Respectful Citizens in a World of Possibilities

 

During the 2018/19 school year we considered the school’s vision and the values we thought underpinned that vision. The children, staff, parents and governors were involved in the process which in itself was interesting, challenging and rewarding. 

It was felt that the school motto of 'Learning Together for a Better Future' was still wholly relevant, but from here we developed a vision with two threads. One relates to who we want our children to be as we nurture them in school - RESPECTFUL CITIZENS. And the other is about how we ensure they understand that there are no boundaries or limits and that what we can't do is just not yet in this WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES. 

Our curriculum, ethos and practices are built upon these threads with a focus on seven core values: 

Confidence; Curiosity; Ambition; Resilience; Creativity; Co-operation & Kindness. 

 

Chisenhale’s Curriculum Vision

Curriculum intent:

We aim to provide an ambitious, inclusive curriculum, inspiring all children to acquire knowledge and skills to create inquisitive minds and ignite a lifelong love of learning. 

We celebrate the social and cultural diversity of our community, building on this to broaden children’s understanding of the world.  Our curriculum has been designed to support all pupils from our disadvantaged, SEND, children of different faiths or none and ethnicity to reflect an inclusive school. We have high expectations for our children academically and take equal care to nurture their all-round abilities, individuality and personal confidence through a rich and exciting curriculum.  

We are a UNICEF Rights Respecting School with Gold status. Our vision and values support Articles 3, 28, 29 and 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child.    

Article 3: The best interests of a child must be a top priority in all things that affect children.

Article 28: Every child has the right to an education. 

Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.

Article 31: Every child has the right to relax, play and take part in a wider range of cultural and artistic activities. 

 

Our values:

 

Our curriculum drivers

Rights Respecting

We strive for the children to develop into kind and responsible citizens and see our school as offering a “world of possibilities” through the curriculum. Children have time to play, think and thrive as an individual in a supporting, caring and encouraging environment. The interests and skills that they leave Chisenhale with will create lifelong learners and a readiness to make an impact on the wider world, with an ambition to reach their full potential. This is all driven by the UNICEF Rights of the Child.

 

Communication 

Language development is critical to cognitive and social development,enabling children to express themselves. An ability to communicate is fundamental for the children to reach their future ambitions in educational and employment settings. Oracy is a key focus to support effective communication, with modelled spoken language, opportunities for productive talk with peers and development of vocabulary across the curriculum. Classroom discussion is structured around an ABC model that invites children to agree, build or challenge. Pupil voice is highly valued; we strive for an effective balance between teacher and pupil talk. Talk underpins all written work.

 

Active learning

Active learning is an approach that embeds knowledge and stimulates curiosity. As active learners, children develop a sense of responsibility; they are active participants, making choices, asking questions and have opportunities to take the lead in their learning journey; they are problem solvers and reflective thinkers, growing their resilience. We acknowledge children’s effort to keep trying if they encounter difficulties, and celebrate and enjoy each other’s achievements. Starting in Early Years, we listen to and follow the interests of the child and want to promote movement and well-matched experiences and trips to enhance the in-school learning, supporting children to make connections across the curriculum. All of this aims to develop their independence. 

We are an ‘Active Movement’ school; we integrate non-sedentary behaviour and low-level activity into the daily routine in school. We stand more often, move more and sit less in our daily routine. Not as an exercise regime, but as a behaviour change to benefit pupils in the long-term.

 

Curriculum implementation: 

In addition to meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum and EYFS framework, we have developed a bespoke curriculum offer which meets the needs of our learners and reflects our community, preparing the children for their onward journey in life. Given this, our curriculum is constantly evolving, changing and developing. The staff reflect upon and develop the curriculum design to ensure it offers children breadth of learning with experiences which embrace the children’s academic, physical, spiritual and emotional development, and that it fits with what is relevant locally, nationally and globally. 

 

We put a great emphasis on children’s physical development and reducing sedentary behaviour as an Active Movement school. 

Updates about our curriculum are posted on the school app for families to view. Families are invited into Chisenhale half termly to allow the children to share their work and each class has an assembly to show the whole school and their families their curriculum learning. 

Children are given opportunities to participate in after school clubs which are linked to the curriculum areas including Coding, Gymnastics and are often invited to participate in competitive events. 

  • We offer authentic learning experiences, with engaging and inspiring lessons, and create meaningful links across the curriculum. 
  • Curriculum coverage is mapped to ensure that all National Curriculum objectives are taught. Knowledge and skills progression documents are provided by curriculum leads to support teachers planning, ensuring the learning is sequenced; building upon prior learning. 
  • We plan to make authentic links between core and foundation subjects, where possible, and ensure children are writing for a purpose with real audiences. 
  • Reading is incorporated throughout the curriculum. High quality, well-matched books drive the English curriculum and support the children’s wider knowledge of topics, helping the children to deepen their understanding and follow their questions and interests. We are striving to develop our curriculum to reflect the diversity of our community through the learning content and the books that we read.
  • THE Partnership Phonics Programme is taught from Early Years. 
  • Humanities are taught through a thematic approach, with engaging half termly topics that encourage children to think locally, nationally and internationally: topics that offer children the opportunity to develop a wider knowledge and understanding of the world in which we live. We make clear, meaningful links to prior learning and across the curriculum.
  • Each topic has a “Big Bang” to start (such as a trip, Now Press Play experience or a day in role) to enthuse and hook the children into the learning and a “Grand Finale” to finish (such as an opportunity for children to share their work with other classes or an event where families are invited) offering a time to reflect and be proud of their achievements. 
  • Enquiry questions are the starting points for humanities lessons. These encourage children to think critically, make discoveries, find many possible answers, express their opinions confidently and share their personal experiences and knowledge of the wider world to make connections and deepen their understanding of concepts.
  • Throughout all units of work, clear core knowledge and skills are taught.
  • We use an adaptive teaching approach to ensure that all children have access to our rich curriculum. Pupils are provided with high quality resources to scaffold their learning. Teaching points are modelled and children are given the opportunity to work independently, as well as in pairs or groups developing their social skills.
  • We approach learning with a knowledge of cognitive load theory and consider how to make sure learning is ‘sticky’, through rehearsal and revisiting. 
  • We try to offer as many real experiences and enrichment opportunities as possible to deepen and broaden their knowledge and to form connections, including a wide range of trips, visiting experts (such as our drama teacher and organising author visits), links with the local community and regular use of our school library and garden. Now Press Play is used for immersive learning through guided role-play to bring the curriculum to life. Each year, classes from Y1-Y6 visit at least one place of worship, art gallery and museum.

  • Key events and days over the year link to our curriculum to enrich the children’s experience. These include World Book Day, Poetry Slam, curriculum themed weeks (such as Science, Art and Maths Week) Soccer Aid, Remembrance Day, various religious festivals and Sports Day to name a few.

 

Curriculum impact

We evaluate our curriculum impact through a range of formative assessment and monitoring approaches (an expansion of this is included in the Teaching and Learning policy and the Assessment policy).