Excellence - Respect - Enjoyment

Our Curriculum Intent

At Southwood Infant School our curriculum is designed to inspire a life time love for learning. We want our children to leave us as confident, capable learners who are ready for Junior school and their futures. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and National Curriculum for Key Stage One, which covers Years 1 and 2.

Our curriculum is underpinned by our school’s core values:

Excellence – Respect – Enjoyment

At Southwood Infant School children will develop a lifelong love of learning through an exciting, engaging and enjoyable curriculum. We firmly believe that every child deserves the very best start in life and have high aspirations for all. Our values are expressed through our school culture which promotes “Excellence, Respect, Enjoyment.”

At Southwood Infant School we aim to:

• Value every child as an individual and celebrate their successes.
• Give every child the confidence and enthusiasm to become life long learners.
• Educate the whole child so that they become independent, responsible and caring individuals.
• Promote high expectations of learning and behaviour.
• Nurture a love of learning through developing creative, enquiring and independent minds.
• Provide an inspiring curriculum built around interesting topics and first-hand experiences which excites and motivates all learners.
• Develop enthusiastic, resilient and positive children who have high aspirations to do their best.
• Create a safe, secure and happy environment with a friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community.
• Recognise the vital role which parents play in their children’s education and encourage parental involvement

Implementation

At the centre of our curriculum are the core subjects of English: speaking and listening, reading and writing, mathematics and science.  All other curriculum subjects are integrated into our topics. Links between all curriculum subjects and prior knowledge are made whenever possible, although some units of learning may be taught in discrete sessions. 

We have an integrated approach to planning our curriculum, so that where possible we link individual subjects into engaging topics with memorable, first hand experiences. Children study a different topic each half term and individual subjects are linked to the theme to create practical and purposeful learning experiences. Every topic has a hook to inspire the children and captivate their interest at the start of a project. We believe children should enjoy their time at Southwood and understand the purpose and context of their learning. We make clear links between subjects and teach the key knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to be responsible and caring citizens.  We value outside learning across the school and this is planned in to all year groups.

The progression of skills is carefully mapped to ensure pupils are supported in developing schematic links. Our planning overviews demonstrate this; it is reviewed and adapted regularly.  Threaded through our curriculum is a safeguarding curriculum. Our curriculum also focuses on well-being and mental health.

All our topics have a balance of subjects across the whole year to ensure appropriate coverage of the National Curriculum with the older children following a 2 year rolling programme.

Home learning is also linked to the topic and encourages children and their carers to work together on their learning at home.

Children’s achievements are recognised and celebrated in class and in our weekly celebration assemblies. This encourages self-esteem and creates a climate of aspiration.

We strongly believe in equality of opportunity for all and we are a fully inclusive school and we both respect and celebrate each child’s unique qualities. We set high standards both in work and behaviour and this is reinforced by praise and reward.

EYFS	Communication and Language	Personal, Social and Emotional Development	Physical Development	Literacy	Mathematics	Understanding the World	Expressive Arts and Design
Early Learning Goals	·       Listening and Understanding ·       Speaking	·       Self-Regulation ·       Managing Self ·       Building Relationships	·       Gross Motor ·       Fine Motor	·       Comprehension ·       Reading ·       Writing	·       Number ·       Numerical Problems	·       Past and Present ·       People Culture and Communicators ·       The Natural World	·       Creating with materials ·       Being Imaginative and expressive

 

KS1

English

Maths

Science

Religious Education

History

Geography

Art & Design

Design Technology

Physical Education

Music

PSHE including SRE

 

Curriculum Enhancements

Outdoor Learning

Educational Visit

Visitors in School

School Council

Extra Curriculum Clubs

Whole School Events

Real Experiences

Charity Events

Parental Involvement

Responding to topical events

School choir Recorders

Green Team

Participation in Community events

Impact

Leadership and Management	Quality of Education	Personal Development	Behaviour and Attitudes
Leaders at all levels have a clear vision with strong, shared values, policies and consistent practice.	From accurately evaluated starting points, children make expected or greater than expected progress – socially, emotionally, physically, creatively and academically.  Skills are secured and embedded so that they can be applied across a range of context.	Children’s actions demonstrate school and British values enabling them to contribute to society and have successful personal and professional relationships.	Through a positive learning environment, children will feel encouraged and rewarded to do their very best. They will support one another in demonstrating our core values and promote good learning behaviours at all times.
Curriculum Evaluation
Periodic summative assessments capture achievement and progress at key points throughout the year and the curriculum.  These are subject specific and lead to adapted planning and provision for next steps.	Ongoing formative assessments, across all subjects, provide children with feedback and opportunities to interleave their knowledge building blocks with skills across the curriculum.    Qualitative assessments will be made by staff capturing achievement across the breadth of the curriculum via observations, discussion and scrutiny of outcomes.	Moderation of assessments and judgements will happen regularly across the school and through work with colleagues from other schools, locally and in Hampshire to ensure accuracy and consistency.	Subject leaders review the provision of their subject area termly using this information to inform strategic planning including professional development
Governors evaluate the work of leaders in ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning across the school is good. They ensure that pupils are ready for transition to the next stage of their education with the skills to flourish and succeed as individuals living the values of excellence, respect and enjoyment.