Curriculum

Curriculum Overview

Trannack School Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement

Please find below our Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement.

Inspiring Learning for Life

Our Drivers:

World Citizens

We believe our children need to develop an understanding about where they live and the wider world. Through learning about the world, we want them to understand their role in society and develop respect towards the environment, communities and religions.

Healthy Advocates

It is important to us that all members of our school community are healthy – physically and mentally. Throughout life, our children will face many difficult challenges and need to have the mental and physical strength to be successful and happy.

Respectful Communicators

We believe our children need to develop the skills to work well with other people. Children need to know how to speak and listen with respect in a variety of different situations.

Resilient Individuals

Our children need to become resilient to be able to deal with different challenges across the curriculum and in the wider world. They need to develop the ability to solve problems without giving up. Developing the skills to work independently and become resourceful will be key to this.

Intent Statement

At Trannack School we have high expectations and aim for all pupils to reach their full potential. Our aim is to develop pupils who are confident in all aspects of their learning, who recognise their unique strengths, who are good citizens and role models, able to work collaboratively with others and treat everyone and everything with respect. Staff aim for the curriculum to inspire pupils to be reflective learners and to develop a life-long love of learning. Staff encourage pupils to take full responsibility for their own learning, to embrace challenge and to recognise that failure is part of the journey to success. The curriculum has strong links to a theme and offers a range of practical, exciting and meaningful experiences, linked to real life and the natural world, where pupils can develop a wide knowledge base and are motivated to become experts. Core skills are developed across the curriculum and characteristics of learning are embedded in Early Years. Virtues are used to acknowledge, guide and correct pupils in a positive manner to ensure a safe, secure and calm learning environment for all.

Implementation Statement

At Trannack Primary School we strive to support all pupils in making excellent progress, whatever their starting point. Pupils are expected to fully participate and challenge themselves, learning not only from the adults but through peer learning, where they have the opportunity to discuss the learning with each other. Interventions are implemented to support pupils to ensure they achieve and rigorous assessments are used to check and maintain pupil progress.

Themed learning

At Trannack School we follow the National Curriculum. We have used the milestones from the Chris Quigley Curriculum as a starting point to ensure progression for the foundation subjects. The Chris Quigley Curriculum also provides guidance on essential characteristics and threshold concepts.

At Trannack School each class has a themed unit of work every half term or short term to link learning across the curriculum where appropriate. These units are on a rolling programme to ensure continuity and coverage of the curriculum. Planning for themed units ensures knowledge and skills are pitched correctly and builds on prior learning. Lessons are also carefully sequenced to ensure progression within a unit.

Staff are committed to delivering high quality learning experiences throughout the curriculum and link learning with a school trip or a workshop, to introduce or reinforce the key concepts of the theme and ignite curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. By planning learning around this theme, adapting it to the interests of their pupils, and giving them the opportunity to become experts, staff hope to completely immerse pupils in their learning so they have greater knowledge, a more meaningful understanding of each subject and further opportunities to rehearse important information, vocabulary and skills. Whilst writing is encouraged in all aspects of the curriculum, teachers also encourage a variety of other ways to record and harness the learning to embed subject knowledge and skills such as speaking and listening, art, music and technology.

Intervention

It is recognised that for some pupils the repetition of knowledge and skills to embed the learning is an appropriate and important intervention which may be needed in class alongside learning or out of class as part of a sequence of sessions. Intervention may also take the form of a pre-teach session to build confidence in learning before the lesson. Similarly, the development of a virtue to embed behaviour for learning or support with emotional literacy to access learning may be a vital intervention either in the lesson alongside learning or out of class as a separate session or series of sessions.

Assessment

Teachers carefully assess each lesson and give relevant feedback to pupils to ensure the lesson has had impact. The marking policy is regularly reviewed to ensure feedback is targeted appropriately and meaningful. Key lessons are used as assessment points where acquisition of knowledge and skills are recorded. Subject milestones are used to assess knowledge and skills in each subject in every unit of work and the progress of each pupil is recorded to inform future units of work. End of unit tests may be used to inform assessment further. Knowledge organisers are useful tools in Science, RE and foundation subjects to inform pupils and parents/ carers about prior knowledge, key knowledge and vocabulary necessary for each unit. Mid-year and end of year tests in reading and maths and regular moderation in writing is used to track progress in English and maths.

Monitoring

Standards in all subjects are regularly monitored by subject leaders, senior management, Trust Leads and School Improvement Partners. Pupils’ work, pupil conferencing, learning in lessons and discussions with pupils and staff are all used to inform standards and pupil progress.

Subject Leaders

At Trannack, we have subject leaders who oversee, develop, monitor and evaluate provision and the effectiveness of their subject within school across all year groups. All staff are responsible for the coverage and progression of skills for each subject for their class and the pupils they teach.

Early Years

Teaching and learning in the Reception class follows the national guidance and legislation for the EYFS. Pupils have indoor and outdoor continuous access to all seven prime and specific areas of learning: communication and language; physical development; personal, social and emotional development; literacy; maths; understanding the world; and expressive arts and design. There is also a strong focus on the characteristics of effective learning which are: playing and exploring – where pupils are encouraged to investigate and experience things and have a go; active Learning – where pupils are encouraged to concentrate and keep on trying and enjoy their achievements; and creating and thinking critically – where pupils are encouraged to develop their own ideas, make links and develop strategies for doing things. Staff base learning using Development Matters which provides a focus across four themes: a unique child, positive relationships, enabling environments and learning together. Each pupil’s progress is monitored by making ongoing individual observations and assessments using a secure online tool ‘Tapestry’. We provide pupils with the opportunities to enjoy their learning and be challenged and stimulated using a wide range of resources and approaches. We encourage the pupils to be confident, independent and school ready. Parents/ carers are encouraged to be partners in their child’s learning.

English

Reading opportunities are provided through high quality texts in guided reading sessions, allowing pupils to read for enjoyment as well as develop their decoding and fluency skills, understanding of sentence construction and vocabulary, and higher level comprehension skills. Pupils are grouped according to their ability to ensure they develop reading skills appropriately. Pupils take an active role in their learning, having roles and responsibilities within their groups, such as questioning, clarifying, predicting and summarising, to promote excellence in reading. (See 7 aspects of reading document for more detail).

Phonics is taught using the Read Write Inc (RWI) materials. Pupils are immersed in a directed teaching approach which embeds systematic phonics skills as the core skills for reading. Sounds are taught in a specific order, and regular assessment ensures pupils are correctly grouped according to ability. Daily phonic sessions in EY and KS1 follow a four part model wherein pupils revise prior learning, are introduced to new sounds and high frequency words, have the opportunity to practice reading phonemes and forming graphemes before applying new sounds in reading and writing challenges. Staff use a range of resources and visuals to promote phonics in each session. Workshops and information on the website are offered to parents throughout the year to support phonic knowledge and learning at home.

Spelling is taught discretely in all classes throughout the week and reinforced across the curriculum. In EYFS, new words and initial spelling strategies form part of phonics programme and discreet writing sessions. In KS1 and KS2 all classes have a weekly spelling test. New spelling patterns are taught on a weekly basis with opportunities to practice, apply and develop spelling skills and knowledge throughout the week, across all areas of curriculum. In Key Stage 1, spelling is linked to RWI and phonics sessions. In Key Stage 2, pupils may access RWI spelling resources which progress through each year group and give pupils the opportunity to practise spelling patterns and exceptions using a variety of activities. Pupils are supported further with access to Nessy spelling other interventions as necessary.

Writing is carefully planned to link to each class topic and is taught through a range of high quality and exciting stimuli, including books, film clips, outdoor learning and personal experiences. All staff work towards enhancing vocabulary and teach grammar within units of work to help pupils develop and enrich their writing experiences. Pupils are taught to recognise the range of social functions that writing can perform (e.g. persuade, instruct, inform) and to develop a clear understanding of the structure and language features associated with different genres of text. Teachers use a range of strategies, such as modelled and shared writing to enhance pupils’ understanding of the writing process and they are set personal targets to support this even further. There is a clear progression in the teaching of English which includes the familiarisation of the text type through reading, the identification of structure and language features, modelled writing, shared writing, guided writing and independent writing. Progression of teaching writing includes exploring features, planning, drafting, assessing and editing Pupils are taught to edit their writing, knowing this is an integral part of the writing process.

Maths

Pupils across the school access daily maths lessons with a focus on varied fluency, reasoning and problem solving activities, in line with the national curriculum. An age appropriate, consistent language of maths is used throughout the school to support transition from year group to year group. Mental arithmetic is practiced daily and calculation strategies are taught explicitly with an emphasis on number facts and fluency (see Calculation policy for progression of skills). Pupils access the main objective of the lesson from whole class and group teaching and develop a deeper understanding of the objective through further independent and supported activities which progress through the lesson and continue through the unit of work. Where appropriate, concrete resources are used to support a deeper understanding of the maths being taught. These are used alongside images and pictures before introducing the abstract representation. Talking about maths is an integral part of the lesson and pupils are encouraged to answer in clear sentences and explain their learning using STEM sentences to develop their reasoning and problem solving skills. Teachers use precise questioning in class to test conceptual and procedural knowledge.

Science

Science units are linked to the class topic where appropriate to ensure the learning is meaningful and relevant whilst the rolling programme ensures continuity and full coverage across the curriculum. Science is taught to ensure scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding of all primary aspects of biology, chemistry and physics. This includes accurate understanding and use of subject specific vocabulary in both written work and discussion in class. This key vocabulary is reflected on learning walls and displays. Each unit of work aims to have at least one link with a key feature of scientific enquiry and may include observing, identifying, classifying, comparing, researching and fair testing. Fair testing is presented as 5 areas: question, prediction, method (including equipment), results and conclusion. Pupils progress from identifying variables (what to change, what to keep the same and what to measure) to designing their own tests. Specific maths skills are used to collect, present and analyse data from fair testing. Where relevant links are made with uses and implications of science today.

History

History is usually at the heart of a topic. In history, pupils are taught about the past in Britain and the wider world in a way which encourages curiosity, critical thinking and perceptive questioning. Evidence from the past and judgements of historians are considered. Pupils are taught to compare people’s lives, societies and challenges from the past with that of others now and in the past and of their own. Pupils are expected to know and understand significant aspects of history and historical concepts and are encouraged with support to use correct historical terminology in written work and discussion.

Geography

Geography can also be at the heart of a topic. In Geography, pupils are taught about the world and its people in way which encourages curiosity and fascination about the diversity of people, environments and Earth’s physical and human processes. Pupils are taught to use geographical skills such as collecting, analysing data and interpreting and communicating geographical information. Pupils are expected to know and understand significant places, characteristics, features and changes over time and are encouraged with support to use correct geographical terminology in written work and discussion.

Art

Pupils have the opportunity to express creativity through drawing, painting, printing, collage, and the use of textiles and clay. Skills and techniques are taught and pupils are given the opportunity to apply these to their own individual pieces of work. Pupils are taught to critically evaluation their own work and that of others, including local, national, world-wide and historically well-known artists.

Music

Pupils are given the opportunity to develop a love and appreciation of a range of music through listening, evaluating and in turn creating, composing and performing using instruments and voices. Knowledge and understanding of the structure and notation of music is taught in a way which allows this to be applied to their own individual and group creations.

DT

Pupils have the opportunity to design, create and evaluate a range of products including food. Pupils are taught to use tools safely and apply these skills to the making process. Pupils are taught to understand and apply technical knowledge such as the use of mechanical and electrical systems to products. In cooking and nutrition pupils are taught the skills of preparing and cooking food and apply principles of nutrition and healthy eating for at least one dish each year.

Computing

Our computing curriculum is designed to equip pupils with the skills and understanding to live in a technological world, including being able to use a variety of computer software and coding programmes. There is an emphasis on the importance of Online Safety for all year groups.

Modern Foreign Language (MFL)

The MFL taught at Trannack is French and is taught across KS2. Pupils progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary organised around topics. All of these approaches help to equip our pupils with the skills to be confident citizens.

R.E

The Cornwall Syllabus for R.E. is followed and a rolling programme has been designed to ensure coverage across both key stages. They have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of Christianity alongside 5 other key religions: Buddism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Pupils will have opportunities to consider, describe, explain, evaluate and appreciate issues in beliefs and practices, comparing them to their own and others. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own sense of identity and belonging and are taught to be respectful towards the views and beliefs of others, being made aware that there are different religions and cultures within our communities.

Physical Education

Trannack School delivers theReal PEprogramme providing fun and simple to follow progressive PE lessons which build the pupil’s physical literacy from EYFS to year 6. It is fully aligned to the new National Curriculum and focuses on the development of agility, balance and coordination, healthy competition and cooperative learning. As the pupils move into KS2 this is complemented by a sport specific focus for the pupil’s second hour of PE. The result is the pupils are provided with a consistent approach to PE right through the school, they steadily build leadership skills and as they become independent take ownership of their learning by contributing towards setting personal targets and assessing progress.

Competitive Sport

At Trannack School we believe in promoting fun and competitive sport and as such we are members of the Helston Sports Cluster which provides an excellent programme of sporting competitions. Competition helps to build the pupil’s resilience, determination and teamwork skills which transfer into every aspect of their learning. Trannack School pupils complete a range of level 1, 2 and 3 sporting challenges through the partnership with the Helston

Sports Cluster and attendance at a number of Cornwall School Games events throughout the year.

Swimming and water sports

Water confidence is a life skill and with Cornwall being a coastal county, Trannack is committed to building every child’s development in this crucial area. All pupils from the Summer Term in Reception access swimming lessons through-out the school year, with the exception of Year 1 in the Summer Term. These lessons are provided at Helston Leisure Centre and are taught by qualified coaches and teaching staff. All pupils have the opportunity to work through the swimming groups and progress from gaining initial water confidence and the ability to swim 25m to develop stroke technique and stamina for competitive races and longer distances. Every year, pupils who are confident in swimming 25m or more are given the opportunity to take part in a ‘distance swim challenge’, where they are encouraged to beat their personal best distance in a stroke of their choice for up to an hour. Pupils aim to achieve distances between 25m and 2000m! Once pupils have mastered the skills needed in a closed water environment they then move to the skills needed in open water environments. Pupils ready for this stage will be offered surf lifesaving skills. Pupils also have the opportunity to take part in sailing offered through Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust (HRCST).

Outdoor Learning and Woodland Schools

Healthy and Active Lifestyles

Trannack School is fully committed to providing pupils with meaningful experiences of the outdoor environment. Developing a deep connection with nature, an understanding of the world around them and enhanced responsibility for the care of the environment is central to our outdoor learning. Pupils access outdoor learning from EY and throughout KS1 in lessons across the curriculum. This continues throughout KS2 and specifically in our Woodland Schools sessions on Friday afternoons in our environmental area and Coose Trannack Woodland to develop a range of skills, experiences and opportunities linked to PSHE and the wider curriculum. Through this, we aim for all pupils to leave school as responsible, resilient custodians of themselves and the environment with the skills to be able to thrive in the outdoors and the confidence to apply this learning to all areas of their existing and future studies and lives.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

Pupils are expected to follow the rules for life which are: show good manners at all times, follow instructions with thought and care, and show care and respect to everyone and everything. We embrace the Virtues Project which looks at the personal characteristics that are within each and every one of us. Pupils learn what the virtues mean, how they can identify them in themselves and others, and what they need to do if they need to develop or ‘polish’ that virtue even further. We follow a clear PSHE and RSE programme in line with the PSHE association. Pupils are taught to have responsibility and KS2 pupils are given the opportunity to become a ‘Playground Pal’ to help lead activities to ensure all pupils are engaged and happy at lunch time. Each week we hold an assembly to celebrate success. Pupils are encouraged to share their successes out of school and in school and includes writer of the week, timetable certificates, virtues certificates, learner of the week, sporting and musical achievements and competition successes.

Impact Statement

At Trannack Primary School it is expected that every lesson has a positive impact on every pupil and that every pupil has made progress in at least one aspect of their learning. They may have gained knowledge, improved a skill, or learnt how to further apply a virtue to their learning.

Attainment and Progress

We set high targets for pupils based on their prior attainment to ensure good or better progress. We take individual needs into account without putting a ceiling on their learning. We strive to ensure our attainment and progress is at least in line with National and are vigilant about monitoring pupil progress to ensure high standards.

Knowledge and Skills

Pupils should develop good knowledge and skills across the curriculum, in line with the subject milestones, and should be confident to apply this learnt knowledge and key skills in a broad spectrum of school life, personal life and the wider world. They should have gained a good understanding of the essential characteristics of each subject to take to the next stage of their education and to motivate them in their future career and life. They should be able to demonstrate how to lead a healthy life.

Virtues and Values

We recognise that achievement is in many forms. A good understanding of virtues, British Values and Co-operative Values is an essential, character building, life skill along with the development of emotional literacy to break down barriers to learning, improve self-esteem and support good mental well-being. The impact should be that pupils are able to show confidence and resilience in their personal learning; are motivated to succeed in the next stage of learning and the future; are able to show respect, tolerance, and equality to others; can demonstrate right from wrong; and can demonstrate how to stay physically and mentally healthy.