Curriculum

At Long Toft Primary School, our curriculum lead is Mrs. H Buxton. Should you require any further information about our curriculum which is not available online please ring the school on 01302 841246 and ask to speak to Mrs. Buxton. She is more than happy to discuss our curriculum in further detail. 

You can view our curriculum: 

Curriculum Intent Statement
Our EYFS curriculum is designed from Birth to Five and Development Matters framework. We tailor this framework to enhance children’s experiences of the world around them to create well-rounded individuals. The 3 areas known as the prime areas are seen as particularly important for igniting curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building children’s capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we recognise that the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending our children’s development. This begins by observing children and assessing their interests, development and learning, before planning challenging but achievable activities and experiences to extend their learning. Through these experiences we strive to develop characteristics of effective learning that will create good learning behaviours throughout their primary experience.

The Long Toft Key Stage one and two curriculum is designed with either a Geography or History focus as the centre of our learning. Within this design, there is at least one local focus because we believe this enables our children to place their learning in context. Our curriculum is carefully planned so that children have opportunities to revisit and review previous learning whilst acquiring new knowledge, skills and deepening understanding.

High quality teaching will meet individual needs, supported by a relevant curriculum, that fosters the development of creativity as well as academic achievement. This will be extended with an enrichment programme of extra-curricular activities and visits within a vibrant climate for learning and with high expectations.

Our bespoke curriculum is designed to recognise children’s individual learning needs and remove barriers. We provide quality first hand experiences which equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. There is a focus on developing the whole child, preparing them to become responsible citizens of the twenty-first century and encouraging lifelong learning.

Curriculum Implementation
The Long Toft Curriculum has been designed for our children to learn the knowledge, understanding and skills set out in the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage in a way that values our local area. Each topic has been considered in order to give children opportunities to enquire about different aspects of our world. This is carried out through cross curricular links and links to our own lives and the lives of others so that, in context, we can develop a deeper understanding.

We recognise that we are all on a journey of learning and our curriculum mirrors this, using learning from previous terms and the current term so that we can embed short and long term learning. We do this through our termly topics, which begin with a stunning start and end with a fantastic finish.

We also plan in opportunities for visitors and visits to fully enhance our learning by giving opportunities for specific experiences, new knowledge and new skills, while being engaging so that we can really enjoy finding out about new things and about ourselves.

Planning and Delivery
When planning each term, a journey is mapped out to ensure full coverage of the curriculum and skills. Children will be provided with a topic organiser that includes key new vocabulary to enable them to access areas of the curriculum and this will be shared with parents, alongside knowledge that may help children to get off to a flying start.

Teachers will plan for facilitating learning to ensure that children have all the correct knowledge, skills, tools and resources. Children will then work independently, with adult support to aid progress.

Our specially designed curriculum allows staff to:
• Provide stimulating and innovative lessons that engage and challenge all pupils.
• Provide pupils with a curriculum that is personalised.
• Develop pupils’ skills to the very best of their ability in Mathematics and English as subjects in their own right and across other areas of the curriculum.
• Ensure that the curriculum is accessible for all learner groups.
• Provide pupils with opportunities and experiences to broaden their interests and aspirations and nurtured their curiosity of the wider world. We will do this through the implementation of stunning starts and fantastic finishes for all topics.
• Provide opportunities to build character, develop resilience and embed values to enable pupils to reach their full potential academically, socially, physically and mentally in preparation for the responsibilities and experiences of later life.

Curriculum Impact
As a school we use regular opportunities for retrieval practice, this can be days, weeks or even months after it has last been discussed in class. As the curriculum has been carefully designed and mapped out it naturally allows for these opportunities and supports moving on to the next steps of learning and life.

Children leave Long Toft with a broad knowledge of the world around them and an understanding of their place in time. They can explain how life and the world has changed over time. They can present their learning in a variety of ways.

Children will have a solid foundation on which to build their future learning.