Our curriculum is driven by the need to prepare our children for life long learning.  Themes are planned with children’s needs in mind.  We want to ensure the local community plays a part alongside the wider world.  Reading and developing a rich and varied vocabulary underpins our curriculum, and visits and visitors are planned in to support and inspire learning.

In Foundation we follow the EYFS statutory framework. At Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 we follow the National Curriculum.  Our Big Pictures give you the details for each year group and each term. Details of the National Curriculum can be found by following the National Curriculum link.

The curriculum reflects the need of all pupils and mirror’s the school’s aim to provide a broad, balanced, creative and challenging curriculum for all pupils. We are proud to be a ‘No Outsiders’ school and a Route to Resilience accredited school.

The Special Needs & Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCo) is Mrs V Toon and she can be contacted through the school office using the Get in Touch button at the bottom of each page. Information on how we meet our SENDCo obligations can be found on the Equality and SEND page of this site.

Teaching and learning:

At Badgerbrook Primary School children in KS1 and KS2 follow the National Curriculum. Children in EYFS follow the Early Years Foundation Curriculum. Our teachers deliver the curriculum in topics that are relevant and exciting for our pupils. We base our curriculum on a ‘Learning Challenge’ Curriculum where each topic begins with a ‘big question’. Each half term teachers produce a curriculum plan that shows the links between the different curriculum subjects through a big question. We call this half termly plan the ‘big picture’. All learning is sequential and through careful tracking of progression of skills, leaders and teachers ensure that pupils learn by building upon prior knowledge, with the intention that they know more and remember more. Throughout the topic, inquiry skills are developed, due to the fact that each lesson begins with a composite question, known as the ‘learning question’. At the end of each topic the pupils have the opportunity to answer the ‘big question’ and reflect on their learning journey.

Our curriculum is based on vocabulary which can be transferred to learning at other points of a child’s education and beyond.  This vocabulary is carefully planned for each topic to ensure it is meaningful, transferable and ambitious.  The vocabulary is displayed in every classroom and known as ‘sticky words’. Knowledge is built upon through the progression of sticky words.

The importance of a positive attitude to learning is supported by the use of the key learning behaviours, known as ‘character muscles’. Our school promotes and celebrates these through all aspects of school life. It is the aim that every child leaves Badgerbrook equipped with both the knowledge and skills to continue successfully as lifelong learners, with the character muscles embedded securely.

Through our teaching we are:

• Ensuring high standards are achieved through curiosity, discovery and partnership between pupils, staff, parents and the community
• Providing an enquiry-based, challenge curriculum, developing knowledge, understanding and transferable skills in a purposeful way that will improve the lives of our children
• Creating inclusive and accessible learning environments that are safe, welcoming and enticing
• Using innovative and creative approaches to learning that recognise the importance of equipping children for the future in a rapidly changing world
• Nurturing pupils’ self-esteem, self-awareness, confidence, resilience, health and wellbeing

In our planning we reflect these concepts:

• Progress means knowing more and remembering more.
• Knowledge is generative (or sticky) ie the more you know the more easily you can learn.
• Vocabulary size relates to academic success. Education is crucial for increasing the breadth of children’s vocabulary.

We consider these factors that link to a high quality curriculum:

• A focus on subjects even when topics are taught
• A depth and breadth of curriculum content
• Seeing the curriculum as a progression across the years
• Having a clear purpose for assessment
• Reviewing and evaluating curriculum design
• Clear curriculum leadership (which is often distributed) and ownership
• Considering local context and ensuring it is relevant for our children

Phonics and Reading in Key Stage 1

We use the 'Read, Write Inc' approach to teach reading, writing, and phonics in Foundation Stage, Year 1 and into the autumn term in Year 2.  We combine this with other reading and writing opportunities to suit all pupils.

Following this approach, pupils are taught in ability groups, thus enabling them to be taught according to their reading level, not their age. Teaching is very precise and tailored to the needs of each child irrespective of year group.  Full details and advice on how to support this at home please go to the English at Badgerbrook page.