Our Curriculum from Nursery to Year 6
Please click on the links below to access a brief overview of the curriculum for each year group:
Foundation Stage Zero and One (Nursery)
Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent:
At Guiseley Primary School, our curriculum supports our children to become life-long learners and thinkers, with the ability to problem solve and work collaboratively. Through our curriculum, we ensure that our children develop a thirst and excitement for learning, enabling them to learn and fulfil their potential. Furthermore, our curriculum allows our children to be independent and resilient, with the confidence and skills to make a positive contribution to society. Our children are proud of their local area and there is a strong sense of community identity. The school houses are named after the four main parks in Guiseley: Nethermoor, Nunroyd, Parkinson and Springfield.
Our curriculum is bespoke to the needs of the pupils at Guiseley Primary School and is underpinned by the values of our Rainbow Code:
Respect, Achieve, Inclusive, Nurture, Belong, Outstanding and Whole Family.
Alongside our Rainbow Code, our curriculum embodies our six “Curriculum Drivers” of community, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, wellbeing, aspirations and outdoor learning.
These Curriculum Drivers thread through every subject in the curriculum to ensure that our broad and balanced curriculum deepens the children’s awareness, knowledge and understanding of themselves, their community and the wider world in which they live.
Our curriculum focuses on appropriate subject-specific knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum, as well as developing individual and collaborative learning experiences, resilience, challenge and a sense of responsibility. Our aim is to ensure that our curriculum, which has a rigorous focus on the core skills of English, maths and science, ensures pupils transfer to high school fully equipped for the next stage of their learning and with the essential values required of citizens in modern day Britain.
Guiseley Primary School has grown from a large infant school to a two-form entry primary school since September 2018 and we are located in a semi-rural area. We have a constantly evolving curriculum, which is regularly evaluated and adapted, to suit the differing needs of our pupils. By giving our children a voice, for example through School Council, Eco-Warriors and Food Ambassadors, we enable them to contribute to their curriculum whilst promoting involvement, ownership and independence.
Our curriculum responds to the needs of learners and their interests by providing a wide range of rich learning experiences. We have strong community links and incorporate visits to local places and invite visitors from the local area into school from the Early Years through to Year 6. Children learn about different countries and global issues through environmental topics such as the rain forest, along with regular class assemblies, which focus on British and world news.
Implementation:
Our curriculum consists of many planned experiences both inside and outside of school: topic hooks, lessons, topic days, school council, assemblies, clubs, sports, trips and visits, workshops, residential visits, fund raising and community work. Desired outcomes are to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but also to develop the skills needed for learning and for life. Our vibrant and rich curriculum is designed so that the subject specific skills build upon the children’s prior learning, with clear planned steps of progression of skills, knowledge and vocabulary from Nursery through to Year 6. Each unit of work is designed with the end goal in mind, working towards a final project, performance, assembly or our ‘Fantastic Finish’ events. Teachers translate long term and medium term plans into weekly or daily plans where the specific needs of the learners are addressed.
All subjects in school are taught discretely in order to ensure the children understand the skills and knowledge relevant to each subject. The teaching of Religious Education is statutory in all schools, and it is taught following the Leeds Agreed Syllabus. Our PSHE teaching aims to develop skills and attributes such as resilience, self-esteem, risk-management, teamwork and critical thinking in the context of three core themes: health and well-being, relationships and living in the wider world, which includes economic well-being and aspects of careers education. We also follow the Leeds Agreed Syllabus for the teaching of PSHE along with aspects of SEAL (Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning), which is taught through lessons, circle time, assemblies and mindfulness activities. School also uses the Mindmate scheme of work to teach the RSE Curriculum and wellbeing.
(Curriculum information for each year group is available in more detail under the ‘Class Information’ tab on the school website)
Our achievements stretch beyond the academic aspects of school life. We have a wide range of clubs available, including rugby, football, gymnastics, cross-country, jujitsu, dance, art, Lego, gardening, yoga, art, cooking, choir and many others. Children are encouraged to follow their interests and join in with extra-curricular activities, whatever their level of ability. Children regularly represent the school in sports competitions and festivals and we are building a strong reputation for producing successful teams in local events.
Promoting good health and positive well-being of pupils, staff and parents is an important aspect of our school and we continually review our provision and practice within the four-core areas: Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH).
In November 2017, we gained Healthy School’s status as well as Mind Mate Friendly status, and have maintained this ever since. In September 2019, we were awarded the Sports Mark Gold Award for the second consecutive year. We are aiming for re-accreditation of these in 2022-23.
Play-times are an important part of our pupils being happy, healthy and ready to learn. We have well-staffed and equipped playgrounds, a sports field, multi-games area (MUGA), gym equipment and two separate outdoor areas specifically for the children in EYFS. Our Year 5 and 6 children can choose to become Play Leaders to lead activities and help with the organisation of Sports Day.
Food Ambassadors, nominated by their peers at the beginning of each year, communicate with lunchtime supervisors and kitchen staff and make suggestions on how school lunches may be improved. Healthy eating is always encouraged and supported by the free fruit and veg scheme for KS1.
Eco-warriors meet weekly and help to care for our school environment: they help others to follow our eco-code, monitor our energy use in the school and encourage teachers and children to be environmentally aware, including litter picking during break times. Eco Warriors take part in discussions and votes and feedback any relevant information to their class.
Children are given opportunities to develop their musical skills through private tuition and various clubs, including the school choir and orchestra. As part of our music curriculum, children in Year 2 are taught percussion and in Year 3 they are taught the recorder. The children put on wonderful performances over Christmas, Harvest time and during the Summer Term at the annual ‘Guiseley’s Got Rhythm’ event. Regular performance assemblies highlight our many talented children and the ‘Guiseley’s Got Talent’ event is always an exciting time in the school calendar.
During weekly celebration assemblies, children’s individual achievements are recognised through our house point system and by being awarded a ‘Star of the Week’ certificate. This allows us to reflect on successes in learning and personal development. Parents are invited to class assemblies, parent workshops, fantastic finish events and the end of WOW weeks, where children share what they have been learning and parents and children have the opportunity to find out what has been happening across school. Within every classroom and around school, children’s work is displayed and celebrated, creating a positive learning environment.
At Guiseley Primary School, we aim to provide inclusive, educational experiences that take into account the individual needs of children, appropriate to their level of ability. We have developed a programme of early intervention in order to identify pupils who have additional or special educational needs. This process is co-ordinated by Mrs Wain, who is supported in her work by outside agencies, which provide specialist advice. Children with additional needs take part in local visits to the shops and cafes, to support the development of life skills, and are given the opportunity to go swimming at Aireborough Leisure Centre. Inclusive sports festivals form part of the whole school sporting calendar and are well attended by our pupils.
In addition, trained staff support children in our nurture provision, called ‘The Hive’. The Hive is used throughout the day for 1:1 or small group work support. Interventions include speech and language, sign language, gross motor, social interaction and team skills.
We have recently added to our nuture provision by having an outdoor classroom built in the school grounds, where children are able to work outside on different projects such as team building, art and construction.
Our Learning Mentor, Mrs Hewitt, is available to support children, who for a variety of reasons may need additional support for short or longer periods of time. Support is provided during regular drop in sessions, 1:1 or small group work sessions or at lunchtime nurture clubs, which run daily and are offered to every child in Key Stage 2. Miss Adair, Mrs Bradbury, Mr Partridge and Mrs Wharton are the other staff members of the Wellbeing Team and children are encouraged to speak to staff if they are experiencing difficulties either at school or home.
Impact:
At Guiseley Primary School, our intention is that children will be academically and physically prepared for the next phase of their education, in Britain and the world. Our curriculum places the children at the centre of their own learning and teachers continually evaluate the curriculum to best suit the needs of the children in an ever-changing society.
Upon leaving our school in Year 6, we aim for our children to have a confident set of skills, knowledge and moral values that prepare them for living in the community, demonstrating tolerance and respect for equality. They will be independent thinkers and face challenges with resilience and positivity.
Each half term, curriculum evaluations take place, which help teachers to forward plan for the next phase in a child’s learning. Termly assessments of the foundation subjects enable staff to identify gaps, monitor the attainment levels in the different subject areas and identify under performing groups of children. This information is used to address gaps by informing future planning and (where appropriate) the planning of interventions.
When children leave our school, they will go out into the world with a strong foundation of skills, awareness and knowledge upon which to base their continued education in high school. They will have had the opportunity to learn and develop the skills and awareness to navigate the challenges of growing up and have the confidence to seek help when they need it. They will be equipped to make a positive contribution to their community and wider society.