Curriculum Intent

The curriculum at Harvington C.E. First and Nursery School is derived from a precise understanding of our children’s needs. In recognition of the starting points of many of our children, we have designed a curriculum to provide a breadth of exciting, purposeful learning experiences to ensure a rapid development of knowledge, skills, independence and confidence. We strive to follow our school’s Christian values ensuring these are embedded in the life of our school. The aim is for our children to have the skills needed for them to become positive, aspirational and moral citizens with an understanding of global issues and a voice to support understanding and change.

Our curriculum intent includes planned opportunities to:

• Ensure a love and desire to learn following the Christian values and vision statement
• Enrich and challenge all learners
• Develop the skills to prepare children for life in the world we live in
• Become resilient, positive, aspirational learners
• Develop ‘pupil voice’ and children as leaders in their learning
• Close all learning gaps
• Develop ambitious vocabulary choices
• Learn in a stimulating environment both inside and outside the classroom
• Engage in purposeful learning, opportunities including: visits, visitors, workshops, theme days, outdoor learning and cookery.
• Engage families in providing the skills and understanding to support as partners in learning
• Develop mastery skills by planning for breadth and depth
• Appreciate the world they live in and understand our local and global community
• Develop a voice to promote change and a confidence to speak out about issues that are important to us.
• Develop the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of all our learners.
• Learn how to lead a healthy life
• Experiences to aspire and learn about different career opportunities

Children leave our school as able, independent, caring, confident, respectful learners ready to find their place in the world.

Approaches to learning

* Underpinned with core values 

* Promotion of learning independence

* Consistent approaches to teaching and learning                

* Cross-curricular themes with a planned 'grab' and end product.                     

* High quality resources and learning environment                     

* Instilling a passion for learning    

* Promoting effective communication and team work

* High expectation of all pupils               

* Personalised support for under-performing pupils

Further information about the curriculum

Our Curriculum is based around the 2014 National Curriculum for KS1 and KS2 and the Early Years framework for Reception and Nursery.  It is designed to provide our learners with a range of different learning experiences that meet the needs and interests of all pupils.  We plan and organise activities to promote learning and personal growth and development. It includes, not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but also the range of extra-curricular activities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. 

We aim to teach children how to grow into positive, responsible people, who can work and co-operate with others whilst developing knowledge, skills and attitudes to learning, in order that they achieve their true potential.

Our curriculum promotes respect for the views of each individual child, as well as for different cultures and religious beliefs. We value the spiritual and moral development of each person, as well as their intellectual and physical growth.

We organise our curriculum so that we promote co-operation and understanding between all members of our community. We are fortunate to have a spacious learning environment; this is respected and used throughout lessons by all in school. 

We aim, through our curriculum, to teach respect for our world, and how we should care for it for future generations, as well as our own.

At Harvington, our school values (truthfulness, perseverance, friendship, trust, forgiveness and respect) permeate through all areas of school life including the curriculum. These values are at the forefront of consideration when planning learning opportunities and experiences for the children and are reflected by the school’s vision statement: Together we love, learn and grow.

Based on the National Curriculum/EYFS framework, theme questions are set for each year group for each half term. Within each theme there are planned activities to develop skills within all curriculum subject areas.  Each of our themes begin with a grab (artefact/piece of art work) to engage and enthuse our learners. At the end of a theme there is an end project/day that brings all of the learning together and give the children chance to consolidate their learning, for example setting up a class museum to share learning with another class. 

In addition to the theme teaching within school, English (including reading, phonics and SPAG), maths, science, RE and computing will be taught as separate lessons. There will be areas of all of these subjects that will be developed and enhanced throughout the theme work but the main objectives for these subjects will be taught discretely.

What makes our curriculum bespoke to Harvington?

• Key questions that encourage children to think and investigate
• Key texts linked to the theme questions to encourage writing for a purpose and making links between different areas of learning
• Clear English and maths opportunities planned into theme work to enable children to further practise and apply their skills
• A grab at the start of the unit to get children excited about their learning
• An end product to draw the learning together and as something purposeful to work towards
• Exciting opportunities for the children to enhance their learning through trips and outdoor activities.
• Global Curriculum links to enable children to learn about events in the wider world and develop empathy and understanding
• Development of pupil voice through planned speech and language and drama in class learning, ministerial roles in Pupil Parliament, Eco leadership and Christian Distinctiveness leadership through the Sunshine Group.
• Music lessons: Year 2 recorders, Year 3 fife and Year 4 cornet.
• Foundation subjects all linked to a theme with a clear assessment focus ensuring depth and breadth
• Enterprise and independent thinking opportunities where children can take ownership of a project
• Opportunities for the children to observe and evaluate learning
• Forest school for EYFS and KS1
• Roots and Shoots Group for Years 2-5
• Weekly French language lessons for Years 2-5
• All children in KS2 receive swimming lessons each year

National Curriculum 

Please click on the image below to link directly to the National Curriculum Document