Curriculum

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.

Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

At Harlands Primary School, we believe in the importance of Science in primary education and we aim to encourage children to develop their scientific thinking and knowledge through hands on exploration and experimentation with children beginning to understand science capital.

Where relevant science skills and knowledge is linked to the term’s theme to give, a real relevance to the children’s learning. This cohesive approach leads children to enjoy new scientific discoveries, inspiring them and equipping them with the skills to shape how we live in our rapidly changing society.

We believe in giving all our pupils from nursery to Year 6 the opportunity to take part in a 9 week Forest School program. Forest Schools have developed from the Scandinavian education system, it takes on a holistic approach to learning in a natural, wooded, outdoor space. Children are given the freedom to play, explore, be curious and imaginative through positive outdoor experiences.

We offer a high-quality history education that will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Art and Design provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas.

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

It is our intent that we make music an inspiring and enjoyable learning experience which develops the children’s musical skills and prepares them in readiness for high school. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which to develop a love of music and develop their talent as musicians, and in turn increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to understand rhythm and follow a beat through performing on a range of musical instruments. By singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music across different time periods, cultures and traditions. This supports children to understand the cultural capital of being open minded in their listening as well as knowledgeable about a breadth of musical genres in the world today. The children learn to appreciate how music supports other areas of the curriculum such as dance and drama.

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Our curriculum is designed to recognise children’s prior learning, both from Ducklings Nursery or other settings or from their experiences at home.

We work in partnership with parents, carers and other settings to provide the best possible start, ensuring each individual reaches their full potential from their various starting points.

Our curriculum has been designed to enable children to succeed through cooperative and collaborative learning principles. As such, there is a strong emphasis on the Prime Areas of learning; Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language, including Oracy.

We recognise that oracy not only improves academic outcomes, but is a life skill to ensure success beyond school, in life and future employment. Oracy develops children’s thinking and understanding, which in turn promotes self-confidence, resilience and empathy which support the child’s well-being. Our enabling environments and warm, skilful adult interactions support the children as they begin to link learning to their play and exploration right from the start.

We believe that high level engagement ensures high level attainment. We therefore provide an engaging curriculum that maximises opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links and learning experiences, as well as promoting the unique child by offering extended periods of play and sustained thinking. We following children’s interests and ideas to foster a lifelong love of learning both in and outside of school.

By the end of the Reception year, our intent is to ensure that all children make at least good progress from their starting points are equipped with the skills and knowledge to have a smooth transition into Year 1.