Hayes Meadow Primary School and Nursery

Intent

The aim of Hayes Meadow Primary School is to provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations and provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to become life -long learners. Our ambitious curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 and the Development Matters in Early years.

There is a strong focus on developing children’s moral, spiritual, social and cultural understanding to ensure they know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society. We celebrate our children’s individual talents and encourage their interests in a variety of ways and aim for all learners to enjoy their education and make good progress in all areas of learning.

The key principles behind the design of our curriculum are for our children to:

be confident, independent and resilient; displaying a thirst for learning
be kind; showing empathy and compassion whilst valuing diversity
achieve academically across the entire curriculum, meeting at least the national expectation by the end of their primary education
be culturally knowledgeable about our country and our world
have aspirations for the future and know that these can be reached through hard work and determination
be well prepared for the challenges of the secondary school curriculum.
We have high expectations of attendance, academic achievement and pupil behaviour. Children are expected to work hard and demonstrate positive leaning behaviours to achieve 'The Best We Can Be'.

Implementation

The school’s focus on curriculum development has been carefully designed to ensure coverage and progression focussing on the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils require. Strategies such as pre-learning and retrieval activities are built in regularly to ensure pupils retain this knowledge in their long-term memory. It provides pupils with memorable learning experiences often utilising the local community and surrounding areas and providing activities that children may not otherwise experience. We recognise that the children need to show honesty, respect for each other, a sense of pride in themselves which help develop aspirations for their future and for their community.

Our school fully supports the principle that young children learn through play, and by engaging in well planned and structured activities. Teaching in our Nursery and Reception classes builds on the experiences of the children and progress within the phase is carefully planned for and tracked. We are proud of the strong relationship we have with parents and use this positively to ensure that children have a joint support approach to make good progress in school.

We believe that our fundamental task is to teach our children to speak clearly and articulately and to read and write effectively. Reading across all curriculum areas is a priority to extend and deepen pupils understanding and use of vocabulary. We want pupils to develop a love of reading during their time at Hayes Meadow and be exposed to a range of literature. Texts have been carefully chosen to ensure pupils are able to study a range of literature from a variety of cultures and eras which link to the wider curriculum.

The curriculum at Hayes Meadow is designed to be equally accessed by all children who attend our school. If children have special needs, our school does all it can to meet their individual needs, and we comply with the requirements set out in the SEND Code of Practice. Pupils at all levels are helped to achieve their potential through appropriately matched challenge and extension activities. Pupils who require further support in some areas are encouraged and given targeted support to embed knowledge and skills, to develop at their own pace or simply to learn in a style that best suits their learning needs.

At Hayes Meadow School, our curriculum is aligned to our specific Learning characters, which were created to develop children’s learning styles and their understanding of what makes a good learner. Our characters encourage our children to develop the skills to become lifelong learners by learning to learn.

Our six characters are:

The teamwork twins Tom and Tim Participating Poppy Reflective Learner Leo Self-management Maggie Resourceful Thinker Ruby Independent Izzy

Subject leaders play an important part in the success of the curriculum by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review. They collate evidence and hold pupil discussions to ensure progression of knowledge and acquisition of skills and the integrity of each subject. Curriculum areas are planned to ensure progression of knowledge and skills from Early Years to Year 6. The curriculum design ensures that the needs of individual and small groups of children can be met within the environment of 'Quality First Teaching', supported by targeted, research proven interventions where appropriate.

Developing Cultural Capital is a key aspect at Hayes Meadow, that a pupil needs in order to be able to become more successful in society and their future career. It is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours and skills that a child can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence. By providing these wider experiences and opportunities we are dedicated in giving our children the best chance to achieve their goals, become successful and respectful young adults in their community.

Our PSHE curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to discuss and learn about personal health, wellbeing, safety, relationships (including anti-bullying work), differences and aspirations. Our diversity work helps children to realise that everyone is special and unique and we should celebrate differences and different kinds of families.

We have a strong focus on mental health and well-being at Hayes Meadow led by our Child and Family Support Worker. The children are taught methods for supporting their own mental health such as strategies for regulation and how to develop positive relationships, self-control and manage emotions and worries. Where necessary pupils may take part in small group and individualised programs, including Forest School, to support mental health due to bereavement, self-esteem and anxiety.

Impact

Our children demonstrate confidence, independence, resilience and a real thirst for learning.
Our children are able to form meaningful relationships based upon mutual respect and trust, recognising and celebrating difference, not only within the school community, but in the wider world as well.
Our children have access to a wide and varied curriculum, allowing each of them to excel as individuals and be the best they can be.
Our children achieve at least the expected standard across the entire curriculum by the end of Key Stage Two.
Our children are well prepared to access the challenges of the secondary school curriculum.
Our children have aspirations for the future and know that these can be realised with hard work and determination.
Our children grow up being able to make a positive contribution to the world in which they live.