At Sopley Primary School we redesigned our curriculum in order to bring a skill and knowledge based approach to the teaching and learning. We teach some of the subjects together with intra-curricular links under a theme or topic and we teach some independently depending on the content that is being delivered.

Across the Key Stages we have a broad and balanced curriculum, and children have access to all of these subjects,which are taught in ways appropriate to pupils’ ages and abilities.  The well differentiated quality first teaching allows all children to succeed across the whole curriculum and become engaged, active and lifelong learners.

Curriculum Intent – what our curriculum is trying to achieve:

• For every child to develop a love of learning and to be inspired to achieve their full potential
• To ensure our children experience a wide breadth of study and by the end of each key stage have developed a long term memory of an ambitious body of skills and knowledge. We believe these are interdependent in assimilating learning
• To develop children’s knowledge, understanding and skills sequentially through a progressive curriculum model. This will enable them to learn to apply their understanding and learning to new situations and develop their initiative and resourcefulness
• To reflect our local context broadening our children’s experience and understanding
• To provide opportunities for our children to develop a wide knowledge and awareness of the wider community and the diverse world in which we live
• To encourage children to seek opportunities and experiences, to aspire to succeed in learning, thus preparing them for their next stage of education and their adult lives.

Curriculum Implementation  – what we do in order to deliver our intent:

We focus the curriculum on excellence and enjoyment at the same time as fulfilling the government National Curriculum requirements.  Our curriculum is delivered using a variety of approaches and resources depending on the nature of the subject being taught and the needs of the children. We believe that learning is achieved not in a lesson but over time and to that end we deliver a progression model curriculum with opportunities for spaced repetition building on prior learning.  We enable children to make  contextual links and achieve a greater depth of understanding.

Our pupils lie at the heart of our thematic learning. We listen to what pupils say they would like to learn as well. This approach provides a rich diversity of exciting themes that appeal to our children while still covering all the separate elements required by our National Curriculum.

We aim to make learning creative, fun, challenging and purposeful with realistic and meaningful contexts for the children, through the use of art and drama, school trips and through our cross curricular teaching. Pupils will sometimes work individually, as part of a group or within a whole class setting, depending upon the nature of the activity and the particular learning outcomes the teacher intends.