At Almondsbury, we are ‘Creating our Pathways’ underpinned by the biblical verse “Show me your way, Lord teach me your paths” (Psalms 25:4). We are creating pathways for each individual’s future. Our values enable the whole school community to explore lifelong learning journeys; a strong Christian ethos, pastoral care and excellent teaching and learning strengthening the foundation of these journeys. This aids and strengthens our development of our curriculum.

Our curriculum provides

• deep and diverse challenging experiences
• learning that captures and enhances imaginative curiosity that aids development of resilience
•  opportunities for all pupils to develop their pathways irrespective of their social,cultural, economic backgrounds
• reflection of Christian beliefs and values
• opportunities to develop skills and knowledge enabling pupils to flourish
• a love of learning
• skills and knowledge to ensure pupils are equipped for their continuing life journey.

• The curriculum is taught through a variety of teaching structures, experiences and events

• Interactive learning and lessons
• Adaptive teaching methods in response to subjects and needs of the pupils
• Revisiting prior learning to consolidate and extend pupils’ understanding
• Specific learning intentions and success criteria provided for pupils
• Teaching through high quality texts to develop pupils’ language and extend vocabulary
• High quality questioning
• Quality modelling of concepts
• Use of resources to enhance pupils’ understanding of concepts and teach through concrete, pictorial and abstract
• Challenging activities for all pupils
• Range of tasks to meet the needs of all pupils
• Quality teaching of application of knowledge and skills to enable pupils to solve problems and articulate reasons for methods and applications
• Enquiry based learning activities
• Inclusive and bespoke curriculum for pupils with additional needs and specific teaching sessions
• Use of assessment throughout learning and pupils self-assessment
• Encouragement of pupils responding to feedback to improve their work
• Use of interactive learning walls to ensure pupils’ understanding and work is celebrated as well as providing learning aid for pupils
• High standard of personal development and nurturing support for all pupils
• Provide opportunities for taking risks and pushing boundaries
• Development and encouragement of creativity
• Quality immersion into learning through specific activity days and themed weeks to engage the pupils as well as first hand experiences outside of school
• Opportunities provided for pupils to develop their spirituality and reflection of the Christian values promoted by the school.

Our aim is that the pupils at Almondsbury CE Primary School leave for their next stage of their education with the following outcomes, skills and attributes

• Academically strong and well prepared for the future
• High outcomes in English and Mathematics as well as all other subjects
• Ambitious and aspirational
• Have a love of learning
• Enquiring minds and curious
• Open to new challenges
• Risk taker
• Knowledgeable
• Focussed
• Skilful
• Ability to make positive choices
• Leadership skills
• Creative and imaginative
• Optimistic
• Physically fit and healthy
• Resilience
• Independence
• Tolerance
• Confidence
• Collaboration
• Empathy
• High self-esteem
• Self-aware
• Kindness
• Friendly
• Mentally well
• Emotional intelligent
• Respectful
• Socially and morally responsible
• Culturally enriched
• Reflective and spiritually aware
• Have dignity
• Live well in the community
• Well rounded citizens
• Happy
• Flourishing

At Almondsbury CE Primary School are following the National Curriculum 2014.

We will be teaching all subjects enclosed within the National Curriculum which includes:

English, Mathematics, Science, Computing (new name for ICT), Art, Design Technology (DT), Geography, History, Music, Modern Foreign Language (which will be French), PE, RE. We shall also be continuing to teach Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) even though this is now not a requirement of primary school.

We have arranged our curriculum into key phases as we have mixed aged classes, we will teach the subject requirements for these on a two year rolling programme to ensure continuity and progression. It will also ensure there is no repetition of teaching elements of the curriculum. The year group curriculum jigsaws below represent the aspects of the curriculum will be taught during that academic year of a child’s time with us at Almondsbury.

These are further broken down into the annual topics and what each one will cover from each curriculum area.

We will ensure that the children have a wide, broad and balanced curriculum with a varied diet of learning not only knowledge and content but developmental skills and characteristics which will stand them in good stead for their future lives at secondary school and beyond.

Also included on the Curriculum overview is the EYFS (Reception) topic areas. The EYFS curriculum is organised differently to that of the rest of the school and covers 17 areas of learning. We use the national required curriculum statements as our base for assessment.

For the rest of the school we will assess on a three times a year basis for English and Maths using the national curriculum statements as a guide to the expected levels for each year group. We will use pupil based self-assessments alongside teacher assessments for English, Maths, Science and Computing. These will be completed on a long termly basis. The rest of the curriculum will be assessed at the end of a unit of work or topic, once again using national curriculum statements or skills based ones as will be the case for Music, Art and PE. RE assessments will be based on the Understanding Christianity and are assessed twice per year, and will be linked to the aspects of religion being taught. Please read our Principles for Assessment, this is in one of the attachments lower down the page.