Subject Intent Statements

We have worked hard with all subject leaders to outline our intentions for each of our subject areas.

English - Writing

At Hazeldene School, we believe that writing is a key skill for life both inside and out of education. That is why it features across all the subjects taught across our school. Our aim is to teach children writing skills that build year on year, can be used across all subjects and prepare the children for life after Year 6 as they move into secondary school. Here at Hazeldene, we see how exciting the writing process can be and provide our children with interesting texts from Nursery to Year 6 to develop their writing journey – we want them to see writing as a pleasure and to enjoy the writing process.

At Hazeldene, we see the importance of writing for a purpose and provide our children with a variety of opportunities to write for different reasons. We feel this develops each child’s ability to apply their writing skills in a range of contexts, whilst having a real purpose to write. Oracy is important in our writing curriculum. We feel it is imperative to build a child’s vocabulary in order that they may develop their own creative writing. Discussion of narrative texts is a priority at Hazeldene through the use of whole class texts. Our aim is that all children enjoy writing and are provided with modelling and scaffolding, where appropriate, so that each child can be successful, as well as challenged, in order that they should meet their full potential. We want our children to be confident writers who are proud of their work.

English - Reading

At Hazeldene School, we believe that reading is an essential skill and therefore it is given high priority within our school. We would like every child to continue to have a life-long love of reading. Throughout the school, we strive to foster a love of reading by carefully selecting chosen texts to fire the children’s imagination and prompt them to ask questions as well as develop their vocabulary. We also believe that high-quality books can be used for a range of speaking, listening and drama activities as well as providing children with inspiration for their own writing. We want children to see reading as a pleasurable and entertaining activity, to enjoy discussions about books and to anticipate the next chapter

English - Phonics

At Hazeldene we use phonics which is a method for teaching our children how to read and write an alphabetic language. It is done by demonstrating the relationship between the sounds of the spoken language, and the letters or groups of letters or syllables of the written language.

To find out more about our named phonics programme, click here

Phonics Workshop

Mathematics

At the heart of Hazeldene School, we strive for children to have a positive mind set about mathematics. We want our children to be open and willing to try new approaches, whilst relishing mathematical challenges. We also want them to show curiosity in maths and understand how it relates to real life situations. Children should have regular opportunities to reason mathematically across the curriculum. We aspire to develop children who have good numbers sense, who are able to be flexible with numbers applying this throughout their school journey. By the time they have completed their time with us, they will be confident using a range of representations and will make connections between mathematical concepts.

Calculation Policy

Science

At Hazeldene, we strive to promote the love of learning science and for children to understand and be curious about the science within their everyday lives. We aim to develop children’s understanding of the role of science in society and so enable children to make informed decisions about their own wellbeing and the well-being of society and the environment in the future. Working scientifically plays a major part in the children’s learning experiences and children make links with their own lives. All children to work scientifically during lessons and work collaboratively investigating different concepts and ideas. It is our intention that by the end of each Key Stage, each child will have an understanding of a variety of scientific concepts, be able to confidently discuss them and relate them to the world around them.

Art and Design

At Hazeldene School, we want art to allow the children to express their creativity. We believe that the children should value art as a tool for life which will give them enjoyment and benefit their mental wellbeing. Through our art topics and our approach to teaching art we want all pupils to be stimulated and challenged. Through our art units of work, we want the children to experiment with techniques, learn new skills and try new things

Computing

In Computing at Hazeldene, we aim to equip children for the ever-changing digital world. We want to equip pupils to use computational thinking and creativity that will enable them to become active participants in the digital world. It is important to us that the children understand how to use the everchanging technology to express themselves, as tools for learning and as a means to drive their generation forward into the future.

Whilst ensuring they understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with online experiences, we want the children to develop as respectful, responsible and confident users of technology, aware of measures that can be taken to keep themselves and others safe online.

Our aim is to provide a computing curriculum that is designed to balance acquiring a broad and deep knowledge alongside opportunities to apply skills in various digital contexts. As well as teaching computing discreetly, we will give pupils the opportunity to apply and develop what they have learnt across wider learning in the curriculum. We want our pupils to have a breadth of experience to develop their understanding of themselves as individuals within their community but also as members of a wider global community and as responsible digital citizens.

Design and Technology

At Hazeldene School we are committed to providing all children with learning opportunities to engage in design and technology. We believe Design and Technology offers opportunities for children to develop skills, knowledge and understanding through designing and making as well as learning about the world we live in. They will also have opportunities to design and make functional products for particular purposes and users, including how to prepare and cook food.

Through our DT projects the pupils develop their capability to create high quality products through combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding. We want the children to develop a sense of enjoyment and pride in their ability to make products and evaluating their efficacy.

We strive to nurture creativity and innovation through designing and making. We support pupils as they take risks to becoming resourceful and enterprising students who can solve problems in real and relevant contexts.

Geography

At Hazeldene, we aim to create a learning experience for the children that embeds the ethos of the national curriculum which is to provide ‘A high-quality geography education (which) should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.’ It is our intention that this curiosity and fascination begins enthusiastically in early years and is threaded through their curriculum journey with equal commitment until the children leave us in Year 6.

Whole school days such as Greta Thunberg Day in September and Earth Day in April, help raise the children’s cultural awareness and develop attitudes and beliefs about the world around them.

The staff at Hazeldene believe that everyone should have access to the Geography curriculum, regardless of gender, race, disability, economic background or educational need. We ensure that we study a range of place and cultures and make every effort to avoid stereotypes so that children develop an accurate perception of people and places.

It is our intention that Geography is taught through discrete lessons in half termly topic themes. Teachers forge cross curricular links, giving a meaningful context for the learning. However, teachers make it explicit to the children that they are learning Geography and the children are ‘geographers’. Geography is important in our school as it provides a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. We explore the relationship between earth and its people. It stimulates curiosity and imagination. Wherever possible, we aim to build upon the child’s ‘Individual Geography’, developing geographical skills, understanding and knowledge through studying places and themes. It is our intention that children learn to explore the grounds of the school and its immediate surroundings. We would like the children to have an appreciation of the town and locality in which they live and this is one of the golden threads that weaves through their geographical journey at Hazeldene. It is also intended that the children develop an increasing geographical understanding of England, the United Kingdom and the wider world. The topics have been planned in line with the National curriculum so that place is explored at an increasing scale and that skills, geographical vocabulary and knowledge and understanding develop sequentially, relating to prior learning and giving a ‘heads up’ to future learning. Cultural capital is also an important part of the Geography delivery at Hazeldene as we develop geographers who are exposed to the geographical context of Geography in our culture.

It is intended that children will learn through an enquiry approach, beginning each topic with a big enquiry question followed by further smaller enquiry questions. This will help the children to more actively engage with their learning and promote higher order thinking skills that are transferrable to other subjects and important skills for life.

History

Our History curriculum at Hazeldene seeks to bring history to life by immersing children in realistic experiences both in and out of the classroom, as well as on engaging educational visits related to our topic areas. Children have a strong sense of their place in history, and their awareness of when events occurred in relation to one another is reinforced.

A strong focus will be put on the development of specialised historical skills in addition to historical knowledge. Our school's history curriculum prepares children to ask relevant questions about the past, analyse evidence, think critically, understand other points of view, and make well- informed decisions. We believe that our children should be taught how Britain has affected and been influenced by the rest of the world. In addition, we have created a unique curriculum for everyone. Our History programme is designed to help children understand the complexities of people's lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies, and intergroup relationships.

In Key Stage 1, children study about a variety of notable persons from the past who have made significant contributions to national and worldwide successes. Amelia Earhart, Bessie Coleman, and Tim Peake, for example. These are carefully selected so children learn about people of both genders and from diverse backgrounds. Other topics include comparing different decades, the Great Fire of London, and elements of being a Victorian. Also, developments inside living memory and events beyond living memory that are significant domestically or worldwide.

Individual sessions are designed to motivate, engage, and challenge children based on their specific interests. Children are exposed to a wide range of events both within and outside the classroom. We invite school visits and visitors into the classroom so that the students can acquire first-hand experiences that will help them study more effectively. Pupils are taught to think like historians and to enhance their historical inquiry abilities. Children's other skills, such as grasp of chronology, evidence interpretation, changes within and throughout time periods, and cause and effect, are also heavily emphasised. The history lessons are designed to allow children grasp their own identities as well as the issues of their local community. At Hazeldene a long term plan, with carefully constructed units of work covering the full range of skills, is in place in order to achieve this. History is taught within each year group building on work covered in previous years and links to future topics. Medium term plans ensure coverage of both the required knowledge and the subject specific skills. Individual sessions are planned to inspire, engage and challenge pupils in response to their needs. Children are given a wide variety of experiences both in the classroom and out. We encourage school visits and visitors into school to enable the children to gain first hand experiences to support their learning. Pupils are encouraged to think like historians and develop their skills including historical enquiry. There is a strong emphasis on developing children’s other skills such as understanding of chronology, interpretations of evidence, changes within a time and across time periods and cause and consequence. The History units taught have been developed to help children appreciate their own identity and the challenges in their time. It will help them understand the process of change over time and significant developments.

Languages

At Hazeldene we believed that the skills, knowledge and understanding gained through learning a language contribute to the development of children’s oracy and literacy and to their understanding of their own culture and those of others. At Hazeldene School, we feel that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the faster the language in question is acquired. We believe that the early acquisition of French will facilitate the learning of other foreign languages later in life. We will prepare children for the KS3 language curriculum to enable them to transfer confidently and successfully.

Music

At Hazeldene School, we provide an enjoyable and exciting curriculum that integrates practical exploration as well as a child-led approach to musical learning. We hope to inspire children’s creativity as well as develop a life-long love of music and a passion for singing. By listening and appraising different musical styles, the children are given opportunities to compose, improvise and perform, enabling them to become confident, reflective and knowledgeable musicians.

Physical Education

We study PE to develop the physical, social and emotional well-being of our students. We aim to provide an inclusive, engaging and challenging curriculum that allows (all) students to achieve beyond their expectations. We aim to offer excellent opportunities to develop a healthy life-long love of physical activity and to provide a first-class teaching and learning environment where both staff and students enjoy working hard together to achieve success. We want all students to feel as though they are part of a team; believe in their healthy potential and thrive physically, socially and emotionally. We do this by developing positive attitudes, fundamental skills and providing fun, engaging, memorable physical activities throughout a student’s journey within Physical Education.

Students will be provided with a variety of opportunities and experiences throughout their time at Hazeldene School, challenging them both in school and through extra-curricular competitive sport. Throughout their journey with us, students will develop physical, technical and tactical sporting skills; enhanced by an embedded focus on mental skills such as resilience, determination and confidence. There will be an emphasis on improving fitness in conjunction with health and well-being through knowledge and application. Leadership skills take a strong emphasis in Upper Key Stage 2, with students able to take on additional roles: an emphasis is placed on skills such as coaching or officiating, which are embedded within our lessons from Reception through to Year 6.

Our intention is to ensure all students leave the school possessing the skills, motivation and knowledge to enjoy a lifelong engagement with sport and physical activity, which can then be built on as they continue on their journey through secondary school. We trust that our broad and innovative PE curriculum will allow students to develop their love of movement and sport well beyond their time with us.

Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education

We believe that the purpose of PSCHE education is to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school curriculum and in statutory guidance on: ie, drug education, financial education, citizenship, personal safety, sex and relationship education (SRE) and the importance of physical activity and diet for a healthy lifestyle.

At Hazeldene School we aim to help the children to have an understanding of their core values and how these impact the decisions they make. We want the pupils to develop self-confidence, self-esteem and recognise their self-worth. All pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively with others and teamwork plays a big role in our PSCHE lessons.

We intend to prepare to play an active role as citizens in a diverse society and to have a strong understanding of the world around them. Pupils are taught how to have a healthy, safe lifestyle with the ability to make informed decisions. Part of this teaching will focus on recognising the importance of their own mental health and well-being. As a school, our PSHCE curriculum gives opportunities to develop good relationships and respect the differences between members of the school and the wider community.

Religious Education

At Hazeldene, our curriculum is based on the Agreed Syllabus for Bedfordshire and Luton. It is an entitlement for all children and the school plans lessonsto link with the termly topics. The principle aim of RE is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address, so that they can develop the understanding and skills needed to appreciate and appraise varied responses to questions, as well as develop responses of their own. Religious Education does not seek to urge religious beliefs on children or to compromise the integrity of their own beliefs by promoting one religion over another. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. Suitable alternative provision will be made.

Through our RE curriculum we ensure that all pupils know about and understand a range of religions and worldviews, so that they can describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities and amongst individuals. In addition to this the pupils are given opportunities to identify, investigate and respond to questions posed, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom found in religions and worldviews.

We would like the children to be able to express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and worldviews, so that they can explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities.

Pupils will enquire into what enables different individuals and communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all. They will be able to articulate, beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives