Curriculum at Quernmore

Intent

Our school vision ‘Rooted and Grounded in Love’ demonstrates our goal, which is for every pupil in our school to gain a life-long love of learning, whilst instilling them with our Christian values: love, peace and compassion. We want our children to love coming to our warm and friendly school. Our staff are welcoming and nurturing and are excellent role models for our pupils. We work hard to help our children develop an understanding of their own emotions so that they can become empathetic and kind members of our community.

We provide a well-structured, ambitious, and coherent program of study, aligned with the National Curriculum, that enhances the knowledge, skills, and understanding of all pupils.

Our curriculum is ambitious and aspirational. We have high expectations of all pupils and every teacher has a belief that every child can achieve excellence. We provide a clear progression of knowledge and skills, building upon prior learning. We aim to develop a love for learning, curiosity, creativity, and resilience.

We promote cultural capital by giving pupils a wide range of experiences, diverse perspectives, and unique opportunities, including the arts, sports, and enterprise. We aim to equip pupils with the essential knowledge and cultural capital to succeed in life, whatever they choose to do.

We aim to ensure that our bespoke curriculum fosters an understanding of our unique locality. We also prepare pupils to be global citizens with an understanding of their place in the world.

Our nurturing ethos is rooted firmly in Christian values which enable our children to learn respect, empathy, self-awareness and a sense of responsibility.

Implementation

Our curriculum is implemented through effective teaching and provision:

Curriculum Design and Sequencing

• Learning sequences are carefully planned to build on prior learning and provide deep and rich subject knowledge.
• Progression is evident, outlining the sequence of skills and knowledge across the curriculum and providing clear benchmarks.
• Curriculum overviews are created on a two year cycle,  to support our mixed age class structures, ensuring clarity of coverage with a strong emphasis on progression of knowledge and skills. These key concepts and skills are revisited across each stage. 

 Broad and Balanced Coverage

• The curriculum covers all subjects of the national curriculum.
• Subjects are balanced to provide sufficient time and resources for each area, avoiding overcrowding and ensuring appropriate depth.

High-Quality Teaching

• Teachers have excellent subject expertise and knowledge of the curriculum.
• Teaching is differentiated and adapted to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged.

Enrichment and Extra-Curricular Opportunities

• Enrichment activities and experiences withing our school environment and local area are provided to deepen knowledge, broaden horizons, and enhance cultural capital. For example, we take our pupils on regular trips in the local area and beyond.
• Partnerships with external providers, including museums, libraries, Universities, Colleges and local organisations, enhance the curriculum. For example, we are working with Morecambe Bay Curriculum to prepare children for the Eden Project.
• Partnerships with other local primary schools enhance our curriculum and give children chance to compete in different areas of the curriculum such as sport and maths.

 Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment strategies are used to identify gaps in knowledge, gauge progress, and ensure teaching is matched to the individual pupils needs. 
• Timely and detailed feedback is provided to pupils to encourage reflection and support further learning.
• Summative assessments such as NFER tests each term to support teacher assessments.

This clear strategic planning means that our curriculum is unique and adapts to our children’s needs. Having high expectations in all areas enables the best possible outcomes and an enjoyable and exciting learning journey.

Impact

Our curriculum has a profound impact on pupils' learning, progress, and wider outcomes, ensuring that:

• Pupils have a thirst for knowledge and achieve excellent outcomes across a broad range of subjects.
• Gaps in knowledge and skills are rapidly and effectively identified and addressed.

Engagement, Motivation, and Love for Learning

• Pupils are motivated, actively engaged, and excited about their learning.
• They develop a love for learning, leading to increased independent and lifelong learning.

Personal Development

• Pupils develop positive character traits, resilience, and a sense of responsibility towards themselves and others.
• They foster a respectful, inclusive, and tolerant attitude, valuing diversity within and beyond the school community.

 Acquisition of Cultural Capital

• Pupils develop a broad understanding and appreciation of arts, literature, heritage, and cultural diversity.
• They are prepared to meaningfully contribute to society, locally and globally, and make well-informed choices.

The impact of our curriculum is measured by:

• Outcomes in KS1 and KS2 national SATs
• Termly NFER assessments (Year 1-6)
• In school attainment tracking of core subjects
• Engagement in enrichment activities
• Pupil voice – questionnaires
• Subject Leader monitoring – Lesson visits, scrutiny of books, assessment, pupil interviews and questionnaires

If you would like to find out more about our curriculum, see the drop down boxes in the menu. Your child's class teacher will be happy to meet you to discuss your child's journey through the curriculum.