Curriculum
The Portishead Primary School curriculum consists of:
- National Curriculum core and foundation subjects, which are taught through a relevant, contextual and inspiring creative curriculum
- RE, PSHE, a Well-being curriculum
- An enrichment programme
- Educational trips and visits to ensure learning is always first hand where possible
- A programme of extra-curricular activities that includes creative and physical opportunities
Curriculum maps
Curriculum Vision:
As our children journey through our school progressing from the EYFS Framework to the National Curriculum, we aim to develop 4 core pupil characteristics as we ready them for the next stage in their education:
- Aspiring Leaders
- Global Citizens
- Lifelong Learners
- Resilient Confident Children
Our school takes a values-led approach to learning that educates hearts as well as minds, providing children with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to reach the expected standard at the end of each phase and key stage. Our children will also learn kindness, interpersonal skills and develop the attributes to keep themselves safe and healthy.
Curriculum Intent
The school has developed a knowledge-based curriculum which drives pupil progress by establishing rigorous, coherent and carefully sequenced areas of learning. These build on the prior learning of children to ensure challenge and progression and build a life-long love of learning. Content is carefully chosen to engage children and encourage them to ask questions, be independent learners, collaborate and be aspirational. Key to this is the development of early reading, phonics, writing and a mastery approach to mathematics. Central to this approach are language rich, vocabulary-led subject units of work that are built around a wide range of books and texts.
Curriculum drivers:
- Coherence - Learning is logical, progressive and set in a context that makes sense to children.
- Consistency - The learning of knowledge, skills and pedagogy are developed in an aligned way in all classes, year groups and phases to allow for progression.
- Curiosity - Learning is designed to utilise and enhance the natural sense of enquiry and desire to learn with in our children.
- Challenge - Learning provides all children with a level of challenge that engages, excite and allows them to make sustained progress.
At Portishead Primary School, all staff think about curriculum at three levels. The first is the intended curriculum – what we intend pupils to learn. Subject specialists set out this detail meticulously, drawing on their academic knowledge, the national curriculum and experience of what is necessary to flourish in their subject.
The second level is the implemented curriculum; the resources teachers use to deliver the curriculum. An example of these are the medium term planning and sequences of lessons that class teachers deliver in their year groups.
Finally, we emphasise the importance of the enacted curriculum, where our skilled teachers bring all of this knowledge to life in a way that will be meaningful and exciting for the pupils that they know so well. This will include trips, visits, visitors, wow experiences and themed whole school curriculum experiences and the opportunity to perform, play instruments and take part in sports competitions.
Our curriculum in its widest sense includes everything that the children experience including assemblies, our behaviour and anti-bullying approach, language of the term, forest schools and the opportunities children are given to lead such as anti-bullying ambassadors, school council, digital leaders, sports leaders and playground buddies.
We are confident that this approach offers a truly broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils. We aim to provide this within an ethos that celebrates diversity, supports mental health, encourages sustainability, and develops respect for the environment and for other people. This then prepares each child for the next stage in their education as they achieve at or above national expectations in end of phase outcomes.
Focus weeks are used to extend the curriculum and are often linked to the school development plan or vision. The school annually holds an anti-bullying week, e-safety week, science week and healthy schools week. National curriculum subject focus weeks are used on a rotational basis to raise the profile of subjects and give children extended opportunities to develop their skills. This ensures the children get a broad and balanced curriculum as they journey through the school.
Additional Support for children
All children at some stage during their time in school will need some kind of support with the curriculum. Here at PPS there is an expectation that all lessons and curriculum activities are adopted to the needs of all pupils so that every child can access each lesson and be sufficiently challenged.
This will mean that in lessons whilst children will be working towards the same learning objectives the learning will not be exactly the same. The learning will be adapted by using different resources, groups may be guided by the teacher or working with another school adult and there may be additional challenges set for children who have achieved the expectation that are designed to deepen learning.
In addition to this adaption, children will also work with other school adults in small groups to address any other learning needs. Groups may come out of class to do pre-teaching of concepts or post teaching to address any misconceptions. The school uses the breadth of our human resources to support the progress of any children who have been identified as at risk of not making expected progress.
We run a range of formal and informal intervention programmes for children as well as intervention activities for our Special Needs children and Pupil Premium children as required.
Enriching the Curriculum
Partnership is central to the school vision. To this extent the school council and eco club work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to develop the school. Representatives are elected from each class and meet weekly. Standing items on the school council agenda include bullying, safeguarding and health and safety.
The school enhances the curriculum with a range of clubs and activities, some of which are provided at a cost to parents. These include a range of sports, languages and curriculum clubs. The school works in partnership with a range of providers and school staff provide a wider variety of clubs for free. Our own clubs include gardening, computing, homework club and many more.
The school provides children with a wide range of opportunities to perform to parents and share learning outcomes. This develops confidence and speaking and listening skills as well as providing the opportunity to celebrate achievement.