hands on) experiences wherever possible
ensure that resources are available at the start of the lesson – so that there is a smooth change over to independent or group work
if appropriate provide a variety of resources so that children are able to make choices, and sufficient for all children to access
provide visual, auditory and kinaesthetic opportunities for learning
share the learning objective for each lesson with the children
help the children formulate success criteria so that they are aware of how successful the learning has been
give feedback in line with school policy and review targets with children
celebrate success
create interactive displays/ working walls (including key words for topic areas)
group children appropriately for each activity
model and teach required skills
make the best use of human resources – staff, children, parents, members of the community
familiarise children with the layout of classroom resources at the beginning of the year
have specific English, Maths, class library areas clearly labelled and tidied

To enable children to work independently and as members of a co-operative group teachers will:

teach ‘independent strategies’ to the children so that they do not see the teacher as the only resource – word banks, reference books, writing partners, how to play games etc.
use children with expertise to teach others
ensure differentiated tasks including extensions which are planned
clarity of instruction – be sure that the children know what they have to do and what they have to do next
have a timetable with early morning tasksso that the day starts with planned structured work

When self-evaluation is linked with the learning objective, children’s progress, persistence and self-esteem is improved.

Teachers will therefore:

encourage children to look at their finished work and discuss it – ask how could you change/improve it
use model work to show children how they can improve their work
use targets in English, Maths and Science
use plenary sessions and circle time effectively
give written feedback, encourage children to look at comments and complete ‘moving on comments’ – see marking/feedback policy

Children need to create, express, enact, recount and communicate to others using a variety of ways and media we will provide the opportunity for:

different ways of presenting work – written, oral, drama, recorded, visual, puppets, plenary, homework
presenting work to the class – individually, in pairs, as a group
presenting work to other classes
preparing and presenting class assemblies
working together in different groups – ability, friendship, expert, snowball (a child from each group goes to another to present work)
‘brainstorming’ ideas

Teachers will provide the opportunity for children to talk and have their opinions valued as and when appropriate through:

circle time and PSHE
through informal and formal discussions
through partner work – writing partners, mental maths, Computing, talking and reporting back, planning etc.
planned use of support workers (teachers, classroom assistants, students etc.)
through the ‘Rights Respecting Group’ (school council) – planned time to discuss in class

Children will be given the opportunity to experience success in a variety of fields (social, academic, physical etc) through teachers:

providing differentiated activities with adult support if required
using celebration assembly and House Points for all aspects of school life. At the end of Year 6 the class’ achievements are celebrated
ensuring that all children have work displayed from the full spectrum of ability
celebrating by sharing work with partner, group, class, other classes, Head Teacher
using classroom reward systems
ensuring that all areas of the curriculum and school life are eligible for rewards

Resources

Children need to be familiar with classroom procedures and routines. Resources should be easily accessible and clearly labelled. All children are expected to look after resources and keep them tidy.

The wider community

The school is one part of the child’s learning environment and must work in partnership with the home and the wider community.

Staff

All staff are involved in curriculum development, planning, monitoring and evaluation so ensuring common understanding and continuity in children’s learning. Curriculum co-ordinators support with planning and monitor termly plans against the curriculum map. The Headteacher monitors weekly planning.

Subject co-ordinators monitor coverage of their curriculum area through monitoring planning, work scrutiny, looking at displays and talking to children. The opportunity is given to monitor the curriculum in action when the curriculum area is being developed.

The Headteacher monitors the quality of teaching both formally and through informal ‘drop-in’ visits.

Teachers should:

continue to be open to learning
match learning tasks to individual needs
maintain effective records
value and promote home/school partnership
practice and implement all the principles of equal opportunity, valuing every pupil as an individual
have high but achievable expectations of pupils and these should be clearly communicated to the children
ensure that children work at a brisk pace and have an understanding of the quality and quantity of work that is expected of them and have an understanding of deadlines
be aware of their influence as a role mode
have regard to the five outcomes of the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda

 enjoying and achieving

 making a contribution

 staying safe

 staying healthy

 economic well-being

This policy should be read in conjunction with all other policies.

Sep 2014

SMT