Curriculum Approach
CURRICULUM DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
1) Our curriculum content is selected because it is powerful knowledge
2) We teach and assess our curriculum in ways that helps pupils to remember it
Powerful knowledge is important for pupils’ life chances. Knowledge is what we think about and what we think with. Knowledge is also generative – the more that pupils already know, the more easily they are able to make connections to understand new learning.
We therefore make carefully considered choices of the knowledge content and key foundational concepts we want pupils to understand, remember and master for each subject area in our curriculum during their time in primary schooling. Subjects are taught discretely in years 1 to 6, and each is equally valued. Where appropriate, we make wider links between subject disciplines to enrich learning opportunities.
The curriculum at West Wimbledon Primary aims to prepare children to have the knowledge they need to maximise their choices and chances in the next stage of their education. We want our pupils to be equipped to be successful learners and successful citizens, as well as being able to exercise choice as they move forward in life.
We ensure that our curriculum in each subject area is carefully organised and sequenced cumulatively so that new knowledge is built in small steps and linked to prior knowledge, whether from the week before or from previous years, thereby demonstrating coherence and progression. In our curriculum planning, we start from foundational knowledge and concepts upon which later learning depends. The curriculum can be thought of as a spiral in which key concepts and ideas are revisited over time during the primary school years in order to elaborate and refine existing knowledge and understanding in increasingly complex ways. We have a strong focus on vocabulary throughout our curriculum - we think and communicate with words and so words are the building blocks of knowledge.
A successful curriculum needs to be remembered by pupils, and the importance of memory and retention is an everyday part of our approach to the curriculum. We place an emphasis on regular retrieval practice in varied forms to support the transfer core knowledge to their long-term memory. We develop resources such as knowledge organisers that outline this information clearly and enable teachers, parents and students to use them regularly.
Primary school pupils are novice learners and therefore need clear direct instruction and guidance in lessons. Our curriculum is built around teachers using steady, step by step, explicit instruction and detailed explanations of worked examples, and giving students multiple opportunities for deliberate practice, including using use low stakes quizzing to revisit key knowledge and information that we know is vital for children to master. This approach of teaching for remembering is embedded in out Teaching and Learning Framework, which can be downloaded from this LINK.
We hope you find the information, on our Curriculum pages, useful and informative. Any questions or any further information you require can be obtained by calling the school on 020 8946 1620 or by emailing the school on school@westwimbledon.merton.sch.uk. Please consider booking yourself on one of our school tours to find out more information about our Curriculum and to see our Curriculum in action!
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) applies to children from birth to the end of the Reception Year. At West Wimbledon this consists of Nursery (3-4 years) and Reception (4-5 years).
At West Wimbledon our aim to ‘Believe, Achieve and Empower’ our children begins at the very start of their journeys with us.
Our practice is always child centred and continually strives to keep up with developments in how children learn and develop. Our environment is built to enable strong relationships to be fostered and developed and provides children with rich, well designed learning opportunities that enable growth and development and most importantly are purposeful. Our children are engaged in discovery time both inside and outside the classroom and the continuous provision is built to spark interest and curiosity in all learners in our setting.
Children’s learning incorporates 7 areas of learning, split into Prime and Specific areas as detailed below.
Prime areas:
Communication and language: Children will be given a wealth of opportunities to experience a language rich environment, to develop their confidence and speak and listen in a range of situations
Physical Development: Children will be given a wealth of opportunities to be active and interactive in their environment. They will develop coordination and movement as well as control. They will be taught about healthy food choices and the importance of physical activity in being healthy.
Personal, social and emotional development: Children will be supported to develop a positive sense of themselves and others around them. They will learn and develop positive relationships, social skills and managing theirs and others feelings.
Specific areas:
Literacy: Children will be taught the fundamentals of literacy and marking making. They will be taught sounds and how to link these to letters as they begin to read and write. Reading is at the forefront of what we do and Oracy is promoted across each day in the setting.
Mathematics: Children have a multitude of opportunities to develop their skills of counting, using number, understanding number and basic addition and subtraction. They will develop mastery of number throughout their time in EYFS.
Understanding the world: Children are taught to make sense of the physical world around them, including their community. Through observation and guided exploration, they find out about people, places, technology and their environment – both past and present.
Expressive Arts and Design: Children explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. Curiosity is sparked through purposeful choices in the environment. Children are encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through the arts – including art, music, movement, dance, role play and design technology.
It is our belief that children learn best through hands on, rich and stimulating environments which capture and excite interest. Our learning is at the core, child initiated, with adults there to support and guide along the way. With this dynamic mix of child initiated and adult led, our children flourish as they progress through the EYFS and embark on their journey into Year 1.