Curriculum Intent

At Padnell Infant School, we teach a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum.  We believe our school to be the heart of the community, an environment where curious, ambitious minds are grown, where confident happy individuals are developed and where children GROW knowing how to keep themselves healthy and safe in body and mind.  In Reception we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework  Ensuring coverage of all the key areas of learning:                                    

• Communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development
• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

Our creative teaching team draw on the interests of the children and use ‘child led’ topics to ensure key knowledge and skills are woven into children’s every day experiences.  

Our curriculum provides rich and engaging opportunities which enables the children to learn through play and encourages them to find out answers for themselves in a supportive, nurturing environment. 

The foundations learnt in the Early Years are built upon as children move into KS1 where they follow the National Curriculum.  The National Curriculum sets out the aims of a programme of education. It also sets out the structure for those aims to be implemented, including the knowledge and skills that children should acquire. 

Our topic-based curriculum, which is outlined in our Year Group Curriculum Overviews, ensures that children are taught the necessary skills and knowledge they need, in a progressive, logical order, while aiming to develop a love of learning and thirst for knowledge.  By providing children with a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum we aim to help children make connections, think independently and aim high, encouraging them to set themselves ambitious aspirations.

Effective cross-curricular links are made where relevant to show our children how the subjects are related and opportunities are taken to learn maths and English in a real life context. Our well-resourced learning environments, complete with learning walls and good examples of work, ensure children can grow towards working independently and know what success looks like. 

Our extensive grounds, including our unique ‘Joey’s Field’ allows us the opportunity to enrich the children’s learning with an abundance of natural and real life experiences. Our fully trained Forest School member of staff delivers a programme that enhances the national curriculum and develops teamwork, communication, problem solving and enquiry in our children.  

Throughout all we do, we encourage children to value and embrace each other’s similarities and differences, learning and supporting each other whilst promoting cultural awareness and ensuring our children become caring, compassionate, respectful individuals.

Our vision, values and curriculum are outlined in our “Curriculum for Learning” document.

Curriculum Intent

Our year teams and subject leaders work together to ensure coverage, and adapt provision to meet the needs of the learners.  Our subjects may be delivered in a block or through regular weekly lessons or any combination of the two methods based on the needs of the children and the nature of the unit of work.  

Phonics is taught using the Twinkl programme beginning in week 1 of year R and our R.E education follows the Living Difference IV syllabus.  In line with the curriculum expectations, the learning outcome is the focus for all children and scaffolding is used as and where necessary to support the individual needs of the children in the class.  For those who are ready, deeper learning opportunities are provided, enabling ‘mastery’ of a particular element or skill.

Class teachers take responsibility for providing a curriculum that is suitable for all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) with support from the SENCO.  We also are fortunate to be able to provide support from our ELSA and Speech & Language specialist.  We are committed to ensuring our curriculum complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. 

Our Curriculum Overviews (below) maps out the curriculum content in each year group.  You may notice that some elements are repeated within consecutive years. This allows for depth of learning to take place and encourages the children to become 'lifelong learners'.

Year R Curriculum Overview
Year 1 Curriculum Overview 
Year 2 Curriculum Overview

 

Year R Phonics Workshop Presentation

Maths Long Term Plan - Year R
Maths Long Term Plan - Year 1
Maths Long Term Plan - Year 2