Curriculum Intention
At Livingstone Primary and Nursery School, we aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which will enable each pupil to reach their full potential through high-quality teaching and targeted interventions. We are a school with a multicultural intake of pupils and a Resourced Provision for Pupils with ASD. Being inclusive is at the heart of our practice and, through the teaching of Literacy and Numeracy, pupils are given a skill set that enables them to access an enriched range of learning experiences and provides a gateway to the foundation subjects.
By looking at the starting points of our children, we aim to create a curriculum reflective of a diverse community, which starts with familiar experiences and expands outwards to encompass new learning. Our range of topics and learning objectives is relevant to the children and is designed to engage their interests (pupil voice). Sporting activities, educational visits, workshops, and extra-curricular experiences enhance their subject knowledge, provide them with opportunities that they might otherwise not experience, build their ‘Cultural Capital’, and help bring their learning to life.
Implementation
Our curriculum has been designed for a range of learners, with the aim of providing equal opportunities for all. In every subject, learning objectives are presented to the class as a range of differentiated ‘Chilli’ challenges: ‘warm’, ‘hot’, ‘spicy’, and ‘on fire’. Under the guidance of the teaching staff, pupils access learning objectives at an appropriate level and work towards a higher challenge. We use a system of marking and assessment for learning to monitor the impact of the teaching and learning in every lesson.
We use ‘Read Write Inc’ Phonics, ‘Read Write Inc’ Spelling, Accelerated Reader and Talk for Writing to underpin the teaching of Reading and Writing; Maths Mastery and White Rose resources are used to teach Maths.
Science and Foundation subjects are taught in one or two-week blocks with clear learning objectives based on the National Curriculum. Wherever appropriate, learning is enhanced and made more meaningful through links to the local area and our children’s own experience.
Our P.E curriculum map ensures all children are getting full and varied coverage and we ensure children receive high-quality sport experiences including competitive events, and we offer a range of different extra-curricular clubs during and after school across all ages to raise our pupils’ aspirations.
French is our modern foreign language and is taught in KS2 by a MFL specialist teacher who also teaches weekly Spanish sessions in the after-school club.
The outdoor environment and the local community are considered a resource for active learning for all our children. We use the local leisure centre for swimming courses and the surrounding woodlands for scientific work. In addition, the school grounds have been developed so they can be used to enrich different curriculum areas, particularly Sport and Forest Schools.We regularly include workshops and visits as key elements of our programmes of study.
Impact
Our approach to delivering the curriculum, combined with our commitment to pastoral care, provides a holistic environment in which our pupils can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. The impact of our curriculum is measured by the progress made by our pupils, evaluated through regular monitoring, assessment, scrutiny, and termly Pupil Progress Meetings. Through our teaching of our curriculum, we develop values and transferable life skills designed to help children leave our school as well-rounded young people, ready for the next stage of their educational journey.