The Sully School Curriculum
Our pupils and other stakeholders (pupils, parents, Governors, staff and local community) have had many opportunities to influence the content of our curriculum and have been involved in its co-construction from the start of our journey towards its implementation. Through questionnaires, meetings and pupil voice we have gathered ideas about curriculum content and experiences and this, along with Welsh Government guidance documents, has formed the basis of our curriculum design.
Our curriculum aims to be:
- Authentic: offering our pupils real-life learning experiences taking into account Welsh values and culture
- Evidence-based: drawing on the best of existing pedagogy within Wales and around the world
- Inquiry-based: Allowing children to discover and form their own opinions through research and experimentation and to develop independence
- Responsive: relevant to the needs of today (individual, local, national and international) but also equipping all young people with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for their futures
- Inclusive: accessible to all learners taking into account the need to support and challenge and for the curriculum to reflect the diverse nature of our school
- Ambitious: embodying high expectations and setting no limits on achievement and challenge for each individual child and young person
- Empowering: developing resilience, competence and curiosity which will allow young people to engage confidently with challenges and to influence their learning
- Progressive: enabling continuity and flow of skills and knowledge which combine and build progressively
- Engaging: encouraging enjoyment from learning and satisfaction in mastering challenging subject matter
- Rights-based: underpinned by the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Our Curriculum Model
With these aims in mind we have devised our own curriculum model which sets out the ‘rhythm of the year’ for pupils.
This model is included below:
Daily Teaching of Maths and Literacy – Maths and literacy skills are taught daily.
Health and Well-Being – Health and Well-Being is taught explicitly in planned lessons based on the themes identified in the Jigsaw scheme of work. Health and well-being is a thread that runs throughout the year to ensure that teachers respond to any specific needs of the learners in their class.
Units of Learning – Each term has a main unit of learning. This unit of learning has either Expressive Arts, Science and Technology or Humanities as the leading AOLE. This approach allows pupils to increase their effectiveness as a learner, increase their depth and breadth of knowledge and deepen their understanding of key ideas. Other AOLEs are included within each unit of learning where they enhance learning in this area and are naturally linked to the main ideas. Pupils are encouraged to learn about key concepts within each unit through an inquiry based learning model (detailed within ‘pedagogy’). This allows them to apply across different disciplines and within new contexts. Each academic year will begin with a ‘Connection’ inquiry to help learners transition into their new classes, feel connected to the school, local community and Wales (Cynefin). Furthermore, we will end each academic year with a ‘Transition’ inquiry that will help learners look forward to the following year.
Short-term whole-school projects – During each term, the whole school focuses on the same short-term project. This project focuses on either Numeracy, Literacy or ICT and always ends with a celebration of learning. Pupils will explore the same key ideas across the school delivered and presented in age-appropriate ways. These projects often allow pupils to apply their skills in a cross-curricular way.
Year-Long Learning Threads – Our Curriculum Model identifies key threads that run throughout our curriculum. This allows us the flexibility to celebrate religious events, special national days or weeks and to stop to react to world events. We recognise that Outdoor Learning has a huge benefit to physical and mental health as well as providing opportunities for building strong relationships and developing life skills. As such, all year groups have access to outdoor learning opportunities as part of our curriculum.