Our Curriculum
Intent-Implementation-Impact (ID 1025)
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Our Springfield Curriculum
Our Springfield Curriculum
At Springfield, our Creative Curriculum has been carefully designed to inspire and motivate all children to be successful. We have developed our curriculum based on the mastery approach and as a spiral design. This means that children return to the same knowledge and skills again and again during their time at Springfield, each time consolidating and building upon prior learning to develop greater depth in their understanding and greater breadth in the application of their learning. Teaching and learning is carefully sequenced so that each small step builds on the last and so that children have plenty of opportunities to practise and apply their knowledge and skills in different ways.
Children are taught a broad and balanced curriculum, comprising lessons in a full range of core and foundation subjects. The teaching and learning in all the different subjects is linked under a creative theme or topic for the term (or half-term in EYFS). This cross-curricula learning and application of skills further impacts change in children’s long term memory, allowing them to know more and remember more and to become masters in each subject area over time.
Our Springfield curriculum is ambitious because it is built from the National Curriculum, with tailored context and content that is relevant to our children. It is designed to give all children the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed. Reading, as the gateway to all learning and knowledge, lies firmly at the heart of our curriculum, with each topic being rooted in a range of high-quality texts, designed to foster a life long love of learning and also of reading for pleasure. Our curriculum also incorporates a strong focus on all children developing a wide and transferable vocabulary.
Our Curriculum Drivers
The golden threads of our Curriculum Drivers run throughout our Curriculum. These are key skills and values which drive how our curriculum is designed and how it is delivered in classrooms.
Possibilities – Initiative – Diversity – Growth
Possibilities
This helps pupils to build aspirations and know available possibilities for their future lives.
Initiative
This helps pupils to grow as independent learners, who are not dependent on adults to learn.
Diversity
This helps pupils to live harmoniously in a multi-cultural and inclusive environment, whilst respecting all and appreciating everybody’s gifts and talents.
Growth Mindset
This helps to instil in our pupils a mindset that they can continue to learn and grow in all areas of their lives through focus and hard work.
Personal Development
We believe that all children should feel successful and experience the feeling of accomplishment in a wide range of areas. Our curriculum therefore gives pupils an inspiring mix of academic and personal development; it gives a careful balance of the core and foundation subjects; physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing are all valued, understood and prioritised through our personalised curriculum design.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, along with a well-planned and structured programme of personal development, underpins all of our work and is monitored as closely as academic subjects.
Our tailored curriculum balances the requirement for pupils to reach the national expectations in core subjects with our wider curriculum aims of providing a full spectrum of thoughtful and enriching experiences. As a result our pupils are inspired to succeed.
Plans-EYFS-ERF (ID 1026)
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Medium Term Plans
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EYFS
EYFS
At Springfield Primary School, children join the Foundation Stage 2 classes in the year that they turn five. Through partnership with parents and carers we enable the children to begin the process of becoming active learners for life. Early Years education is the foundation upon which young children build the rest of their schooling. It is a holistic education that encompasses all learning and development.
In our EYFS setting, we believe that all children are entitled to the best possible start in their school life, both intellectually and emotionally, in order to enable them to develop their full potential.
Following the statutory guidance, we seek to provide;
- quality and consistency so that all of our children make good progress and no child gets left behind
- a secure foundation for each individual child.
- a partnership with parents to ensure all children are well supported and feel safe and secure.
- equality of opportunity, ensuring that every child in included and supported.
Teaching in the EYFS setting at Springfield Primary School is delivered in accordance with the government’s statutory document ‘The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’ September 2021.
Our EYFS curriculum is structured around the seven areas of learning and development and the educational programmes.
There are three prime areas of learning:
- Communication and Language.
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
And four specific areas of learning that strengthen the prime areas.
These are:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
The Characteristics of Effective Learning set out in the EYFS Framework inform how we teach in our setting. These are;
- playing and exploring - children investigate, experience things and ‘have a go’
- active learning - children concentrate and keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and enjoy achievements
- creating and thinking critically - children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things
Our setting has been arranged to ensure all areas of the curriculum are taught in both the continuous and enhanced provision, inside and outside. This enables children to access learning in both small and large scale activities, depending on their interests and stage of development; thus helping to ensure individuals can develop in an environment that caters for their individual learning style. Children are encouraged to become independent learners and select the resources they need or want for their chosen activities with confidence, while being given plenty of support to extend their learning and understanding.
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ERF
ERF
Awaiting Content
Subjects
Subject-Gallery (ID 1024)
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Art and Design
Art and Design
We believe that art is a vital part of children’s education and has a significant and valuable role in the taught curriculum, as well as the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils. We recognise that opportunities to create and express can support pupils’ wellbeing and mental health by giving them additional confidence, feelings of engagement, and resilience. We value the global perspective of people, places and communities that art and design provides our students. We encourage children to consider the opportunities that creative work has to offer them both now and in the future.
By following the art and design programmes of study from the national curriculum, and the Early Years Statutory Framework, our art and design curriculum has been designed to ensure that it is accessible yet ambitious and challenging for all, particularly our disadvantaged and SEND pupils.
Art and Design lessons are delivered as discrete and focused sessions that have wide ranging links to other curriculum areas. Children will be taught about a varied range of artists and designers and are encouraged to develop their own thoughtful responses to the work of others. They use sketchbooks to explore and practice their ideas and techniques. Children will continue to progress their drawing and painting skills through their time at Springfield, whilst having the opportunity to experience and develop a range of other art and design areas such as textiles, sculpture and design work.
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Computing
Computing
By following the Computing national curriculum through the ‘Rising Stars Switched On Computing Series’ scheme our Computing curriculum has been designed to ensure that it is accessible yet ambitious and challenging for all, particularly our disadvantaged and SEND pupils. It gives the children the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life by ensuring they understand the three fundamental principles of computing which are Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology.
Computer science teaches the principles of algorithms, how digital systems work and how to apply this knowledge through programming. This area encourages children to be computational thinkers and to tinker, create, debug and to collaborate with others while using logic and evaluation when composing algorithms. Information Technology will equip pupils to use technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Finally, we will support children to be digitally literate and be able to use software appropriately, safely and to develop ideas and be safe, active participants in a digital world. Online safety, within computing ensures pupils know how to use technology safely and be good digital citizens in the community. Through these strands we aim to deliver the computing curriculum in a balanced, engaging and creative way while ensuring cross-curricular links are made to the wider curriculum.
Springfield’s curriculum aims to ensure that key skills are developed every year and a deep, long term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject is embedded. The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced and all year groups follow a Year ‘A’ and Year ‘B’ long-term plan that builds and progresses skills over two years. Children are exposed to small steps of learning, which are linked and connected across the curriculum, with a gradual build-up of content over the years. The aims of Computing at Springfield are far reaching; we recognise that technology has a significant impact on wellbeing and that by giving children clear direction and guidance in how to use technology, this will promote an enjoyment and understanding of computing and technology early in life.
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Design & Technology
Design & Technology
At Springfield Primary School, Design and Technology plays a pivotal role in the curriculum which promotes key areas of our Springfield Drivers and is accessible for all pupils across the school. Our D&T curriculum allows creativity and imagination to inspire children to investigate, design, make and evaluate products. Children begin building confidence in the subject from EYFS right through to Year 6 and are allowed to explore materials and tools, with guidance from teachers, to allow them to solve real and relevant problems with a broad range of context. To access D&T effectively, children draw from other subjects to support them, such as Maths, Computing, Science and Art. Throughout the year, each year group focuses on three projects, one of which is learning about healthy eating and cookery, another crucial life skill to support pupils in leading a healthy and nutritious life now and during adulthood.
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English
English
Spoken Language
At Springfield, our aim is for our children to develop rich and varied spoken language across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. We ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills to support our children in developing a capacity to explain their understanding of books and other reading, and to prepare their ideas before they write.
English - Reading
We aim for our children to be fluent and confident readers, with good understanding and a passion for reading! We follow the national curriculum (2014) for reading, providing broad, balanced and differentiated opportunities for children to develop their reading.
Our children begin their reading journey in EYFS and follow our Phonics and Early Reading programme into KS1 until they have secured the alphabetic code and are reading confidently and fluently. Through our DERIC reading skills our school and children learn to decode, explain, retrieve, interpret and analyse authors choices through whole class reading lessons from Year 2.
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum at Springfield with quality texts used throughout to inspire and motivate the children. All pupils are encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live. Through reading, we intend to support children in developing a curious mind, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. We are keen for children to develop a wide vocabulary to support their learning and understanding, this is carefully planned and sequenced.
English - Writing
Our aim is that all children will write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. We want our children’s writing to be unique and have flair, reflecting their own personality and style.
Our writing journey starts in the EYFS where children learn to squiggle and purposefully mark make, they spend time developing their gross and fine motor skills and they learn to form letters correctly following our Little Wandle programme. Through Drawing Club, the children develop their drawing and writing skills, learning about structure and composition. They imitate, innovate and invent!
This builds as children move through the school and on to the National Curriculum. We focus on the development of transcription (spelling and handwriting) using Sounds and Syllables and Little Wandle. We develop composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing), we give real purpose and audience to our pieces of writing to make it purposeful and enjoyable. Children learn how to plan, edit and evaluate their writing in response to high quality feedback from the teachers.
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Geography
Geography
At Springfield Primary School we aim to develop the skills and knowledge in our chuildren, so that they can navigate and understand the features of their local area and the world as a whole.
Through fieldwork and skill development they will be able to identify the features of the world and how it can change, as well as being confident in using the correct vocabulary and terms to describe it.
As well-rounded citizens, they will have understanding of other countries and cultures, and through research and fieldwork they will be able to identify the differences and similarities.
We provide children with many opportunities to use a range of geographical skills to help them understand, present, analyse and communicate a range of information either collaboratively or as an individual.
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History
History
At Springfield, our aim is to create a hands-on and investigative History curriculum for all pupils that sparks enjoyment for learning about the past. We seek to inspire children’s curiosity to explore Britain’s past by building enquiry skills which enable children to pursue independence in exploring topics, through termly topics that allow time to develop the chronology of periods of time. Springfield children, by the end of Year 6, have a clear understanding that we learn about the past through sources such as books, newspapers, artefacts and the work of archaeologists and understand that we don’t know everything from the past. Children have a clear understanding of the reliability of sources and use these to be critical learners and understand how to identify fake news (including online).
The curriculum is designed to ensure all pupils, by the end of Year 6, gain a coherent and chronological understanding of British history from the Stone Age to present day and leave school with a clear understanding of the passing of time, using timeline to show chronology. They will be able to make comparisons and connections between the different time periods and their own lives, examine how and why things have changed, learn about historical characters and explore how events from the past have influenced lives today. Our history curriculum is planned to ensure that current learning is linked to previous learning and opportunities to revisit to ensure children make comparisons and a number of educational visits to places of interest, visitors to school or a range of artefacts are used throughout topics to inspire children.
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Languages
Languages
Our aim, when teaching French, is to provide our pupils with a language education that will give the children the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life by ensuring that we develop their curiosity and enhance their understanding of the world as well as developing their awareness of cultural differences both in Britain and in other countries.? We believe that the teaching of French should allow children to express their ideas in a different language, and be able to listen, understand and respond to French speakers.? It is widely believed that the early acquisition of a foreign language facilitates the learning of other foreign languages later in life and that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the faster the language in question is acquired.
French lessons are taught fortnightly in KS2 during a 30-to-40-minute lesson. The Rigolo French Teaching Programme provides a long-term plan overview of the learning that is in-line with the National Curriculum designed to be accessible yet ambitious and challenging for all pupils which allows all children to make progress. Through frequently reviewing existing knowledge, children will develop fluency and ability to speak in French confidently and as we follow Springfield’s ‘mastery’ curriculum, we aim for all children to have a strong foundation and deep, long term and secure understanding of the subject.
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Maths
Maths
Maths – Our Vision
At Springfield, we teach the National Curriculum for Mathematics. We take a mastery approach, supported by the White Rose Mathematics curriculum. We have an aim of ensuring strong foundations in EYFS/KS1 and a deep, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject in KS2. Mastery is achieved for all children by ensuring all are exposed to small steps of learning, which are linked and connected, with content gradually building over the years. We aim to promote a love of maths to enable our pupils to become enthusiastic, creative and articulate mathematicians who use their skills to become great problem solvers. Mathematics is a tool for life, which provides a way of viewing and making sense of the world. It is used to analyse and communicate information and ideas and to tackle a range of tasks and real-life problems. Our intention is to prepare our children not only for secondary school, but also for maths in context of their everyday lives
We Inspire Success!
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Music
Music
At Springfield, we aim for our Music teaching to inspire a love and appreciation of music from different cultures and for our children to grow in self-confidence and gain a sense of achievement through their musical study. We want our students to develop themselves as individuals whilst also learning about teamwork and creating a sense of togetherness through playing in ensembles. Music at Springfield will give our students a chance to actively listen and explore the breadth of musical genres that there are today.
During their time at Springfield, children have regular music lessons following the national curriculum through the scheme Kapow. They will listen to music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, developing a critical musical engagement which allows them to review and evaluate the works of great composers and musicians. They will also use a range of rhythmic and melodic instruments as well as learn how to use their voices to create and compose their own music by themselves and with others. By using these range of instruments, children can understand how music is created and communicated and learn how music can evoke emotion through the use of the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Children also have the opportunity to sing, hear and make music through a wide variety of curricular and enrichment opportunities such as singing assemblies, annual performances and the use of singing and music within the classroom as a teaching tool. All children will receive musical instrument tuition along with the loan of an instrument during KS2. At Springfield, children can also choose to participate in a wide range of enrichment activities that support the music curriculum including school choir, after school singing and singing clubs, additional instrument tuition and the Rock Steady Bands.
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PE
PE
Physical Education intent statement
At Springfield Primary School we treat PE as a high priority because we want children to lead healthy, active lifestyles and support their mental health and wellbeing. We provide a broad and balanced curriculum that incorporates the three pillars of Physical Education in motor competence, healthy participation and rules and tactics using planning from Derby City School Sport Partnership. We want children to gain declarative knowledge (know what) and procedural knowledge (know how) through their PE lessons. We also consider how we can incorporate spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC) through fair play, teamwork, communication and leadership. Interschool competitions provide opportunities for all children to play competitive sport against their peers as well as entering leagues and tournaments to represent Springfield against other schools. We are an incredibly inclusive school and believe this is no different in Physical Education. PE is for everyone and lessons are adapted for ERF children so they are able to access them whilst also maintaining high expectations. Many ERF children now join mainstream classes to take part in PE lessons with additional support and differentiation carefully considered.
PE starts in EYFS and is taught through physical development, personal, social and emotional development and expressive arts and design. In PE lessons children learn the fundamental movement skills essential for achieving motor competence. This includes Yoga Bugs that each child takes part in all year round. Fine motor skills are developed through purposeful intervention and provision. Our outdoor environment has been designed to develop gross motor skills, giving children a range of opportunities to practise and apply skills taught in PE sessions. Every child at Springfield receives 2 hours of PE a week in lessons, meeting the recommended requirement from the DFE. Every child in Year 3 attends swimming lessons once a week for at least a term or until they are able to meet national curriculum standards. In addition, children from Year 4 and above that are yet to meet national standards receive additional catch up swimming lessons in the Spring and Summer Term. ERF children attend sensory swimming lessons once a week all year round to help build water confidence and help some pupils progress to be able to access swimming with their mainstream classes.
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Phonics
Phonics
Our Vision and Intent
Phonics (reading and spelling)
At Springfield Primary School, we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. This is why we teach reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching phonics in Reception and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.
As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. At Springfield Primary School, we also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.
Comprehension
At Springfield Primary School, we value reading as a crucial life skill. By the time children leave us, they read confidently for meaning and regularly enjoy reading for pleasure. Our readers are equipped with the tools to tackle unfamiliar vocabulary. We encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.
Because we believe teaching every child to read is so important, we have a Phonics/Early Reading Leader who drives the early reading programme in our school. Our Early Reading and Phonics leader is Mrs Jones.
Implementation
We teach phonics for 30 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible. Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers.
Any child who needs additional practice has daily Keep-up support, taught by a fully trained adult. Keep-up lessons match the structure of class teaching, and use the same procedures, resources and mantras, but in smaller steps with more repetition, so that every child secures their learning.
We teach children to read through reading practice sessions three times a week. Each reading practice session has a clear focus, so that the demands of the session do not overload the children’s working memory. The reading practice sessions have been designed to focus on three key reading skills:
- decoding
- prosody: teaching children to read with understanding and expression
- comprehension: teaching children to understand the text.
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PSHE
PSHE
By following the national curriculum through the PSHE Matters scheme, our PSHE curriculum has been designed to give all children the chance to feel equipped for the wider world.
Our PSHE education supports children to achieve their potential by supporting their wellbeing and tackling issues that can affect their ability to learn. Pupils go on to develop skills like - teamwork, communication, and resilience - that are crucial to navigating the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.
Pupils also learn about their own identity, risks, decision-making, how to keep themselves safe and how to ask for help if needed. They leave us with skills needed to form positive relationships, understand the importance of spreading kindness, create an inclusive atmosphere and know the core skills needed to become active citizens.
Children understand their emotions and have the ability to express them in a respectful way, regardless of the classroom they are in. They are taught effective strategies for dealing with negative feelings or situations. These core values and life skills are embedded throughout all lessons and whole school celebrations such as Anti-bullying week.
PSHE is taught by well-trained and understanding staff members who have the knowledge to adapt their teaching to relate to current issues and pupil needs, preparing them for life beyond Springfield.
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Religious Education
Religious Education
By following the Religious Education national curriculum through The Derby City Agreed Syllabus, our RE curriculum has been designed to ensure that it is accessible yet ambitious and challenging for all, particularly our disadvantaged and SEND pupils.
RE at Springfield ensures that all children have the opportunity to both express and explore their own religious and personal beliefs whilst developing their knowledge of others within both the local and wider community. This supports pupils in understanding that there are a wide variety of religions and belief systems in Spondon, Derby and the UK as a whole.
Building upon this exploration and understanding will improve the children’s readiness for living and working in a multi-cultural society that thrives on the values of showing tolerance and respect to others. It will also enable them to foster their own self esteem in being able to freely share and express their own religious or personal beliefs, greatly improving their ability to feel a sense of place and belonging in modern Britain.
Challenging pupils to reflect on their own beliefs in relation to the religious and personal beliefs of others will also further enable them to communicate themselves effectively. This can then help them to combat prejudice and contribute to an ethos of inclusion, opportunity and possibility for all with our school, local and wider communities.
Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. Suitable alternative provision will be made.
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Science
Science
The intent of Springfield Primary School’s Science curriculum is to ensure that all children are taught age appropriate science subject knowledge as laid out by the National Curriculum. It is our intent to “inspire success” by encouraging children to be inquisitive about the world, nurture their innate curiosity and enable them to develop a range of scientific skills that are useful across the whole curriculum today and in all their tomorrows, for successful futures.