Our Curriculum Intent
As a Catholic school, our curriculum is rooted in Church traditions and educational principles.
“We consider education to be one of the most effective ways of making our world and history more human. Education is above all a matter of love and responsibility handed down from one generation to another.” (Pope Francis – Education, The Global Compact – May 2020)
Our curriculum is built upon the central messages of Pope Francis in his address to the “Education, The Global Compact” Conference, which identified 4 key areas (Human Dignity and Human Rights; Integral Ecology; Peace and Citizenship Education; Solidarity and Development) and 7 core principles:
- Make human persons in their value and dignity the centre of every educational programme…foster their distinctiveness, beauty and uniqueness, and their capacity for relationship with others and with the world around them
- Listen to the voices of children and young people…in order to build together a future of justice, peace and a dignified life for every person
- Encourage the full participation of girls and young women in education
- See in the family the first and essential place of education
- Educate and be educated on the need for acceptance and in particular openness to the most vulnerable and marginalised
- Be committed to finding new ways of understanding the economy… within the context of an integral ecology
- Safeguard and cultivate our common home, protecting it from the exploitation of its resources…in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity, solidarity and a circular economy.
Our curriculum is designed to fulfil these core principles and develop children to be 21st century global Christian citizens who have a strong sense of self, place in the community and world, and clear aspirations for the future. Our curriculum is underpinned by 3 core questions:
Who am I?
Where do I come from?
Who do I aspire to become?
Curriculum knowledge links to core themes which enable children to more fully answer these questions:
Social justice and equity
Diversity and identity
Globalisation and interdependence
Sustainable development
Learning behaviours, skills and attitudes underpin this knowledge and understanding and further support children to explore complex and controversial global issues they encounter so that they can become a generation with the vision and means to rise to the challenges faced by communities locally and globally:
Our curriculum is designed to provide depth of learning for every child. Our curriculum maps the knowledge that children will develop as they progress through our school in all areas of the curriculum. We build in regular opportunities to recall, review, revisit and practise to ensure that children are able to make links to prior learning and gradually develop a deeper understanding of concepts across all subjects, at their own pace and in the best possible way for each individual child.
Our curriculum is designed to provide breadth of learning for every child, offering a full and rich curriculum, with a focus on developing children’s sense of self and place in the local and global community. Our curriculum ensures that our children benefit from a full range of academic, spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning, which enriches their lives and those of our whole school and wider community and make them proud of their British and Christian values. Our children develop the skills, confidence and self-belief to lead a happy and fulfilled life and are encouraged to aim high and work towards their goals and dreams so that they can make a positive impact within their local and global community, celebrating and embracing the diverse society to which they belong.
Our curriculum is designed to provide balance for every child so that everyone feels valued and experiences success. We place high priority on children’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing and we understand that children will not be successful learners unless they are emotionally secure. This is not at the expense of high standards and enabling children to reach national expectations and above, which we recognise is vital important if children are to succeed at the next stage of their education and go on to achieve full and happy lives and careers. Our curriculum ensures that every child is given the opportunity to shine and flourish.
- Please have a look at the subject pages listed which provide a subject-by-subject overview of progression in knowledge and skills.
- Please visit the class pages which provide an annual overview and also an overview for each half term to show the learning planned specific to that class
- Speak to your child's class teacher or contact Mr Vernon who will be happy to discuss our curriculum further with you.