Creative Curriculum Overview and themes

The Creative Curriculum has been organised into integrated themes. Each theme has been given a key focus of History, Geography, Art and DT, and links have been made to other curricular areas within the theme and curricular focus.

Each class teacher is responsible for the delivery of the curriculum through a ‘theme based’ approach, which incorporates key skills as set out in the National Curriculum.

Our Creative Curriculum:

• A broad and balanced curriculum provides children with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to develop into well-rounded, informed individuals.
• Social responsibility features as a thread that runs through pupil learning across all subjects for pupils to explore their place within society and the contributions they can make now and in the future.

• All pupils will have the equivalent of an hour of Science lesson per week. This may be blocked if more appropriate to the topic.
• All pupils will have a weekly Computing lesson where they are taught discrete computing skills.
• All pupils have 2 hours of PE a week. This can include PE skills and mental wellbeing (e.g. mindfulness). Some of the designated PE hours each week are cross-curricular with PSHCE. There are also additional PE hours in the school year – Sports based Specialist weeks as well as additional sporting celebrations.
• All pupils will also receive the equivalent of an hour a week for PSHCE, this is in addition to the children’s weekly ‘space makers’ time. 

• All pupils will have the equivalent of an hour RE lesson per week which may be blocked learning as part of a topic.
• History and Geography knowledge and skills are taught predominantly through topics. These can be blocked to enable more connected, richer learning.
• Art and Design and Design and Technology lessons may be taught discretely in order to teach specific skills or delivered as part of cross-curricular learning and used as a medium to teach other subjects.
• All pupils have the equivalent of a 45 minute music lesson per week with a specialist music teacher.

• All pupils will receive an hour and a half Forest School session weekly, this is lead by one of our Forest School approved leaders.

Our curriculum statements for KS1 and Forest School can be found here: HSM curriculum statement KS1 and Forest school (EYFS&KS1)

Effective Learning

A Creative Curriculum will drive creative teaching and learning, allowing pupils to

• know what they are going to learn (learning objective shared)
• know what they need to do to be successful learners (steps to sparkle)
• assess their learning and the learning of others
• receive positive feedback which identifies what they need to do next
• reflect and review their learning
• feel cared for, happy, secure, motivated and stimulated.
• experience an organised, attractive, stimulating and positive learning environment
• experience a variety of learning situations, both indoors and outdoors
• experience interesting, stimulating and fun lessons and learn through first-hand, multi-sensory experience.
• develop high expectations
• be spontaneous and learn to adapt to change.

Teaching and learning strategies

Introducing with whole class teaching, using open ended probing questions, visual stimuli and talk partners; followed by a period of learning, where children may work independently, in pairs or as groups. A plenary may be delivered at any point during the session to extend or review learning. We recognise that children have preferred learning styles, and so make allowances for this in our planning and delivery. (Further guidance can be found in the Teaching and Learning Policy).

To achieve this, open ended tasks elicit a variety and depth of response; setting tasks of increasing difficulty and scaffolding where appropriate, practical opportunities are provided for kinaesthetic learners; using visual stimuli and artefacts are used to promote interest; Teaching Assistants are used to support the work of individual children or groups of children. Trips and visitors are organised to further understanding

Assessment and record keeping

Class teachers assess and record attainment and progress of the core subjects, (see Assessment Policy). Class teachers monitor the coverage of Knowledge, Skills and Understanding by cross referencing with planning and ensuring progression from one class to the next. Each term children are assessed according to the Skills and children who are below, at and above expectations are noted. At the end of the school year class teachers plot children on a whole class tracking sheet and a copy is given to the subject leader. Subject co-ordinators collect evidence; planning, assessment data, photographs, work, and children questionnaires from year groups to compile a portfolio that allows them to assess how well their subject is being delivered.

Planning and organisation

National Curriculum programmes of study provide the minimum requirements of Key Stages 1 curriculum – a principle aim being that the required “Knowledge, Skills and Understanding” are covered as many times as possible throughout the Key Stage. To track progression of skills each subject is assessed in levels which are used to plan the next steps in children’s learning.  Long term plans indicate what themes will be taught and when. Using a brainstorm of activities, a topic is devised and consideration given to the best learning sequence.  Each topic will include a ‘WOW’ factor e.g. an educational visit, film or outing.  Medium term plans for each topic hold the relevant

Each topic will also include a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) activity. STEM activities will be carefully planned and delivered during each topic in order to develop thinking, reasoning, teamwork, investigative and creative skills. They will link to real life problems and experiences and encourage hands on learning to engage the children into the topic and encourage critical thinking, learning targets and experiences

Equal opportunities and special educational needs

It is expected that all children will be given the opportunity to learn in a creative and encouraging learning environment which encompasses a range of learning and teaching styles.  All children are entitled to this as part of the Every Child Matters Agenda.

Equality Act 2010

The curriculum will be delivered to ensure equal opportunities for all, incorporating opportunities to tackle key inequalities for pupils including gender stereotyping, prevention of bullying and raising attainment for individuals and groups.

Health and safety

We actively follow Bucks Council guidelines. Risk assessments are carried out for every educational visit and equipment used is regularly checked by the subject coordinator.