Curriculum

Our Curriculum Vision

At FCIA, we prepare children for a lifetime of learning. As such, it is vital that they are given solid foundations upon which to build future knowledge and skills. We use Development Matters in EYFS and the National Curriculum in KS1 as a basis for our bespoke curriculum. Having consulted with stakeholders during our curriculum consultation, we identified six key 'drivers' that shape our provision: Wonder, Depth, Curiosity, Mistakes, Potential and Independence. These drivers meet the needs of our children and match the aims and aspirations of our staff, parents and governors. They inform how we approach the planning, delivery and evaluation of all that we do.

Wonder

Wonder

"Love Life"

We want children to be inspired by the world around them and develop a sense of awe, fascination and appreciation for God's world.

Through engaging experiences, rich texts, practical exploration and memorable learning opportunities, children develop a love of learning and a desire to discover more.

In practice:

Exciting and engaging curriculum experiences

Creative teaching approaches

Memorable visits and visitors

Opportunities to explore the natural world

Learning that develops awe and appreciation.

Depth

"Believe in yourself"

We want children to develop secure knowledge, understanding and skills which they can remember and apply.

Learning is carefully sequenced so that knowledge builds over time. Children revisit important concepts regularly and are given opportunities to embed, practise and apply what they have learned.

In practice:

Carefully sequenced curriculum

Mastery approaches in mathematics

High-quality reading and writing instruction

Retrieval practice

Subject-specific knowledge and skills progression

Potential

"Aspire and Achieve."

Our inclusion provision enables every child to ’Aspire and Achieve’. We ensure that our provision addresses the individual needs of each child, who might:

· Need a little bit of extra support to make progress in their learning, as part of ‘Quality First Teaching’

· Have a Special Educational Need or a Disability

· Be in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant

· Have English as an Additional Language

· Receive pastoral support from our Family Support Worker

In practice:

High expectations for every child

Ambitious curriculum content

Support for SEND and disadvantaged learners

Greater-depth opportunities

Celebration of achievement and progress

We seek to remove barriers to learning and put support in swiftly to ensure that children feel safe, happy and ready to learn.

Curiosity

We nurture inquisitive minds and encourage children to ask questions, think deeply and seek answers.

Our curriculum promotes discussion, investigation and exploration. Children are taught to question, explain, enquire and reflect, helping them become active participants in their own learning.

In practice:

Questioning and enquiry-based learning

Rich classroom discussion

Development of subject-specific vocabulary

Investigation and problem-solving opportunities

Oracy embedded across the curriculum including use of the ShreC approach

Children demonstrate our Christian Values when they are respectful, friendly, trusting, forgiving, truthful and courageous when taking part in discussion in a small group or as a whole class.

Mistakes

"Every Mistake is an Opportunity to Learn"

We teach children that mistakes are a valuable and essential part of learning.

We encourage children to take risks, persevere when learning is challenging and develop resilience. Our classrooms are places where children feel safe to try, improve and grow.

In practice:

Positive learning culture

Reflection and improvement opportunities

Supportive feedback

Learning from errors and misconceptions

Growth mindset approaches - Including the infamous Pets of Yet

(Please see the Growth Mindset section of our website for more information.)

Independence

"Preparing Children for Lifelong Learning"

We want children to become confident, resilient and increasingly independent learners.

Children are supported to take ownership of their learning, make choices, solve problems and develop the confidence to work independently while knowing when to seek support.

In practice:

Independent application of skills

Self-help strategies

Retrieval activities

Classroom routines that build responsibility

Opportunities to reflect on learning

This all leads to the spiritual development of our children through:

Ourselves

We are given opportunities for stillness, reflection and prayer with our class reflection areas, communal prayer spaces and during daily Collective Worship.

We develop resilience, courage and perseverance by embodying the ‘Pets of Yet’.

We express our thoughts and feelings with art, music and dance.

We take part in discussions that helps us to formulate and articulate our ideas and opinions.

We have faith in ourselves, in each other and in those who look after us, including God.

We believe that we are worthy of God’s love.

Our Relationships

We reflect upon the teachings of the Bible to help us understand how we might lead our lives as Jesus did, who commanded us to ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ Matthew 22:39

Our Christian Values inform how we treat one another and how we develop positive and nurturing relationships. We value other people’s lives and their worth.

Our PSHE and Relationships education through My Happy Mind helps us to understand and celebrate individuality and diversity.

We are part of a wider community; we reach out into our local community and welcome them in, for example with Chestnut Court and St. James’ Church.

Our position within DGAT and close links with the Junior Academy and wider Gloucester Schools enables practitioners to share outstanding practice and ensure the best possible outcomes for a whole community of children.

Our Place in God’s World

We praise God through song and prayer in daily Collective Worship, in which we also reflect upon scripture and what it means to be one of many Christians.

We belong to the Field Court family, with shared experiences and common values.

We respect God’s creation when we learn in an about nature and the world around us. We learn about global issues such as climate change and strive to make a difference, understanding the worth in God’s world

We explore cultures, religions and beliefs that are different to our own and find shared ideas and values that link us all.

Overview of Learning

Our topics have been set up based on the consultation with parents and children and may change year on year.

Should you wish to find out more about our approach to the curriculum, please speak to our Key Stage One Lead, Miss Palmer who is our Curriculum lead.

We are also committed to promoting British Values wherever possible;