Intent
At Knowsley Junior School we believe that the curriculum is a powerful tool that promotes a love of learning and willingness to explore, and the time to have fun. We are proud to use the national curriculum as a starting point for a wide and varied learning experience for our children. We enrich it by our strong ethos, based on respect for ourselves and others, equality, the importance of British values and a sense of wonder at the world in which we live. We are committed to developing the whole child. Our children will have the opportunity to be creative, to be physically active and to be academically challenged.
Our curriculum was formulated by considering the needs and interests of our pupils as well as the strengths and expertise of our staff. This, in conjunction with the knowledge of our community, history and social context allowed the for the construction of a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. The curriculum at Knowsley Junior School promotes; the highest standards of achievement by all pupils, regardless of disability, ethnic origin, gender or social background, pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, preparing them for life as effective citizens, able to respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing world, and finally a commitment to lifelong learning.
Our ethos ‘Respecting each other, succeeding together’ underpins all we do. The pedagogy of cross-curricular learning allows children to be more involved in their own learning – choosing the experiences that they deem important. This also supports our Rights Respecting School Status, as the UN Convention expects children to have a say in what and how they are taught.
At Knowsley Junior School, our curriculum follows a knowledge engaged approach; knowledge and skill are intertwined. We believe pupils should construct their own meaning and discover new knowledge by doing. Whilst direct instruction is shown to be the most effective strategy for transmitting knowledge, we also emphasize discovery learning, problem solving and enquiry based teaching. We have a responsibility to teach content in a way that also teaches skills, dispositions and competencies needed to make our children indispensable in an uncertain future.
History, particularly British history and the requirement for secure chronological understanding, provides the basis of the topic ideas. The remaining studies were then interspersed (Y3 Ancient Greece, Y5 Ancient Egypt, Y6 The Maya) in a way that children begin to study the wider world; Europe, Africa, South America.
Each topic has a different driver; history, geography, science. This subject forms the core of the topic, from which other subject skills are taught. Children’s knowledge and understanding grows as they become aware of subject specific skills, which build year on year. They apply their skillset to new and challenging ideas, gaining discrete knowledge in a joined up way. Theme weeks, visitors and trips also enrich subjects and topics studied. Within our cross curricular, knowledge engaged approach, the subject and its specific skills still need to be made explicit. Subject specific vocabulary and knowledge allows pupils to make links across other subjects. We use a code system alongside each learning objective to ensure pupils are aware of the discrete subject/s and associated skills being studied. These are clearly stated on our medium term topic plans.
Each year group closely analysed their topics and drew up a list of non-negotiable knowledge and skills children MUST know in by the end of the sequence of learning. This learning was identified as that which will be needed in order to continue making progress throughout their schooling. The non-negotiables were made into child friendly ‘Topic Mats’ which are on display, discussed and used regularly by children to support their work. The same activity was undertaken for all our science topics.
Our whole school curriculum was updated for the 2017/18 academic year. English (writing, reading and SpaG) has now been further embedded in a cross curricular way which helps to provide more meaningful links. Having such a broad and varied curriculum provides numerous opportunities for our EAL and disadvantaged pupils to achieve. If learning has been recorded in writing, A, PA or NMP are assigned on the basis of the subject specific LO being achieved, not on the basis of correct spelling/ grammar etc. (although these are discussed and corrected as a matter of maintaining high standards across all subjects). This enables those who are not fluent in English or struggle to record their ideas to grow in confidence and feel they are making progress within the curriculum. In addition to quantitative data, ‘soft ‘data such as photographs, recordings, oral accounts, attendance at extra-curricular clubs and general attitude to school and learning are all taken into account when we assess the learning of our pupils.
Cross curricular teaching is important for making the curriculum relevant and meaningful to pupils and for putting knowledge into context. The way our spiral curriculum is designed and taught allows for constant retrieval questions to be posed. This helps to ensure learning has happened, in order for pupils to make links with the new information about to be presented. A rich web of knowledge is what provides the capacity for pupils to learn even more and develop their understanding.
Should you wish to know more about our school curriculum, please contact Mrs Oliver, who will be happy to discuss any questions you may have.
Knowsley Curriculum Offer
Please select the document below.
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Knowsley Curriculum Offer | [pdf 1MB] |
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Subject Leaders and their Roles
Curriculum - Mrs E Oliver
English - Miss E Aldred
Mathematics - Miss F Stewardson
Science - Mrs A Anderson
Geography - Mrs J Bunn
History - Mr S Potts
Computing - Mrs L Murfitt
Physical Education - Mr E Langhorn
Religious Education - Mrs N Shaw
The Arts & Art and Design Technology - Mrs J Jackson
Music - Mrs B Scott
PSHE - Mr S Potts
Relationships Education - Mr S Potts
Languages - Mrs N Shaw
Implementation
Our teachers have expert knowledge of what they teach. Regular meetings, CPD and training keep staff skilled in their roles. Our context for study and progression documents allow teachers to see where children have come from and where they are going. This helps to reaffirm links between topics, the retrieval of prior knowledge to allow for the widening and deepening of it, as well the opportunity to utilize and strengthen skills.
Each term, teachers assess each foundation subject’s skills to track progress and identify gaps in teaching against the objectives of the topic. Subjects individually assessed are; The Arts and DT, PE, History, RE, Computing, MFL, SMSC, Science and Geography. Those exceeding ARE and those not meeting are recorded individually. We can confidently say whether pupils have acquired the defined skills. Subject Leaders and the Curriculum Leader to track highlighted children throughout the year and offer extra support or extra-curricular enrichment opportunities. (See recent position statement)
All leaders understand the importance of progression and these subject specific progression models focus on skills progression through the content to be learned. It demonstrates what pupils need to know and the skills they should acquire at each stage. Ongoing assessment allows us to adapt teaching accordingly, identify gaps in skills and understanding and ensure coverage of the curriculum elements. If, for some reason, a particular area hasn’t been taught, or not been effective, this can then be used to inform future curriculum design.
We also carry out regular SWOT analysis of topics, as year groups during staff meetings, and modify accordingly. These prove particularly useful when a member of staff has changed year groups or joined our team. They come with fresh ideas and new perspectives.
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Curriculum Policy | [pdf 345KB] |
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Year 3 Curriculum Map | [pdf 142KB] |
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Year 4 Curriculum Map | [pdf 351KB] |
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Year 5 Curriculum Map | [pdf 578KB] |
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Year 6 Curriculum Map | [pdf 338KB] |
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Impact
The curriculum at Knowsley Junior School is well taught, appropriately sequenced, routinely assessed and modified and has a robust model of progression. Our children can talk with confidence about what they have learned, why and how it will help them in the future. They can make links between subjects, use the correct terminology and take pride in their books. Their books also provide evidence of coherent teaching sequences, subject specific language as well as children’s increasing understanding of key concepts throughout the key and vertically throughout Key Stage Two.
Our assessments show that the majority of children achieve age related expectations or better, and for those that do not, we put extra support in place to help them narrow the gap. Our good results are a reflection of what the children have learned.
The curriculum at Knowsley Junior School is a narrative in which pupils may start knowing relatively little about certain events and end up knowing a lot more. They are novices on a trajectory towards expertise.
Promoting Learning of the Curriculum at Home
Knowsley Junior School prides itself on providing many opportunities to promote the learning of the primary curriculum. The children benefit hugely by the homework they are set, which prepares them for their in-class learning and gives them the confidence to develop their existing knowledge. You can support your child in their curriculum learning at home by:
- Ensuring that a variety of books are readily available to them. You may wish to encourage your child to become a member at the local library too, so that they can access a wide range of books and other resources.
- Helping your child to select appropriate texts for their age or ones which relates to their termly topic.
- Helping your child to become a reader and develop a love for reading. This is key to lifelong learning.
- Allowing them to use a computer, under supervision, for research purposes, if possible.
- Letting your child know that you think education is important and by setting time aside for homework each day.
- Providing a special place to study and removing distractions, such as the television, during homework time and ensuring that your child is well prepared.
- Offering lots of praise whilst your child is completing their homework and when they have completed it, particularly with presentation and effort.
- Talking to your child about their learning, allowing them to discuss and reflect on what they have been learning about.
- Encouraging them to join one of our extra-curricular clubs at school, to enhance their learning.
- Involving them in games that encourage learning such as Scrabble, Monopoly, and crosswords etc.
- Watching educational documentaries on the television.
- Visiting museums and art galleries in their free time.
- Encouraging them to become responsible, independent learners, e.g. letting them join in with cooking at home and giving them responsibilities.
- Giving them the opportunity to learn a musical instrument to build confidence and encourage active learning.
- Keeping in touch with your child’s teacher by attending parents’ evenings, parent meetings, assemblies and fun school events.
- Encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle and limiting time on tablets, phones and computer games etc.
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Home Learning Policy |