At Park Primary School, we want to equip every single child with the knowledge, confidence, skills and empathy that will allow them to have rich, successful and fulfilled lives. We are proud to provide our children with an ‘irresistible curriculum’ which fosters their curiosity, inspires their creativity and nurtures them into knowledgeable and conscientious young people. By the end of Year 6, they are ready to take on the world!
Our curriculum is like the road map for our pursuit of knowledge. Our desire is that everything we teach is well-thought out, ambitious and intellectually challenging.
To be literate is a form of power. We are empowering pupils by developing their ability to read with deep understanding, to speak clearly and confidently, and to write expressively and with flair. Whether children join our school with English as their home language, or whether they learn the English language for the first time here with us, we ensure they are all provided with the teaching and nurture they need. Through our curriculum, pupils develop their ability to read, write, speak and comprehend, so that they can seize the opportunities of a rich lifelong education with both hands.
Across the different areas of our curriculum, we introduce children to the fascinating complexities of the world around them. We explore the science behind the questions that perplex us – why are we orbiting the sun; can we create our own robots; how did the leopard get its spots – and use our knowledge to ask even more probing questions. We learn about the events and the people from history who have shaped the present; we use this to consider our society today, and then ask ‘what about tomorrow?’ We bring the world into our classrooms: celebrating the cultural and religious diversity that enriches our Park community, and learning about the planet as critically-informed global citizens. Our curriculum has expression at its heart; our arts provision (in its various guises) gives children the space and inspiration to make and to create; our corridors ring to the sounds of our musical instruments and every child develops confidence through working with our dedicated performing arts teacher.
Our curriculum is inclusive of all and takes into consideration the needs of all of our children. We tailor the curriculum within each year group and class to the needs of the children so that it is accessible, stimulating and engaging for all. This is in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.
To find out more about the different subjects we teach at Park, follow the links below or contact us at info@park.newham.sch.uk FAO Curriculum Lead and we will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Developing a fully inclusive, anti-prejudiced curriculum
Through our entire curriculum, we will foster a deep appreciation and recognition of difference. In order to promote equality and the inclusion of all, regardless of the protected characteristics, our diverse curriculum represents practices, traditions, customs and beliefs from outside the school community as well as within.
Throughout their time at Park, the children will be immersed in a curriculum which teaches the achievements of all cultures and celebrates our rich, diverse world. As a curriculum which promotes the contributions of all, to the world in which we live today, we aim to ensure that genuine aspiration is nurtured. We aim for our children to see themselves in the role models which our curriculum highlights and thus we expect all to aspire to be the very best version of themselves. ‘Aspire to be, don’t just admire from afar’ is a sentiment we wish to genuinely ingrain by virtue of our inclusive, equal and encompassing curriculum.
By the time the children leave Park they will:
- know that prejudice is wrong;
- understand why it is wrong and know how to fight it;
- feel that Park equally values all members of its community;
- feel empowered and inspired to make the world a better and fairer place;
- treat others respectfully and openly, embracing diversity;
- think critically and creatively about the world;
- be confident to challenge, ask questions and strive to understand;
- be well prepared, informed citizens who care deeply about social justice.
Strategies used to ensure the above outcomes:
- A focus on emotional literacy.
- P4C, RE and PSHE Curriculum content developing the skills of analytics and empathy.
- A values-driven culture: ‘if we care, why would we treat people in such a way?’
- Relationship-rich behaviour policy which encourages understanding and reflection.
- Resources which allow the entire community to feel fantastic about themselves.
- A raising awareness of unconscious bias and a wholehearted attempt to reduce it.
- Transparency so that courageous conversations happen and impact change.
- An understanding of the difference between perspective and perception.
- Class names and the general curriculum highlights diverse great explorers, scientists and leaders.
CAT and Dog Days
CAT Day
CAT days occur when the class teachers have their planning, preparation and assessment time (PPA). At Park, PPA is 1 day in 10 and therefore the children have their CAT Day 1 day per fortnight.
On CAT Day, the children are taught by specialist teachers in their field. The children rotate through three subjects in three parts of the day. CAT subjects for YR to Y6 are:
- Drama and Performance Poetry- teaching teamwork, interdependency, confidence, memory for recital, use of one’s voice, performance and presentation skills etc
- Art – teaching creativity, art skills, appreciation of art and artists, empathy and emotions as well as creating opportunities for children to express themselves
- Outdoor Education – teaching teamwork, confidence, exploration and an understanding of the world around us
Dog Day
- Dog Days occur in the alternate week to CAT week. Dog Day is the day where children are taught by the three different teachers in the year group for a third of the day. Dog Day is part of our provision so that:
- Teachers have the opportunity to be with other children for a part of their working fortnight, allowing relationships to be built across the year group
- Children have the chance to be with teachers other than their own (and the CAT teachers) so that they get to build relationships and be with a range of adults; this is important for there to be multiple opportunities to find adults who can see their ‘light’
- Teachers have the chance to be a master of a particular subject area; to be the ‘specialist’ in that field
- Teachers get to see the difference in the classes ‘make up’ and thus will be better placed when team planning so that planning reflects the needs of all learners in all 3 classes.
- The children start to appreciate that their behaviour and learning behaviour needs to be consistent even if the expectations of the teachers/ their personalities are different.
- It actively supports children through their transition points at every stage; they are better prepared for building multiple relationships.
Curriculum Overviews
Our Curriculum Overviews provide information about the learning taking place in each year group over the course of the term. Please contact us for further information about our curriculum.
