At Acres Hill we know that education is fundamental to improving the life chances of our pupils and their families. For all our children, the goal is that they will leave Acres Hill Community Primary School as proficient and confident readers, writers and mathematicians who have a love for learning and an interest in the world in which we live.
For this to occur children also need to be confident, independent and resilient. Our curriculum therefore aims to support the whole child, in order to equip them with academic and interpersonal skills required to be successful, whilst also building aspirations and confidence to dream big and aim high.
In order to accomplish this aim we deliver a broad and balanced curriculum across school. The curriculum is sequenced and rigorous in order to develop and support children’s core academic knowledge and skills, whilst also broadening children's understanding of the wider world (and their place in it) so that they are fully equipped to explore and succeed as part of it.
We deliver a curriculum that:
Gives children the knowledge to flourish in the next stages of their education
Utilises highly skilled teaching which builds on children’s prior learning
Ensures that learning for children is precise and focused
Is well sequenced so that knowledge and skills are built upon progressively throughout a child’s time in school
Uses planned opportunities for repetition of learning and the threading of key concepts and ideas
Supports children to experience their learning in creative and stimulating ways, supporting children to be curious, independent and motivated in their own learning
Embraces the local area and community, in order to recognise its heritage, local history and geography; as well as its place within the wider world.
Promotes the supporting of the whole child, to ensure that children are empowered to be physically and emotionally well and able to lead positive and productive lives
Is aspirational; all staff work to inspire and support children in order to ensure they are aware of the world to be explored and that they are suitably equipped and challenged to do so
The Curriculum is overseen by the Curriculum Lead, Claire Hodkin (Assistant Headteacher). Individual subjects are led by Curriculum Co-ordinators, these co-ordinators regularly monitor and review their subject areas to ensure coverage and progression across school as well as identifying areas of good practice and development.
The Curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum (2014) and the EYFS Development Matters Framework (2021) and has been developed to meet the needs (learning and developmental) of our learners.
The Curriculum is:
structured on a year by year group basis, to ensure age appropriate coverage and progression for children as they move through school
mapped in a way that groups subjects and content by term, allowing learning to be sequenced and children to be able to use prior learning to support the understanding of new concepts and themes
planned to ensure repetition of key facts and ideas to support children’s long term memory within subjects
taught in discreet subject lessons, focusing on knowledge and skills for that particular subject
precise and focused in its content for different year groups, setting out clear start and end-points for children’s learning
planned to be engaging; experiential and motivational learning opportunities are used to promote excitement and interest in topics being covered, as well as providing children with first hand experiences to map and make sense of their learning
supported by subject leaders who are given training and time to develop their own understanding and expertise, develop their curriculum areas and support other school staff
mapped to include opportunities to support children’s emotional awareness and social skills, although RSHE is taught discreetly the Acres Attributes and Relationship Policy provide key threads throughout the curriculum
The impact of our curriculum is regularly monitored. Class Teachers assess the curriculum’s impact on pupils’ learning and understanding through: in-class observations, the use of standardised tests and assessments, inter- and intra-school moderation, ongoing in-class formative assessment including marking and feedback, end of unit activities (e.g. tasks, quizzes, hot and cold activities) and specific screening tools where required.
Curriculum Co-ordinators use a variety of measures to ensure that their subjects are being delivered accurately and that impact across subjects is understood and pupils’ learning remains high quality. These measures include: planning scrutiny activity, gaining pupil voice from across year groups, the monitoring of books and displays, learning walks and lesson observations, informal discussions with staff, inter- and intra-school moderation events and planned professional development sessions.
Senior Leaders and Governors ensure that the curriculum is followed, planned and delivered as envisioned. Leaders and Governors use measures to quality assure teaching, learning, curriculum coverage and delivery across school including: lesson learning walks, inter- and intra-school moderation exercises, Co-ordinator led briefings for Governors, school commissioned reviews (LearnSheffield/ Sheffield South East Learning Partnership/ Sheffield South East Trust), opportunities to work with other partners (e.g. National Centre for Excellence in Teaching of Mathematics and Subject Leader Development programmes), planned CPD for staff and informal support and discussions with teachers, children and parents.
NB: Please see our Assessment Policy for a detailed look at how we monitor and evaluate learning.
Through the teaching of our curriculum, pupils build on prior learning enabling them to recall and use knowledge and skills, helping them to:
learn and remember more with each year
make links within their understanding and apply their learning
be creative and innovative in their thinking
be confident and reflective with regard to their learning
be aspirational in their outlook to life
have the understanding and tools to know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy
be able to collaborate and support others
know that they can make a positive contribution to the wider world
Our broad and balanced curriculum also includes multiple opportunities for children’s Personal Development.
Enrichment and Personal Development support encompasses a wide ranging offer, including but not limited to: Forest School learning, Pop Choir, external sports coaches (for example Sheffield United Coaching, Tae-Kwondoe and LINKS), Drama Club, after-school sports and activity clubs, learning how to play an instrument (Year 4), additional swimming lesson provision (Years 4 and 5 2022-23, Year 5 2023-24), Family Breakfast Club and additional classroom breakfasts.
School also utilises links within the local area to maximise community involvement. For example, working alongside a local art gallery, links with the Local Forestry Commission, inviting community members into school and building links with local services such as the community library, local GP surgeries and housing support teams.