Woodside Curriculum Summary of Intent

Enquiring minds, Informed opinions, Aspirational outlook

Our children are delightful, well behaved and want to learn. Through the curriculum and teaching pedagogy, they are developing  independence and resilience,  both in thinking and practice, and are beginning to question and challenge ideas and opinions that they have been exposed to.  In this busy, digital age where time for first hand experiences seems to be more limited, we aim to inspire and enthuse the children to take an active interest in current affairs and in the world around them, thus preparing them for society where views are not fixed and are, or should be, open to  challenge and question.   The curriculum, by design, allows and encourages children to learn how to speak out with confidence whilst respecting the views of others in a safe and secure environment. The school values : respect, cooperation, determination, trust, kindness, responsibility all underpin this.  The Woodside curriculum focuses on encouraging independent thinking through enquiry based learning. 

• PSHE allows for challenge of values and views. It gives a knowledge beyond the content subject curriculum and  encourages the acceptance that all are different, yet equal.  
• History, geography and RE are all structured progressively with each unit investigating a key enquiry question- helping children to explore concepts while questioning values from the past/ present and how they are relevant in today’s society. 
• Art and DT are based around a scheme which encourages collaborative learning where ideas are questioned and challenged. Children are given time to explore techniques and are encouraged to give reasons for decisions throughout.
• Science is driven by investigation and self/ group discovery- both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Maths problem solving and investigations allows children to solve problems, independently applying techniques.
• PE, dance and music allows self-expression as well as an opportunity to learn new skills both collaboratively and independently. 
• English lessons give the skills needed to empower children to confidently share their views, both written and spoken, and the reading curriculum enables the children to access texts to support research within enquiries. 
• ICT teaches children to make safe choices independently through our e-safety and to explore digital concepts within computing lessons.  
• Trips and visitors are used to enhance the intent of the curriculum and are carefully positioned within topics to get the most out of the experience.- develop language skills.
• Use of picture news and assembly to explore current affairs that are not just within their immediate circle. 
• Outdoor learning- to develop language, support with emotional well being
• BSL- British sign language taught from reception- enabling children to be inclusive of others and learn to communicate is an alternative way. 

Implementation

Each scheme has been carefully selected to enable the intent to be met. There is a clear progression of skills for each subject area and comprehensive knowledge organisers are used to support planning and content delivery. These are shared with children and parents and are rich in vocabulary. Teachers refer back to linked areas taught previously when assessing prior knowledge and starting points. (linked to Rosenshine) 

English

• Phonics- ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds’ .
• Reading comprehension- Little Wandle until progression from scheme then focused teaching of reading lessons from year 2-6 
• Writing- The Write Stuff
• Spelling- Classroom Secrets progression 
• Handwriting- Letter Join

STEM 

• Maths- maths no problem

Times table- times table rock stars

• DT- Kapow Scheme
• Science- Kapow Scheme
• ICT- Kapow ( including E safety)

Humanities

• History- Kapow
• Geography- Kapow
• RE- Kapow, assemblies 

Arts/ well being

• ART-Kapow scheme
• Music- Kapow scheme
• BSL- British sign language
• PSHE/ Wellbeing- Jigsaw scheme, circle times, P4C, meditation, daily exercise and use of outdoor learning
• PE- Complete PE- All for Sport

The schemes are used as a basis for the curriculum which is adapted by highly skilled and trained teachers, adapting and scaffolding where needed. Staff have high expectations and are ambitious for all pupils.

Five main aims of each subject are the heart of the curriculum and can be seen across the school and each subject area. These are taken from the aims within the National Curriculum to provide clarity and relevance to the community of Woodside. The planning and delivery feeds from these aims.

A Best kept Curriculum- Attitudes, Behaviours, Experiences, skills, Thinking, Knowledge, Enduring, People, Technology- are features that underpin and make the curriculum successful across all subjects. It ensures that all subjects are held in equal esteem by the school community- ensuring that all children receive a broad and balanced curriculum.

Leaders use a range of sources, outlined on the document, to ensure that the attributes are being achieved. Teachers are clear on how this feeds into the curriculum design and how to evidence this. 

Core

Each subject has a set of core objectives - our core curriculum which for the basis the knowledge and skills that children need to master each year. These are taken from the subject progressions and have been chosen to reduce cognitive load for several reasons:

1. **Developmental Appropriateness:** The core curriculum is designed to align with the developmental stage of the children. It introduces foundational concepts and skills gradually, considering the cognitive abilities and limitations of young learners. By focusing on essential knowledge and skills, educators ensure that students are not overwhelmed with too much information at once, reducing cognitive load.

2. **Cognitive Load Theory:** Cognitive load theory suggests that learning is more effective when the cognitive load, or the mental effort required to process information, is appropriately managed. By focusing on a core curriculum, we aim to optimise learning by presenting information in a structured and manageable way, allowing students to build upon their existing knowledge without excessive cognitive strain.

3. **Prioritising Key Learning Objectives:** The core curriculum identifies key learning objectives that are deemed essential for students' academic and personal development. By prioritising these objectives, we for the students acquire fundamental knowledge and skills that form the basis for further learning in more advanced stages of education.

4. **Consistency and Coherence:** A core curriculum provides consistency and coherence across the school, ensuring that all students have access to essential learning experiences regardless. This helps in creating a common educational foundation and ensures equitable opportunities for all students.

5. **Efficient Use of Instructional Time:** Focusing on essential knowledge and skills allows us to allocate instructional time more efficiently. By streamlining the curriculum, we can delve deeper into key concepts, provide targeted support to students who may be struggling, and offer enriching learning experiences that enhance understanding and retention of essential content.

Overall, our core curriculum  serves to optimise the learning process by reducing cognitive load, prioritising key learning objectives, ensuring consistency and coherence, and making efficient use of instructional time.

There are cross subject links for all subjects.