Quality of Education
How our curriculum sets out the knowledge and skills that pupils will gain at each stage of their learning journey
Our curriculum model is designed to cover both the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum by providing pupils with an explosion of experiences through the considered use of Prime Learning Challenge questions which are centred on sparking pupils’ interests.
Each Prime Learning Challenge not only takes pupils on a learning journey – acquiring skills and knowledge as they learn – but also provides opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge incrementally throughout their time in school because teaching is carefully planned to build upon prior learning. The use of Prime Learning Challenges enables class teachers to provide pupils with a rich curriculum focussing on a broad range of areas of learning and subject areas as part of each individual learning journey; this generates purposeful opportunities for cross-curricular learning and incorporates opportunities for the application of taught skills.
Our broad and balanced approach to the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum, delivered through a vast range of areas of learning and subject areas, affords teachers ample opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding as well as develop their knowledge and understanding of how fundamental British values underpin how we live our lives on a daily basis.
How our curriculum is taught and assessed in order to support pupils to build their knowledge and apply that knowledge as skills
Our curriculum is designed to be both challenging and incremental, with pupils revisiting skills throughout the year to both consolidate and build upon their prior understanding. Across the school, the use of progression documents ensure pupils acquire knowledge in an appropriate order throughout their time at school without unnecessary repetition.
Long term planning is populated with Prime Learning Challenge questions to which teachers assign appropriate text-types and areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage and foundation subjects within the National Curriculum. In order to ensure coverage of the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum, medium term planning is produced for each individual Prime Learning Challenge which details the specific areas of learning and subject areas covered and how knowledge, skills and understanding are developed progressively over series of lessons. In addition to this, curriculum coverage documents enable the tracking of curriculum aims and ensure all subject-specific content is not only covered, but returned to across pupils’ time at school; this ensures pupils are supported to know more and remember more, over time.
Progression across our Early Childhood Education Centre is ensured through the use of our Being Me document, which informs planned learning opportunities. These include both teacher-led activities and the use of carefully constructed areas for independent exploration within the indoor and outdoor learning environments. The progress of pupils accessing our Early Childhood Education Centre is monitored using our unique Early Childhood Education curriculum milestone objectives to ensure they are suitably prepared with the foundational knowledge, skills and understanding they require to succeed in key stage one.
Teachers ensure an incremental approach to learning within lessons by imparting knowledge and tackling misconceptions through the school’s episodic lesson style. Verbal feedback is a key approach taken by class teachers across the school and centres on higher order questioning. Teachers model for pupils using a range of methods, but this is predominantly achieved through use of a visualiser so both teachers and pupils can share work which directly reflects planned learning tasks; thus maximising the impact of this practice on pupil progress.
Across our Early Childhood Education Centre, observations of learning witnessed by teaching and learning staff are recorded against the outlined development milestones contained in our Being Me document to produce a developing picture of the whole child as a learner. In key stage one, assessment continues as an ongoing process used within classes to identify next steps in learning so planning can be adapted. Teachers frequently move around the classroom to provide feedback at tables whilst pupils are working; however, where necessary, guided group work and Targeted Academic Support programmes may be used to tackle a particular area of difficulty for individual pupils. Teaching and learning support staff form an integral part of formative assessment and assist teachers in identifying what is working within lessons and what needs addressing to secure pupil progress.
The outcomes that pupils achieve as a result of the education they receive at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre
Our pupils are well-rounded individuals who live the values championed by the school. Assured and confident, pupils undergo formative and summative assessments throughout their time at school using both our Being Me approach to the Early Years Foundation Stage and our unique implementation of the National Curriculum.
Throughout their learning journey in school, pupils develop the independence and resilience to tackle new learning and experiences and are equipped with the academic skills and strategies to seek answers to their own questions. They are articulate and able to use a range of vocabulary which they have developed throughout the curriculum and read correctly in context to form both oral and written sentences.
Resultantly, pupils are well-prepared and ready for the next step in their educational journey.
We believe anything is possible. Together, we are on a journey of continual growth and improvement, where every step is guided by our commitment to excellence. We empower every child to become confident, creative and curious through an inspiring, inclusive and imaginative education that nurtures values, celebrates individuality and prepares them to flourish in a changing world.
At Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre, our mission is to provide every child with an exceptional educational journey from their earliest years through Key Stage One. By placing children at the heart of every decision, we create inspiring, inclusive and purposeful learning experiences that nurture confidence, ignite curiosity and enable every child to flourish. Through high expectations, innovative practice and a child-centred curriculum, we ensure each child is supported to achieve their very best at every stage of their journey.
Everything we do at Someries Infant School and Early Childhood Education Centre is underpinned by our twelve core values. They shape our decisions, strengthen our relationships and define our culture, ensuring every individual is valued for who they are and what they contribute to our school community. By living our values every day and embodying our two simple rules - work hard and be nice to people - we create a community where everyone belongs, flourishes and achieves their very best.