Our Curriculum
If you would like to find out more information regarding our curriculum please email the office: office@christchurch-pri.oldham.sch.uk
Our Curriculum statement of Intent
At the core of all our learning are our Christian values which are embedded into our daily life to develop our children spiritually, morally, socially and culturally
We offer a curriculum which creates exciting opportunities for all our children in an ever-changing world. It is unique and shows a clear pathway, recognising the links between the different strands of learning across the curriculum. In this way, all teachers are fully aware of the progressive sticky knowledge that children need to take with them at the end of each year. Their learning builds on previous knowledge and understanding, which in turn leads to more confident life-long learners who will take this knowledge with them into the future. Our children are aware of the footprint they are creating.
We challenged ourselves to picture the core skills and opportunities that might be needed when a young person starts looking for employment. Our skills set matched closely with the ‘Oldham Pledge’ so these are embedded into our curriculum. As we are very aware of all our children’s starting points, we ensure that we provide them with additional enrichment opportunities throughout their time with us. Communication is the greatest skill of all- not just speaking and listening but also in print as a reader and a writer, through technology, mathematics, science, humanities and the creative arts. We are ardent believers that for our children to succeed, they are presented with high quality, first-hand opportunities and life experiences. These are aimed at improving their own resilience and independence, whilst enhancing local and general knowledge in order to expand their future learning and employment chances.
We are highly ambitious for our children, irrespective of their background or academic prowess. All staff know what their children should achieve at the end of each year and the learning is carefully planned to meet these points. Our children with special educational needs and disabilities are also provided with a rich and stimulating curriculum which, where possible, matches that of their peers.
The curriculum is not narrowed as children get older. All children, throughout the school, receive a broad and balanced curriculum which is aimed at improving their knowledge and skills in a progressive manner. In Year 6, we ensure that our children are ready for the end of key stage assessments without distracting them from receiving a very rich, broad and balanced curriculum. This will then guarantee that our children are as well prepared for the next stage of their education as possible.
We want to continue to offer a knowledge rich curriculum and build on our existing good practice.
The 14 pledges
- To attend regular enrichment activities within your place of learning.
- To attend regular enrichment activities beyond your place of learning.
- To take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing.
- To actively look for and pursue reading opportunities.
- To actively engage in the world of work and to be moneywise.
- To actively engage in fundraising events.
- To actively engage in an outward bound activity or residential.
- To take part in a presentation or performance to an audience.
- To attend sporting and creative events.
- To be involved in a volunteering or leadership role in or beyond your place of learning.
- To be involved in a cultural or international experience.
- To contribute to environmental sustainability.
- To be involved in a democratic process.
- To use digital technology to enhance learning.
Objectives
- To ensure all our children have the best set of skills to enhance their life chances and become economically and socially successful citizens of the future.
- To provide all our children with equal access to a rich, broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum matched well to their ages, abilities, interests, aptitudes and special needs.
- To increase our children’s knowledge, skills and understanding as they grow and develop and strengthen their connections with the world around them.
- The curriculum will be carefully planned and structured to ensure that learning is continuous and that all our children make good progress in the development of their learning.
- To engage all our children’s interest by offering excellent opportunities to extend creative learning, challenge their imagination, value originality and to encourage and motivate them to want to learn.
- To be exciting and to offer our children lots of first-hand experience to reinforce their learning and to underpin their growing knowledge, skills and creativity
Guidelines
- The National Curriculum will be the basis of the curriculum for all learners.
- Short-term planning will be brief. It will set out clear learning objectives, a strategy for differentiating the work and will show how resources are to be deployed efficiently and effectively to personalise learning for each pupil.
- Members of staff will be given responsibility for leading, managing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing the curriculum. Teachers will be given good opportunities to use their subject expertise to enhance the curriculum.
- The Manchester Diocese syllabus will be used as the basis for the planning and teaching of RE, linking to the Local Agreed Syllabus
- Cross-curricular links will be made between subjects where appropriate and the cross curricular themes including PSHE will be planned for within the curriculum.
- Opportunities will be taken to enliven the curriculum through: educational visits out of school; involvement of parents, visitors, artists, crafts people, actors, and musicians; the use of the school grounds, the locality and the wider environment.
- Opportunities will be sought within the curriculum to encourage community cohesion.
- An extensive range of high quality resources including ICT will be used to underpin the curriculum.
- Homework will be set where appropriate to link the curriculum with learning at home.
Outcomes
Children’s work and achievement within the curriculum will be celebrated and displayed to enable it to make a significant impact on the visual appearance of the school and to contribute positively to our ethos. The exciting curriculum that we provide will help children to understand who they are and where they live. It will help them learn about their community, the nation and the world in which they live. It will deepen their cultural awareness and increase their understanding of history, time and place. They will develop a respect for and an understanding of different cultures and beliefs. They will learn about issues facing the world and the importance of caring for their environment.
