Our Curriculum Vision:
At Quarry Mount we aim to provide a creative and inspiring place of learning where our diverse community thrives through the commitment and care of dedicated staff. Our mission is to support the learning of our children to enable them to be the best that they can be. We are PROUD of our learning!
P – Prior Knowledge (building on previous learning experiences)
R – Respectful (we share and celebrate; culture, values, experiences and the development of ourselves and others in a respectful way; learning from each other)
O – Opportunities (we are inspired by immersing ourselves in creativity, reflection and challenge to grow: passionate, knowledgeable individuals with a love of learning)
U – Unique (we nurture all; through a culture of nurture, inclusivity, and high expectations to provide a warm, safe and welcoming space)
D – Driven (we succeed as learners; through enduring and persevering to help ourselves and others to achieve the highest possible standards for us and our whole school community)
The children who come to Quarry Mount Primary School are diverse, confident and energetic. The world into which they will live and grow is changing rapidly and is driven by technology. The jobs they will do as adults may not yet exist. They will face the challenges of living in multicultural communities and in a way that protects and preserves the environment. Parents tell us that their children learn well and enjoy coming to school. They also praise school staff for being welcoming and caring. Teaching English to pupils coming from overseas is highlighted as a strength.
Our Governors are passionate about our children developing a love of learning. They aspire to fill school with pupils who approach challenges with curiosity, excitement and persistence. Governors also prioritise social development for children, valuing attributes such as empathy, resilience, consideration for others, and a strong sense of identity.
As professionals, we believe that learning and teaching are exciting and vital in providing young people with opportunities. We will inspire children to learn by offering relevant, quality first- hand experiences and will concentrate on teaching them the skills they need to learn how to be life-long learners.
Together we aim to design a curriculum in which British values are intrinsic, and which nurtures:
• Open-minded children who can empathise with others and support them
• Creative children who reflect on their own learning
• Children who are able to reason and apply their learning to solve problems
• Enthusiastic children who show perseverance and resilience
• Respectful, independent children who take responsibility for their behaviour and learning
• Leadership skills and an understanding of fairness and democracy
Together we aim to ensure that we build skills rigorously, whilst meeting all legal requirements of the National Curriculum
1. We believe strongly that one of the most important things we can teach children is how to be an effective learner and develop a view of themselves as learners (see HERO concept).
2. Many of our pupils are bilingual, speaking English as an additional language. Some come to Quarry Mount speaking no English at all. Therefore, speaking and active listening are a major focus, with explicit teaching of vocabulary a priority.
3. Alongside this, we believe strongly in the importance of motivating pupils to enjoy reading, whilst also ensuring they have the skills of fluency and comprehension to foster their learning in all areas of the curriculum. Maths skills are taught in lessons using practical methods, and are applied to real life situations, giving pupils the opportunity to explain, reason, generalise and problem solve.
4. Specific skills (such as those involved in art or sport) which enable our pupils to express themselves, channel their energy and harness their talents, are taught and valued.
5. Life skills are valued and are linked to relevant curriculum themes.
6. All subjects are taught using technology, which excites and motivates the pupils. Computing skills are taught and practised in lessons and are applied across the curriculum. Children know how to use the internet safely and know what to do if they have a negative experience.
7. Pupils are given regular opportunities to solve problems in a relevant context, including investigative, research, study and enterprising skills.
8. Pupils’ social and emotional development is seen as crucial. Through teaching the PSHE curriculum and through the Behaviour policy, pupils learn the skills of empathy, gratitude, co-operation and communication, which is particularly pertinent with communication methods ever evolving and communities becoming increasingly diverse.
We will provide opportunities for children to apply these skills in meaningful ways, appropriate to our pupils and the community in which they live.We will achieve this through ensuring our pupils experience a range of exciting activities, in addition to high quality classroom learning. We will draw on learning opportunities from a wide variety of sources include sporting events, specialist workshops, participation in and viewing of productions, multi-cultural events, educational visits (including to places of worship), themed weeks, access to a variety of clubs, links with schools in England and abroad.
Our curriculum will evolve to meet the needs and aspiration of pupils, parents, governors, the wider community and ourselves as professionals.