The Spetisbury Curriculum

Our vision for our school is based on Psalms 1:3:

'They are like trees that grow beside a stream,

That bear fruit at the right time,

And whose leaves do not dry up,

They succeed in everything they do.'

This is our vision for our children in particular and all members of our community; we want the children to bear fruit and succeed in everything they do. Leading to their end of primary education we have planned our curriculum to be that stream running through and feeding their growth.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced, knowledge rich and  aims to inspire all pupils through stimulating and challenging content. We use the national curriculum to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum but have been well supported by subject experts to focus areas of study where choice is available. The curriculum has been organised in a coherent and cumulative manner in order that children can progress, building on prior knowledge and improving their subject-specific skills. Our choices are informed through a desire to remove inequalities and remove bias and therefore we give careful consideration to the disciplinary knowledge which is weaved through all subjects.

Through our curriculum, we develop the essential knowledge, skills and understanding which are the building blocks for later life. Our curriculum encompasses not only the formal requirements of the National Curriculum, but goes beyond the experiences of the classroom to ensure that our children are exposed to the richest and most varied opportunities that we can provide. We are focussed particularly in expanding the horizons of all learners to enable them to understand both their place in the wider world but also what opportunities are available to them in a diverse and multicultural world community.

At Spetisbury this is achieved through a range of curricula;

• A creative early years curriculum prepares children for Key Stage 1
• The English curriculum is built around our literature spine which has texts specifically chosen to broaden children’s horizons.
• Mathematics is delivered through White Rose Maths and NCETM which aims for all children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, to be able to reason and to solve problems.
• Other subjects are delivered through high-quality curricula that the school has identified, establishing an ambitious primary curriculum for a range of subjects, rich in knowledge and skills, and logically sequenced.

We fill the curriculum with experiences; with experiential trips, inspirational visitors, rich resources and engaging teaching. We promote British Values throughout the curriculum and help to nurture spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We aim to promote our pupil’s ‘cultural capital’ to ensure they are knowledgeable about a wide range of cultures and comfortable discussing their value and merits.  

Our curriculum is reviewed after each block of learning by our experienced staff to ensure that the subject content was rich and had inspired all children.

Our well-planned and organised curriculum will:

• Provide exciting and memorable experiences to ensure children are inspired to learn
• Ensure all children receive a full and varied curriculum which meets their needs and interests
• Support pupils to reach a high standard of literacy and maths skills through specific teaching and the application of these skills to learning across the curriculum
• Ensure that knowledge and skills are taught progressively so that children build on what they already know and understand
• Allow children to achieve depth to their learning by applying their knowledge and skills in a range of contexts and subjects
• Develop children with enquiring minds, who question the world around them with curiosity
• Extend learning beyond the classroom through engaging enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities
• Teach children the essential social and emotional skills, as well as how to keep physically and mentally healthy
• Develop children’s personal values, qualities and attitudes so that they are respectful of other people and their beliefs, views and opinions
• Encourage children to be caring, responsible and active citizens who positively contribute to the local and wider community and environment.

At Spetisbury Primary School, all teachers are responsible for providing an inclusive curriculum that is differentiated for those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). We have high expectations for all pupils and are committed to ensuring our curriculum complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. 

Our inclusion statement emphasises the importance of providing an inclusive learning environment for all pupils including those with SEND. Additional information on this can be found in our Special Education Needs Information Report and Equalities Policy.

If any parents or visitors wish to know more about any area within our curriculum, we do have further information that underpins each subject which we will gladly share if you make contact through the school office.