At Walford Nursery & Primary School, we believe learning should be exciting and our ultimate aim is to provide a highly ambitious, creative curriculum which not only incorporates the National Curriculum but the needs, thoughts and ideas of every learner in our school. Our creative curriculum ensures that all pupils are motivated, engaged and enthused about every learning experience, inspiring them to become lifelong learners. We place a high emphasis on basic skills and our children achieve well. We aim to produce well-rounded children who can play a positive part as tomorrow's citizens. We actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, tolerance for others, such as those with different faiths and beliefs, mutual respect and individual liberty.
In Early Years, we follow the EYFS curriculum and from Key Stage 1, we follow the national curriculum and teach the ‘core’ subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education (P.E.) and Computing. Our ‘foundation’ subjects are: Art, Design Technology, Geography, History, Music, Modern Foreign Language (MFL), Religious Education and Personal Social Health Economic Education (PSHE).
In each curriculum area there is an emphasis placed on knowledge and skills, and across all curriculum areas, our ‘learning behaviours’ encourage children to:
In addition, we want our children to achieve well in life and be happy and successful in all that they do, therefore, we promote a ‘growth mindset’ which reflects the way we think, learn and take on challenges. A person with a growth mindset:
Our whole school behaviour system reflects the school's ethos and encourages us all to go 'above and beyond' in all that we do! Values and learning behaviours are integral to our curriculum and they shape the kind of people our children will become, enabling them to make the best of their learning in the future. Our school values underpin all learning at school as they form our attitudes towards learning and each other.
Our INTENT is that every child will leave Walford Nursery & Primary School, at the end of Year 6, with the confidence and ability to continue to grow and develop as a whole person. They will be well prepared for future challenges, having sufficient knowledge and skills to enable them to progress onto the next stage of their educational journey and to succeed in life.
In addition to the well planned, sequenced and comprehensive curriculum delivered by our teaching staff, our TAs and specialist teachers deliver the following learning experiences:
Children have swimming lessons in Year 4. Children across the school attend the Five Acres Gymnasium annually. Children in Year 3 and Year 4 have the opportunity to participate in a local overnight stay and children in Year 5 and Year 6 enjoy a residential in London and they also attend an outdoor residential centre.
Walford Nursery & Primary School is committed to meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum in England.
Implementation
The structure and content of the curriculum is mapped out in our short term, medium term and long term planning documents. Subject Leaders and class teachers utilise the school's subject progression documents and vocabulary progressions, which outline the relevant knowledge, skills and key fundamentals required in readiness for the next stage in learning.
Walford's Curriculum Design
From our long term plans, the curriculum is carefully structured and well sequenced through progression documents for foundation subjects which outline the progression of the relevant knowledge, skills and key fundamental across the school. Key fundamentals are promoted through the use of 'Nuggets of Knowledge', ensuring pupils know more, remember more, and are able to do more. In addition, Help Cards and Knowledge Organisers provide key learning and vocabulary for pupils in every lesson.
Children begin their journey with the EYFS profile. The ‘Read Write Inc’ scheme is followed in KS1 to establish a firm foundation in phonics and is carried into KS2 as a useful phonics tool for all children. Having completed the RWI scheme, children progress onto ‘The Write Stuff’.
In mathematics, we have adopted a mastery approach, with a focus on high aspirations for all, leading the children through the curriculum in small structured steps, whilst providing opportunity to develop fluency,
problem-solving and reasoning skills.
We follow a half-termly timetable, which provides time for in-depth study of a topic within the foundation subjects. Pupils’ understanding of a topic is assessed, using an end of topic quiz, which requires children to recall key facts, further enhancing pupils’ learning and memory.
Through educational research on how the brain works, we understand that it is vital that children have regular opportunity to recall and demonstrate their understanding of recently acquired knowledge. This is further enhanced through a range of effective retrieval practice, including the use of 'Nuggets of Knowledge', Flashback 4s, topic quizzes, Help Cards and Knowledge Organisers.
In lessons, you will see highly effective teaching and well motivated and engaged learners through;
Impact
We have high expectations for the IMPACT of our curriculum. Children will have the relevant knowledge and skills to provide a firm foundation for the rest of their educational journey. At the end of Year 6, children demonstrate positive personal traits and core values that inform their motivation and influences their conduct so that they are reflective and eager to learn, with high aspirations for the future. They will be enquiring, independent and resilient learners.
During their journey through our school, we will provide every child with enriched curriculum opportunities, enabling them to continue to follow their dreams and aspirations, whilst demonstrating good citizenship. Children will be responsible, respectful citizens who are able to play their part and become actively involved in public life.
If you would like further information about the curriculum at Walford, please see the above links or contact the school directly via your child's Class Teacher.