Whole School Curriculum

The person responsible for developing the curriculum at our school is Miss L. Weaver

Intent

At Whiston Willis Primary Academy, academic excellence and social and moral development are at the heart of everything we do. Our ambitious, inclusive, knowledge and vocabulary-rich curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum and reflects our commitment as a Rights Respecting School.

We provide every child with a broad and balanced education that develops secure subject knowledge, a rich and ambitious vocabulary, and the skills needed to apply their learning with increasing independence. Alongside academic achievement, we nurture curiosity, resilience, empathy and a commitment to continual self-improvement.

Our curriculum is designed to enable pupils to know more, remember more and make meaningful connections within and across subjects. Through carefully sequenced learning and high expectations for all, we aim to prepare pupils for the next stage of their education and empower them to become reflective, responsible and active citizens.

Reading and Early Reading

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and provides pupils with access to learning across all subjects. Early reading is taught systematically through a validated systematic synthetic phonics programme, delivered consistently and with fidelity. Decodable books are carefully matched to pupils' developing phonics knowledge so that they can practise and consolidate what they have been taught.

As pupils progress through school, we place a strong emphasis on developing fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. High-quality texts and purposeful opportunities to read across the curriculum support pupils in developing both their knowledge and their enjoyment of reading.

Assessment is used to identify pupils who require additional support, with timely keep-up sessions and targeted intervention provided to help pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need to progress.

Adaptive Teaching and Inclusion

Our curriculum is unapologetically ambitious for every pupil, including pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils are able to access, participate in and succeed within the intended curriculum.

Teachers use adaptive teaching approaches, including explicit modelling, scaffolding, pre-teaching of vocabulary, guided practice and carefully considered questioning, while maintaining high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Adaptations are responsive to individual need without unnecessarily narrowing the curriculum or limiting opportunities.

Subject leaders and the SENDCo work collaboratively to monitor curriculum access and provision. Staff expertise is continually developed through professional development, coaching and collaborative practice, supporting consistent and effective adaptive teaching across the school.

Curriculum Sequencing and Subject Knowledge

Each curriculum subject is carefully sequenced so that pupils progressively build knowledge, understanding and skills over time. Substantive knowledge - the important facts, concepts and content within a subject - is developed alongside disciplinary knowledge, enabling pupils to increasingly understand how knowledge is established, explored and applied within different subject disciplines.

Progression is planned from the Early Years through to Year 6, with new learning building upon pupils' prior knowledge. Key concepts and vocabulary are deliberately revisited so that pupils can strengthen their understanding, make connections and apply their knowledge in increasingly complex contexts.

Retrieval, review and opportunities to revisit prior learning are embedded within teaching to strengthen pupils' long-term memory and provide secure foundations for subsequent learning.

Implementation: Our Pedagogical Approach

Our curriculum is implemented through consistent, evidence-informed teaching that combines high expectations with responsive support for pupils.

Our pedagogical approach is informed by Rosenshine's Principle's of Instruction and reflected within our six-part lesson structure. Lessons are carefully structured to activate prior knowledge, introduce and model new learning, provide opportunities for guided and independent practice, and check pupils' understanding throughout the learning process. Teachers use explicit instruction, modelling, questioning, retrieval and regular review to support pupils in connecting new knowledge with what they already know.

Oracy is integral to our approach to teaching and learning. Pupils are provided with purposeful opportunities to articulate their thinking, explain and justify ideas, listen to others, develop subject-specific vocabulary and learn through high-quality classroom dialogue. Oracy supports learning across the curriculum while developing pupils' confidence as effective communicators.

As a Rights Respecting School, children's rights are woven through our curriculum and wider school experience. Pupils are encouraged to understand their own rights and responsibilities, respect the rights of others and recognise their role within their school, local community and wider world. This contributes to a culture in which pupil voice, mutual respect, inclusion and participation are valued.

Cross-curricular connections are made where they meaningfully strengthen pupils' understanding, while maintaining the distinct knowledge, concepts and disciplinary approaches of individual subjects.

Subject leaders support the implementation of the curriculum through ongoing professional development, monitoring and collaboration, promoting coherence and progression from class to class and year to year.

Enrichment and Wider Opportunities

Our taught curriculum is enhanced through carefully selected experiences that deepen and extend pupils' learning. Educational visits, visitors, workshops and first-hand experiences are planned where they add meaningful value to curriculum learning and enable pupils to apply and contextualise their knowledge.

A broad range of extra-curricular opportunities further enriches pupils' experiences beyond the taught curriculum. These include physical, creative and cultural opportunities designed to broaden horizons, develop interests and talents, and encourage pupils to participate fully in school life.

Assessment for Learning

Assessment is purposeful, proportionate and integral to teaching and learning. Formative assessment is used throughout lessons to check understanding, identify misconceptions and inform appropriate next steps. Teachers use questioning, discussion, observation and pupils' work to establish what has been understood and where further teaching or support may be required.

Summative assessment provides a periodic view of pupils' attainment and progress where appropriate. Leaders use assessment information alongside wider evidence to identify patterns, evaluate provision and inform future curriculum and teaching priorities, while avoiding unnecessary data collection.

Assessment therefore supports both responsive classroom teaching and the wider evaluation of curriculum effectiveness.

Impact

The impact of our curriculum is evaluated through a range of evidence, including pupils' work, pupil voice, assessment information and what pupils demonstrate through lessons and wider curriculum experiences.

Subject and senior leaders undertake proportionate monitoring, including lesson visits, reviews of pupils' work and discussions with pupils and staff. This enables leaders to consider how effectively the intended curriculum is being implemented and the extent to which pupils are building secure and connected knowledge over time. Leaders and governors use this information to celebrate strengths, identify priorities and inform continued curriculum development.

Curriculum impact extends beyond academic outcomes. We consider pupils' personal development, character, confidence and sense of belonging to be important aspects of their education.

Through our Rights Respecting approach, we seek to develop pupils who understand and respect their own rights and the rights of others, value diversity, contribute positively to their communities and recognise their capacity to make a difference. Our ambition is for pupils to leave Whiston Willis as knowledgeable, confident, articulate and responsible young people, well prepared for the next stage of their education and life beyond primary school.

Equal Opportunities

Equality, inclusion and respect are embedded throughout our curriculum. We promote self-respect and respect for others while recognising and valuing the diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences within our school community and wider society.

Curriculum content and resources are carefully considered to represent a broad range of voices, experiences and perspectives, challenge stereotypes and reflect modern Britain. We promote belonging and representation so that pupils can see themselves within the curriculum while also encountering experiences and perspectives beyond their own.

We are committed to removing barriers to participation and maintaining high expectations for every pupil so that all children have meaningful opportunities to learn, achieve and thrive.

WADE DEACON PRIMARY CURRICULUM STATEMENT