This section of our website is focused on the curriculum we offer at Delves Lane Primary School. It provides an overview of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the Curriculum offer for children in Years 1 to 6. The curriculum is differentiated accordingly to meet the needs of all pupils.
Please find information related to how we deliver our curriculum below. If you have any additional questions, feel free to see your child’s class teacher, Mr. McMeiken or visit the Cornerstones website at: https://cornerstoneseducation.co.uk/
How do we deliver our curriculum at Delves Lane and why?
As a rights respecting school, we believe that every child is entitled to an outstanding education (Article 28). At Delves Lane Primary School, we believe in providing a broad and balanced curriculum which is firmly rooted in rich learning experiences and enrichment. By taking this approach, we allow our children to develop knowledge, skills and talents in all areas; providing children with the tools necessary for life in modern Britain and enabling them to reach their full potential (Article 29). The Local area and children’s own community, its heritage and traditions are an integral part of the curriculum we offer. We frequently engage with the local community to develop social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of learning.
At Delves Lane Primary School, we provide a creative curriculum based on the Cornerstones Curriculum which is a nationally recognised approach for delivering outstanding learning for primary-aged children.
The Cornerstones Curriculum is a thematic, sequenced approach to delivering the 2014 Primary National Curriculum and ensures comprehensive coverage of the national expectations.
How does it work?
Each year group will have six Imaginative Learning Projects (ILP’s) which they will work through during the year, completing one project per half-term. Each project has been designed to provide exciting and motivating opportunities for cross-curricular learning within the context of a theme.
Each project is broken down into four stages, or ‘cornerstones’ of education, which encourage progression of knowledge and skills as well as a love for learning:
Engage– The purpose of this stage is to excite learners in with a memorable experience, set the scene and provide the context for learning. This stage is designed to spark children’s curiosity using interesting starting points.
Develop– This stage will focus on deepening children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in the context of the theme. The stage will allow children to demonstrate new skills and allow time for consolidation. It will provide creative opportunities for making and doing, and provide opportunities for reading, writing and talking across the curriculum.
Innovate– This stage will provide imaginative scenarios that encourage creative thinking and enable children to apply previously learned skills. Children will be encouraged to think creatively and work collaboratively to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
Express– This stage will provide environments for reflective talk, allowing children to reflect on new knowledge and skills gained during the project and create opportunities for shared evaluation. This stage also aims to celebrate and share children’s success as well as identify next steps for learning.
For a further introduction to the Cornerstones Curriculum, please see the video below:
How connected is the Cornerstones Curriculum?
Within the cornerstones curriculum, subject specific concepts and skills are woven throughout a number of projects. For example, in History, the idea of chronology is taught in many different concepts and becomes more complex each time it is revisited as children move through the school. This idea is present through all subjects within the Cornerstones curriculum.
Big ideas
Throughout the Cornerstones curriculum, larger concepts are woven. These big ideas are designed to help children develop a wider and more general understanding of the world. For example, One ‘big idea’ is ‘Humankind’. See below how this big idea is woven throughout subjects and also revisited and developed upon in different year groups
Please find these big ideas outlined below:
Delves Lane Primary School offer a range of extra-curricular clubs for children which take place outside of school hours. These clubs aim to promote knowledge, skills and talents; allowing children to develop as well-rounded individuals.
Please find our Curriculum plans below:
Long term plan of projects
Year group plans
Inclusion and diversity
At our school, we believe that the curriculum should positively promote the inclusion of all children and their families and develop respect and tolerance for their own and other cultures (Article 23 & 30).
Throughout the teaching of our curriculum, children are encouraged to talk and work in mixed ability groups as this enables all children to participate in lessons and promotes the inclusion of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and children who come from a family where English is an additional or second language (EAL / ESL). Those children who are most able are challenged and supported through appropriate extension activities. This may take the form of further independent embedding of skills or application of skills and knowledge in other subject areas.
Where the content of lessons would prove to be too difficult for some children within the setting, teachers differentiate their tasks in order to make learning accessible for all children.
Reading and the wider curriculum
At Delves Lane Primary School, we view reading as a key which unlocks the entirety of the curriculum as is it a necessary skills to access materials in every subject area. Because of this, we encourage teachers to introduce key texts across the curriculum to children through guided reading sessions so that all children are able to access the broader curriculum without relying heavily on peers or their teacher to do so.
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail, please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
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