Curriculum Rationale

At Fir Tree Primary School, our curriculum is designed to give every child the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to understand the world around them, develop their own sense of identity and place within it, and become confident, curious and responsible members of society.

We believe that a strong curriculum is built on secure knowledge, meaningful experiences and carefully developed skills. Our curriculum is ambitious for all pupils and is designed so that children build on what they already know, make connections between different areas of learning and progressively develop their understanding as they move through the school.

Our curriculum is underpinned by the following principles:

• Knowledge matters. We identify the essential knowledge, vocabulary and concepts that pupils need to learn and remember within each subject. This knowledge provides the foundation from which children can think, question, apply and create.
• Learning builds over time. Curriculum content is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds upon prior knowledge and understanding. Important concepts and vocabulary are revisited regularly, allowing pupils to make connections and develop increasingly sophisticated understanding.
• We value depth over acceleration. There is no expectation that teachers should rush pupils through the curriculum. Teachers are trusted to respond to the needs of their pupils, revisit learning where necessary and provide opportunities to deepen understanding rather than simply move on to new content.
• We are ambitious for every child. Inclusion sits at the heart of our curriculum. We expect pupils with SEND and those who may face additional barriers to learning to access an ambitious curriculum, with appropriate adaptations and support enabling them to achieve highly.
• We develop both substantive and disciplinary knowledge. Across the curriculum, pupils learn important subject knowledge alongside the skills and ways of thinking that allow them to work as historians, geographers, scientists, artists, musicians, writers, mathematicians and linguists.
• We make learning purposeful. Wherever possible, learning is connected to meaningful contexts, real-world experiences and other areas of the curriculum. Our curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to apply what they have learned through projects, practical activities, discussion, investigation, performance and independent work.
• We develop vocabulary and communication. Subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited across the curriculum. We want pupils to be able to explain their thinking, discuss ideas confidently and communicate their understanding using increasingly precise language.
• We use retrieval and revisiting to make learning stick. Pupils have regular opportunities to recall previous learning and make connections with new content. This supports long-term retention and enables children to draw upon an increasingly secure body of knowledge.
• We value the wider experiences that a curriculum provides. Our curriculum is not limited to what can be taught within the classroom. Visits, visitors, performances, practical experiences, local opportunities and links with our community help pupils develop cultural capital and broaden their understanding of the world.
• The curriculum is the progress model. We judge progress by considering what pupils know, remember and can do as a result of their learning. Assessment is used to identify what has been secured, what needs further development and how teaching should respond.

A Broad and Balanced Curriculum

Our curriculum provides pupils with a broad range of experiences across the National Curriculum and beyond. Subjects are planned individually, with their own clear progression of knowledge and skills, while meaningful links are made between subjects where these enhance learning.

English and mathematics provide fundamental foundations for learning across the school, while subjects such as science, humanities, the arts, computing, PE, PSHE, RE and languages enable pupils to develop a broad understanding of themselves, their community and the wider world.

We place particular value on developing pupils' understanding of both their local and global contexts. Children encounter aspects of their local area and heritage alongside opportunities to explore different cultures, places, perspectives and experiences from around the world.

Our curriculum also provides opportunities for children to develop the wider characteristics we value at Fir Tree: independence, curiosity, resilience, creativity, collaboration and confidence.

Flexibility and Responsiveness

Although our curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced, it is not intended to be restrictive. Teachers are professionals and are trusted to adapt their teaching in response to the needs of their pupils.

There is also flexibility to respond to significant events and opportunities as they arise. Important local, national or global events can provide valuable opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of the world and apply their learning in meaningful contexts.

Ultimately, we want children to leave Fir Tree with a strong body of knowledge, the skills to use it, the confidence to ask questions and the curiosity to keep learning.