Curriculum

Our school motto 'All of us Together' and our drivers 'Enriching, Child-centred & Community' are the foundations of all that we do at Longlevens Infant School. The curriculum design is ambitious, engaging, dynamic and purposeful, fostering a love of learning, built around the needs of our children.

The Longlevens Infant School Curriculum follows the EYFS Framework 2021 & National Curriculum 2014 and has been designed by staff with the deficits, interests and cultural capital of our learners in mind. We want to give children experience of a broad curriculum that will prepare them for their next steps in education. We want our pupils to develop into resilient, independent and successful citizens of the future and we aim to give them the fundamental knowledge, skills and experiences to be able to do this. Our mantra is that ‘Reading is the Gateway to all Learning’ and we ensure that this drives all areas of the curriculum. We want children to gain a passion for reading and to leave our school having had an exposure to a wide variety of quality texts, authors and reading opportunities.

Please see our Year group Pages for current Curriculum Maps.

Please see our Policies Page for Curriculum, Teaching & Learning and Assessment Policies.

Implementation

Ten Principles for excellent teaching-

At Longlevens Infant School, we work hard to ensure that teaching is of consistently high quality. Following recent research and current, evidence-based strategies teachers are up-skilled on our ten principles for excellent teaching, in order to effectively implement our curriculum.

Daily review of learning
Present new learning in small, coherent steps
Ask key, targeted questions and check understanding and retention through quality discussion
Provide explicitly clear and excellent examples
Guide children’s practice
Environments that scaffold, enrich and celebrate
Have high expectations for all
Scaffolds to ensure ambitious for SEND & Disadvantaged
Provide opportunity for independent practice
Teachers are experts

Organisation of the Curriculum-

Our ambitious curriculum intents are built by the subject lead specialists in the school to ensure we decide what our children contains and aims to achieve. The curriculum is built to be cyclical and progressively build on prior skills and knowledge. Our annual overviews and progression documents make clear, authentic links between prior and future learning, including how the children’s learning will build towards the Longlevens Junior School Curriculum, where many of our children go after Year 2.

At Longlevens Infant School, we believe Reading is the Gateway to all Learning. It underpins all that we do. Our carefully crafted Reading Spine ensures children hear and study quality texts, including award winning titles. This Reading Spine is woven into our whole school curriculum. Phonics is taught from the beginning of entry to Reception using Read, Write Inc and children follow this scheme

Writing is taught following Talk for Writing sequences. Progression mapping is created within the school.
Maths is taught using the CanDo Maths mastery approach.
Knowledge organisers provide information, vocabulary, facts, diagrams, maps and pictures which children need to know by the end of each curriculum unit.
Some curriculum areas are enriched through whole day(s) across the year and gives children an in-depth extended exploration of learning and subject integrity.

Assessment

We know that in order to teach well and continue to refine practice, teachers and leaders need to fully understand the children and what they already know. Our approach to assessment is fully explained in our Assessment Policy but essentially comes down to 7 key approaches:

Targeted questioning and daily, high-quality, live, verbal feedback
Regular reading opportunities with adults in the school
Regular low-stakes phonics attainment checks
Independent writing and maths challenges
Ongoing formative assessment
Termly summative assessment
Regular retrieval practice and addressing of gaps.

Using a continuous cycle of Plan, Do, Review, we ensure that teacher’s implementation of the planned curriculum is specific to the needs of our children.

Impact

Through careful planning by leaders and teachers, and careful implementation of the curriculum, we are confident that we are providing the very best for the children at our school.

Quality of Education

Children are very well prepared for the next steps in their education, whilst gaining a passion for learning
Opportunities are available for all children to grasp concepts at a greater depth
A knowledge rich curriculum will prepare all children with skills for the 21st century
All children are engaged by a challenging and inspiring curriculum that is relevant to them
Children’s solid academic outcomes create strong foundations for future learning

Behaviour and Attitudes

All children will build strong relationships that enable them to make a positive contribution to the school community
All children will see their learning challenges as opportunities – not obstacles
All children will be willing to take risks in their learning
All children will understand the difference between right and wrong – and why
All children will take personal responsibility for their behaviour and attitude
All children will know that asking for help is a sign of strength – not weakness
All children will learn about the impact of their behaviour and how it affects others, in a restorative way.

Personal Development

All children are equipped with the knowledge to be able to care for their physical and mental wellbeing. They are happy.
All children are prepared for life in modern Britain
All children will have enterprise skills in preparation for the future
All children are curious, creative and courageous
All children understand relationships and their roles within them
All children’s independence is nurtured and developed.

Evaluation

At Longlevens Infant School, we know that our curriculum and its implementation are fundamental to successful outcomes for the children. This is why we have a very robust schedule for monitoring and reviewing the impact of the curriculum and its implementation. Leaders are up-skilled in their ability to monitor and develop their subject, professional development opportunities are directed at the needs of the school and individuals, all staff are encouraged to take interest in current critical thinking and research and leaders at all levels are clear in their responsibilities for continuously driving school improvement.

Monitoring of the curriculum and our outcomes is continuous and involves all stakeholders, especially the children. See the Whole School Curriculum Vision for more information about how teachers, leaders and governors are involved in the monitoring cycles.

Sharing Best Practice

We believe strongly in partnership working. At Longlevens Infant School, leaders are teamed up together to help support each other in their roles and have regular opportunities for collaborative working. We have strong links with curriculum leaders around the city through the Gloucester Schools Partnership and their Best Practice Networks. If you would like to talk to our Curriculum Lead or any of our Subject Leaders about our curriculum and what we do here, please get in touch with the office.