Curriculum Drivers

When designing our curriculum we use a three stage process- 'Engage, Develop, Innovate'.

Engage

Engage is a short stage in which children take part in a memorable experience to stimulate curiosity, ask questions and talk about their prior learning. Pupils are introduced to the baseline knowledge to support future learning.

At the ‘Engage’ stage children:

Gain valuable first hand experiences such as a trip or having a visitor in to school.
Enjoy ‘WOW’ experiences.
Get an exciting introduction to a topic which sets the scene.
Begin researching or come up with enquiry questions.
Get lots of opportunities to make observations.
Develop spoken language skills.
Have lots of fun to fully engage with their topic.

Develop

During the topics the content is sequenced to ensure that components of knowledge lead to conceptual learning. This analysis is supported by strong subject knowledge from staff and aims for both depth of learning and breadth of coverage. Opportunities to practise and develop knowledge and skills are built into the curriculum to secure deep understanding of each discipline. The curriculum planning ensures a layering of knowledge and concepts so that all pupils can make progress. Key vocabulary is taught through each topic and revisited from previous topics where relevant so children can transfer skills, knowledge and vocabulary between year groups.

Develop is a ‘longer’ stage, where children delve more deeply into a theme, explore and acquire new skills and knowledge, revisit previously acquired skills and knowledge, make links between subjects, explore, make, read and write for a variety of purposes across the curriculum.

At the ‘develop’ stage:

Improve their knowledge and depth of understanding of the topic.
Develop and practice their new skills, allowing time for consolidation.
Compose, make, do, build, investigate, explore, write for different purposes, and read across the curriculum.
Research their own questions and those set by others.
Access reading, writing.

Innovate

At the start of the journey an end purpose is shared and learning throughout the topic is geared towards this end purpose which provides opportunities for children to be innovative, where outcomes are open ended and generated by individual creativity based on knowledge, skills and experiences.

The ‘innovate’ stage:

Provides imaginative scenarios that provoke creative thinking.
Encourages children to apply knowledge, skills and understanding in real-life contexts.
Encourages children to solve real or imagined problems using everything they have learnt.
Promotes work in both groups and independently in order to solve problems.
Encourages children to get inspired by imaginative and creative opportunities.
Give opportunities to revisit anything not fully grasped at the ‘Develop’ stage.