We currently use a mix of use Dimensions ‘Learning Means the World’ curriculum for Years 4 and 6 and CLF curriculum for Year 1, 2 3 and 5 as the main vehicle for achieving our outlined intent, with a view to providing an ambitious, contemporary, relatable curriculum offer.
At Queen Margaret Primary Academy we support children’s academic development through sequences of learning designed to engage, immerse and provide cultural capital
Our curriculum has been curated by subject specialists working 3-19 across our trust and as such, there are clear rationales in place for the decisions we have made about the sequencing and building of knowledge over time. For example, the learning of history follows a progressive curriculum where events are present chronologically across the academy. Learning begins with the knowledge of oneself in the present and grows from there. As another example, geographical progression is organised across the academy to allow pupils to learn about locational knowledge at a local and national scale as well as places at a distance. For our children in early years, learning starts with the knowledges of themes in their immediate location of home and school and develops to learning about the wider world.
In other year groups using Dimensions Curriculum this is underpinned by four highly-relevant world issues, known as the four Cs:
Our school values fit with these four core issues as follows:
We believe that communication is at the heart of learning. Being able to effectively communicate online, face-to-face and through pen and paper in different settings, for different audiences, is vital to learning and life. In order to learn, children need to build and expand their vocabulary and we aim to provide opportunities for them to experience and use new vocabulary frequently, in a range of contexts.
Communication with parents is also extremely important and we endeavour to do this in many ways, from ensuring we meet families as they arrive in school, to holding parent workshops.
We firmly believe that communication truly is the key to a successful school.
As a school that predominantly represents a White British heritage, with little personal awareness or experience of other cultural groups, we want our pupils to fully appreciate and embrace diversity by learning about, celebrating, and developing an understanding of a range of different cultural and faith heritages. In general, there is a lack of education around other cultures and a fear of difference. We want to break stereotypes, especially within our own culture, and open pupils’ eyes to difference in a way that isn’t simply tokenistic or a political gesture. By putting culture at the heart of the curriculum, we believe we can achieve these goals.
All pupils will undoubtedly encounter conflict in their lives, both now and in the future. Teaching children how to resolve conflict is so important in terms of wellbeing and being able to deal positively with confrontation on a personal level will stand pupils in good stead for adult life.
We want them to value others’ opinions and respect differing views, as well as realising that it’s OK to change your mind after listening to others’ opinions.
We also don’t want them to see conflict as something that just happened in the past or simply about war and fighting.
We want our pupils to be a community who problem-solve and work as agents for change locally, as well as nationally and globally. By putting sustainability at the heart of our curriculum, we believe we can help them become socially-conscious, active global citizens, who question and challenge as necessary, while learning how they can contribute individually and collectively to a better world.
Each theme begins with a pupil-led starter/hook. This is an engaging activity or experience that will inspire the children and leave them curious about their new learning. Their questions and reactions are recorded and returned to throughout the themed learning, giving them a voice about their learning.
Classrooms and surrounding areas reflect the class theme, immersing them in a learning-rich environment.
