Our Curriculum

INTENT

We will ensure that all children are able to thrive through quality learning experiences, ensuring their readiness for the next stage in their learning.

At Discovery Multi Academy Trust the curriculum is designed to provide wide-ranging experiences and contexts which allow our children to develop the skills and knowledge to allow them to become resilient, reflective and creative thinkers. Through an engaging STEM-based approach to learning, our children will collaborate and be able to fulfil their wider role in their community. They will have the skills to make connections in what they have learnt, self-evaluate and develop a desire to learn as they go on to their next stage of learning.

IMPLEMENTATION

Here at Weston Mill we strive to engage children in their learning though a range of experiences, developed through our cross curricular planning. We try to engage with members of the community, develop real life situations, hold WOW days to ignite a new topic of learning which allow us to vary and promote children to ask questions and start the journey of learning with an enquiring mind. As a MAT, we have created a Discovery list, which we aim for every child to have the opportunity to experience, from the time they join us in Nursery to the time they leave us in Year 6. In varying the opportunities, approaches we hope to develop the skills and knowledge that the children have, making those crucial connections within their learning.

Teachers work hard to develop their teaching styles to develop those key skills in learning, using a range of strategies to allow children to recall learning and make connections. Classrooms allow learning to be displayed, promoting the importance of language and work completed by the children. Reading plays a high priority in our learning, and children are exposed to many text types through their learning, to develop their language and understanding around the curriculum. From the start of their learning journey we follow RWI to develop their sounds and blending skills, and then ensure that reading is embedded into the curriculum at every opportunity. This has been developed recently with the introduction of AR reading, as well as us opening our library for two sessions in the morning for parents and children to access.

As well as reading, many other skills are developed as well, including our STEM based strategies and skills to help children in all areas. These are also developed within our STEM weeks throughout the year, and children are encouraged through visitors into school or competitions. Through these many approaches, children learn to become resilient, from learning to become independent, problem solving as well as emotionally resilient in their own well being with the use of the HUT provision in our school.

Throughout the school year, we aim to develop days where children can come together and work alongside a new group of children, developing a wide range of skills and ability to collaborate with one another. In addition to this, children are also encouraged to take responsibility within the school such as librarians, peer readers, school champions. We try to provide additional opportunities for children through afterschool clubs which are supported by the teachers or outside links that we have made.

Community plays a huge part in our school, and we are always looking for new links or ways to develop the work we plan. Industries such as KIER and the incinerator have invested time and effort into the children learning recently, as well as the school supporting specific and national charities, raising their awareness of others in their community.

As a result, we hope to see children who develop as caring individuals, who know about asking questions, and are prepared to think for themselves. We look to develop an appreciation of others, considering the wider world and the impact that they can have on this. We want them to think about previous choices they have made, and what they have learnt in their new steps of learning, so that they want to learn more. We want them to have confidence to have a go, knowing mistakes can be made, and that their learning is in their control.

IMPACT

We evidence the impact of our implementation through:

• Pupil voice feedback

• Planning and book moderation

• Monitoring and assessment at school and MAT level including data outcomes

• External monitoring

• Parent survey and engagement

• Whole school reviewed by Governance