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Curriculum Overview

Intent: Through our curriculum children become confident, resilient and independent learners, with a passion for learning and the ability to express their opinions and beliefs.

Implementation: Skills are taught progressively across year groups leading to knowledge building over time. We provide learning with clear opportunities for speaking and listening.

Impact: This is seen in the work produced and the outcomes for all groups of pupils. Everything we do is with the child at mind, and strong relationships are built between pupils, staff and parents which create an atmosphere for learning which is conducive to success.

Since September 2014 the New National Curriculum is now being taught in all maintained primary schools. Exciting school trips are also planned, which all children attend, to enhance our pupils’ curriculum knowledge and understanding, as well as develop their independence and PSHE skills.

Recent trips included visits to the Natural History Museum, Rye Meads nature reserve, the Stevenage Fire Station, Pizza Express workshop and high ropes activities at Westmill Farm: A residential trip for year 5 and 6 takes place every year.

Curriculum Statement

Our curriculum ensures learning is effective, exciting and relevant to the needs of our children.

All pupils will secure firm foundations in English and Mathematics and this underpins a firm accessibility and development in other subjects across the curriculum. Our knowledge and skill-based curriculum offers a broad range of subjects from Early Years through to Year 6. We believe in bringing learning to life, both indoors and out, with an emphasis on engaging and purposeful learning couched in secure and respectful relationships.

Benington Primary School aims to provide a curriculum that is balanced and relevant to the children as well as to the ever changing world we live in. While emphasis is placed on children learning core skills of English and Maths, we place significant value on developing the ‘whole child’. Where possible and relevant, links are made across the curriculum. These connections support the children’s long term memory.

All of the schemes we use were chosen because they are ambitious for all pupils and systematically develop knowledge and skills. They are planned and sequenced with small steps to build on previous knowledge and improve short term to long term memory recall. They enable staff to systematically check understanding and identify misconceptions in order to adapt their teaching where appropriate.

What does the “whole child” mean?

Every child is an individual – respecting the differences; providing all children what they need through timely and reasonable adjustments. This is EQUITY.

image illustrating the difference between Equality and Equity

We continually support the children in managing their own behaviour and de-escalation, just as we would support them with more challenging areas of the curriculum. Provision mapping illustrates how we support the children’s needs across the curriculum, including their social and emotional needs, for without these secure, learning will not take place.

We enrich our pupils with a wide range of activities including: trips and visitors, fund raising, leadership opportunities and courageous advocacy.

At Benington School we want our children to have the necessary skills to make informed choices in all aspects of their life.

What does the curriculum look like as we move through the school?

Early Years Foundation Stage

At Benington we strive to create a safe and happy environment, which inspires, challenges and supports pupils to achieve their potential. The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage provides the structure for our curriculum and approach. The framework covers the education and care of all children in Early Years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities with reading at the heart.

For us this is about providing the children with the opportunities needed to help them to develop a connection with nature which in turn supports good mental health development and a feeling of calm and balance. Children thrive and flourish within these environments and develop robust foundations for learning. We use the Cornerstones curriculum to ensure coverage and progression. We use the NCETM Mastering Number resource for maths and Little Wandle for phonics.

Key Stages 1 & 2

For each national curriculum subject, our Subject Leads have all developed a year on year breakdown of the knowledge and skills, based on the National Curriculum, which our children must progress through. These form the backbone of our approach and are delivered through discrete sessions or in a cross-curricular approach, whichever as is most appropriate. These are detailed in our Subject Curriculum documents. They include all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

The national curriculum key stages 1 and 2 framework document