Learning in our Creative Curriculum

Intent

At Brockwell Nursery and Infant School our intention is that our curriculum extends opportunities, opens children's eyes to their immediate environment and beyond, enabling them to live happy, healthy and productive lives, by inspiring a life long love of learning. Our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum for our Nursery and Reception classes and the National Curriculum for Key Stage One. It is focused on the development of children's key knowledge and skills across all subjects, with the aim of ensuring pupils are ready for the next stage of their learning. Our cross curricular and child centred approach is supported by a variety of enrichment activities which enhance this learning, such as visiting workshops, theatre groups and trips which further immerse ALL children in their learning. 

At Brockwell, through our broad and balanced curriculum we endeavour to promote the diversity of life and celebrate difference whilst promoting respect for all within our classrooms as well as the wider community and beyond.

The curriculum is delivered through topics, which run on a two-year cycle. The knowledge and skills within these topics are planned sequentially, so that learning is layered and built upon throughout the school. Our progression documents for English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, Computing, Art and Design and Technology demonstrate how we plan for the progression of knowledge, skills and vocabulary across the school. For P.E, Music, PSHE and RE we follow published schemes of work. The curriculum is often practical in nature, is ambitious and reinforces prior learning. 

For our Long and Medium Term Planning, please see our Planning Section. 

Please find our Music Development Plan Summary here

Phonics and Early Reading are given the highest priority in our curriculum, as the ability to read and understand opens up learning for all children in all areas. Time both within school and at home, with the support of parents and grandparents, high quality texts for both reading for pleasure and within our scheme support this. We believe that the development of children's vocabulary is a vital tool in learning and understanding the full language. 

In Maths, we follow a mastery approach, where all pupils are taught their year groups expectations, including challenge for all, with a strong emphasis on problem solving opportunities at all levels, with support and interventions for those who need it. We use the White Rose documentation to support us in our planning/teaching of Maths. We know that promptly addressing misconceptions is central to children learning effectively. 

We approach all learning in a child centred way and our cross curricular links show children how subjects are related. Opportunities are taken to learn Maths and English in real life contexts, however there are some subjects that we feel are best taught independently.

At Brockwell, pupils with additional needs or/and additional barriers to learning are well supported within lessons and throughout school. Extra support/resources, whether academic or social, through nurture group/positive play, are deployed where necessary to close individual learning gaps.

Implementation

Knowing that all our children learn differently, our teachers are reflective and use a range of teaching styles to ensure all children are engaged and motivated. Within our rich learning  environments we vary working in mixed ability, or similar ability groups, in pairs or alone and very much promote 'talking and learning'. We aim to build resilience and encourage a 'growth mindset' amongst our children, as we know that 'mistakes are magnificent as they lead to learning'.

In all our classrooms, there is a strong emphasis on independent learning. This is supported by the use of continuous provision throughout ALL year groups in school. Through this children are:

Embedding and practising taught skills

Challenging themselves

Exploring, wondering and questioning

Experimenting and playing with possibilities

Researching and seeking information

Clarifying existing ideas

Deepening understanding through application of a concept

AND importantly developing and following their own interests. 

Impact

Both formative and summative assessment are used to identify the children's progress through the curriculum and allows the teaching to be adapted and refined to meet the children learning needs.

Our staff are highly skilled, responsive practitioners who closely monitor pupil's progress and learning within lessons and over the course of a unit. Teachers adjust lessons based on this continuous feedback and assessment.

End of year summative assessments enable judgements to be made against age related expectations.

We review our curriculum regularly and this includes devoting staff meetings and INSET days where the whole school teaching/support team can reflect on and further develop the curriculum provision. 

Our Senior Leadership Team, Subject Leaders and Governors regularly monitor our curriculum through a range of activities such as book scrutinies, learning walks/talks and pupil interviews, providing feedback to develop practice. Subject leaders produce and review action plans yearly for their subject, in line with the School Improvement Plan and linked to their Performance Management.

Subject knowledge and leadership is developed through work with our cluster, through leadership attending relevant training and visiting other schools in the wider community to see best practice.

We believe strongly that the combination of all of the above provides the children with the academic knowledge and skills ready for them to take the next step. Importantly alongside this, it allows them to be the children that they are, developing and following their own interests thus inspiring them to become lifelong learners and preparing them for the changing world they are growing into.