Curriculum
Curriculum Statement
Whilst we follow the National Curriculum, our key curriculum drivers are: Aspire, Respect and Challenge. We are committed to all children having a broad curriculum and experiences that go beyond the required curriculum so that our children are not just prepared for the next phase of their education, but leave us with some life-long passions and interests and an understanding of available opportunities.
This means that we invest heavily in resources that we think are key to our children having success such as providing an instrument for every child in Key Stage 2 to take home because we know that a weekly music lesson is not enough time to be able to learn an instrument. We pay for a specialist music teacher to provide additional free lessons for children who show an interest.
Our children cook each term, which means they develop an understanding of how to look after themselves, how much food costs and where it comes from as well as how to cook healthily. We also offer this opportunity for some families too. Design Technology also provides great opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the design, create and evaluation process and has some strong links to our computing curriculum. Whilst Careers education is taught in all subject areas, these two areas provide our children with some real life opportunities due to our links with business.
In Spanish, children also have a specialist teacher and can use the Chrome Book that all of Key Stage 2 are provided, free of charge, to ensure that they can practise further at home. We selected Spanish as our language choice as we felt it had more relevance and provided more opportunities for children worldwide in the future.
We build our Humanities teaching around themes so that children are able to build a stronger knowledge of cause and effect and links between events. Children have opportunities to visit museums and historical sites and, also participate in learning Geography out in the field.
P.E. and sport is a passion for all staff with a number of staff coming from a background in these areas. Children participate in a range of inter and intra competitions beyond the school curriculum. We use Sports Coaches at lunch times to provide added opportunities for children.
It is important to us that our children show respect for themselves and others and our PSHE, RSE and R.E. curriculums strongly reflect this message. The children are very proud to be part of a diverse community and are keen to learn about other cultures and beliefs. They also learn how to be safe in a range of situations and start to develop their own ideas and opinions.
Careers Education is taught as part of our wider subject teaching but is also taught discretely as part of our termly Personal Development Week. All Key Stage 2 children are encouraged to have their career aspirations thought out and they also start to develop knowledge of wider careers choices through visitors or visits to industry.
To deliver our curriculum, we use a range of schemes that we have then adapted for our school and context such as in Art, where we use Kapow as a basis for the skills and knowledge but where we want to ensure that children are knowledgeable about local artists and their own heritage.
Over their time in our school, children will learn and develop skills, knowledge and interests and we believe that the opportunities both within the curriculum and beyond are valued and remembered by children, impacting positively as they move into the next phase of their education but also beyond.
You can access our School Accessibility Policy by following the link below.
Please see the link below to see how our EYFS provision gives the children at Shiremoor Primary the best foundations ready for their future learning in KS1 and KS2.