Intent
Hilltop’s curriculum is ambitious, providing all our pupils with a wide and balanced curriculum. Our curious pupils explore topics in depth by answering ‘Lead enquiry questions.’ The learning end goals are matched to the Early Years framework and National Curriculum, ensuring we have coverage and scope.
To enhance this provision, our values are threaded through daily learning. These are used to support a pupil’s personal development and encourage positive attitudes and learning behaviours for school and life beyond.
Subject leaders and staff have collaborated within and between schools in the Trust to develop our progression of skills documents. This wealth of expertise has also been used to map knowledge and shows how teacher’s lessons build upon prior knowledge to develop our pupils’ long-term memory.
Implementation
We want all of our pupils to be active and engaged in our exciting curriculum. We believe this is intensified when staff have strong subject knowledge. Regular training is planned to support teachers to deliver high quality lessons and weekly meetings are used by teachers to evaluate the previous learning, identify the next steps and plan appropriately. We recognise that classes and pupils learn at different rates and sometimes it is important to revisit learning to ensure concepts have been understood. Our teachers use a range of assessments to check understanding and address any misconceptions.
We want to be creative and make learning memorable and therefore look for wider opportunities to bring learning to life through trips, visits, and the use of the outdoor space, specialist teachers, and inspirational assemblies.
Subject portfolios celebrate and share examples of learning from across the school and highlights the impact they have had through monitoring.
Impact
- Children are engaged in their learning and enjoy coming into school, this is reflected in our high attendance levels.
- Our curriculum meets the requirements of the national curriculum and Development Matters.
- Children can recall key facts from their learning, as seen through assessment.
- Our children are well prepared for their transition from one year group to the next, and they move onto secondary school as confident learners.
- Children are taught by specialist teachers and therefore are exposed to high quality learning.
- Children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) are exposed to the same opportunities and are fully included in lessons.
- They make strong progress from their starting points.
- We look to provide wider opportunities for our pupils such as regular swimming sessions, Forest school, trips to local places, residentials, assemblies, as well as themed days and celebrating national events.