Curriculum
Our curriculum has been designed to reflect that life at St Oswald’s is rich, varied, inclusive, exciting, challenging and inspiring. Our broad and balanced curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and provides opportunities for pupils to:
· Be happy, enthusiastic and reflective learners who take an active part in lessons
· Think creatively, engage in problem solving and develop their resilience
· Develop an awareness of their own and other religious and spiritual development;
· Become responsible, rights-respecting and caring citizens who appreciate diversity and make a positive contribution to our school and wider community
· Develop their confidence and their capacity to learn and work independently and cooperatively with others
· Develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in all areas to enable them to make rapid progress.
In order to allow the children to fully develop these aptitudes, language is a key focus for us, both to develop the children’s communication abilities, and also to provide them with the rich and specific vocabulary from across the curriculum that underpins their knowledge and understanding, further enhancing their subject specific knowledge and understanding. We teach the National curriculum using a subject based approach which is enhanced by a carefully planned range of educational visits and memorable learning experiences which may include theme days, key speakers and visitors to school. We use a range of teaching strategies that take into account the ways in which children learn in order to foster engagement, motivation and creativity. Our curriculum alongside the National Curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities and experiences of later life.
The following curriculum drivers underpin our curriculum:
Curriculum drivers
Communication
It is the primary aim of our curriculum, that our children develop the skills necessary to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings successfully in a wide range of different forms. Children need to know how to speak and listen with respect in a variety of different situations. They need the ability to read well and read widely as this broadens horizons, develops imagination and provides a rich vocabulary through which to construct knowledge and understand the world. Being able to write clearly, comfortably and where necessary concisely in many different forms remains a key skill and our curriculum exploits every opportunity to develop this ability.
Community
We believe that our curriculum will enable the children to develop the emotional understanding necessary in order to experience positive relationships and to develop a sense of justice and an ability to empathise that ensures a respect of themselves and each other. We believe in the power of the school community to change and enhance lives.
Resilience
Our children will develop the emotional and physical security needed to become resilient individuals who are able to take risks and deal with different challenges across the curriculum and in the wider world by thinking positively and having the confidence to ‘have a go’. They will develop the life skills necessary to work with growing independence and perseverance to become resourceful problem-solvers able to nurture aspirations for the future.
Creativity
In our school, children will be engaged by rich learning opportunities which excite the imagination, advancing their knowledge and understanding through a wide range of creative, physical and expressive activities that take account of their diverse starting points and nurture their skills and talents while broadening their horizons and enriching their experiences of life.
Adventure
We recognise the responsibility we have for the physical development and well-being of our children. We believe that a curriculum rich in sport and physical activity along with participation in positive competition develops confidence and resilience. We want our children to know that life exists outside the virtual and digital world and we will allow them to manage real risks by having fun and experiencing a little danger!
Health
It is important to us that all members of our school community are healthy both physically and mentally. Throughout life, our children will face many difficult challenges. We will exploit every opportunity through our curriculum to help the children to develop the physical and mental strength to be successful and happy.
Ambition
It is important that through the curriculum we encourage the children to have high aspirations that will give purpose to their work and help them to dream big for their future. We will introduce them to positive role models and discuss the purpose and end points of their studies.
Cultural capital
Through our curriculum we aim to increase the cultural capital our children hold, to equip them with the essential knowledge they need to become educated citizens. School visits, visitors and exposing them to the best that has been thought and said will help to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement. Introducing them to them to experiences and ideas they may otherwise have not encountered. We will celebrate and embrace the different backgrounds, heritage, language and traditions of all the children living in this country and will broaden their horizons and understanding.
Courageous advocacy
Definition: the act of speaking out against an issue of injustice, often on behalf of those whose voice is not heard.
Through the curriculum we educate the children to be “change makers”. To become a courageous advocate for change you must go beyond just being informed about an issue. We, therefore, encourage an ethos of action-taking, challenging injustice and becoming agents of change in the transformation of ourselves, our relationships and our communities from local level to global.
Within each subject tab you will find a curriculum map which outlines what the children in each year group will be taught.
More detailed plans can be found within year group tabs.
As well as curriculum based learning, the children at St Oswald's enjoy a range of fantastic whole school events and opportunites. These are detailed in the Curriculum guide alongside fundraising events.
