Our ambitious knowledge-rich curriculum will develop our pupils' background knowledge -  essential for developing better reading comprehension skills - providing them with the skills, both disciplinary and substantive knowledge in order to help them access and shape the way they perceive the world. To meet the needs of our pupils and the community we serve, there is a focus on vocabulary and language acquisition, diversity and character education throughout all areas of our curriculum. Pupils will have an understanding of healthy living, the environment, cultural understanding, respect of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law and therefore, prepare our children for life in modern Britain and as global citizens. We aim for children to see themselves reflected in our curriculum provision and to feel appropriately supported yet challenged.

Implementation 

Here at Witham Oaks Academy, we provide a broad and balanced curriculum based around the Cornerstones Curriculum, a nationally recognised approach for delivering outstanding learning opportunities for children.

Our curriculum is a creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the 2014 primary national curriculum to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations. It is based on a child-centred pedagogy called The Four Cornerstones and is delivered through Knowledge Rich Projects (KRPs), which provide a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning activities that make creative links between all aspects of children’s learning.

Each term, pupils are taught a main project with a history or geography focus, along with mini projects that cover the other foundation subjects (which have also been carefully mapped out in sequence). 

Organisation of curriculum content 

The structure of our curriculum provides a robust framework on which to build deliverable content. The content is delivered through a range of broad and balanced, knowledge-rich projects. The knowledge and skills statements provide the foundation for, and are directly linked to, the sequential lesson plans and resources within each project. Each project follows the pedagogy of Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express.

The long-term plans below set out the projects for each year group and term. Projects are organised to maximise meaningful links between subjects, aspects and concepts.

Impact

Overall, our children leave us well prepared for the next stage of their learning and life, having acquired both declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge (skills) in order to learn ever more complex skills. They have secured an understanding of the ‘10 Big Ideas’, applying subject specific vocabulary so that they are able to reason, think big, broaden their understanding of the world around them and their place in it as as ambitious, confident, empowered and resilient active global citizens.

Rigorous skills and knowledge frameworks outlines the end of year expectations in all subjects. These skills and knowledge are tied to activities and are age-related so that staff can track children’s progress and identify their individual learning needs.

National Curriculum Document for Key Stage 2

• PRIMARY_national_curriculum.pdf

If anyone would like any further information about the curriculum we are following please contact the school.