St-Erme with Trispen Primary Curriculum – Implementation
At St-Erme with Trispen Primary, we are incredibly passionate and excited about our curriculum. We have worked to develop a thematic curriculum which aims to enrich our children’s’ experiences, ignite their imagination, motivate and engage them, boost their creativity and encourage them to be life-long learners. Our pupils are given the opportunity to develop a sound knowledge and understanding in a range of skills through quality first teaching and learning.
We plan our curriculum in three phases and agree a long-term plan for each year group. The long-term plan shows the thematic titles, when they will be taught and to which year groups. Each subject has a detailed progression of knowledge and skills for each year group ensuring a clear learning journey for all pupils. We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum. Due to the nature of our intake, our long-term plans are reviewed on an annual basis. With the need for mixed aged classes, our curriculum needs to be meticulously planned in order to make sure that children are always building on the knowledge and skills learnt in previous years.
From our knowledge and skills progression overviews, teachers are able to sequence learning using our sequence sheets. These ensure that learning is progressive and that learning intentions for each session build upon the small steps needed to achieve the intended outcomes. Our learning intentions start with the phrase ‘We Are Learning How To’ (WALHT). This allows teachers to plan learning intentions which incorporate both skills and knowledge. However, with small steps and progression in mind, our learning objectives are not seen as ‘one lesson’. Instead, we believe it is important that they are fluid in their timings. One learning intention could be covered in 15 minutes whilst another learning intention may need more time dedicated so that deep, discovery learning can take place. Once a learning intention has been decided on, teachers are tasked with identifying the best possible teaching strategies and activities to ensure the progress of all.
