Newquay Junior Academy Curriculum – Intent
At Newquay Junior Academy we work together to develop the enquiring minds of happy, well-motivated and creative individuals who can confidently reach their own potential. The curriculum is the vehicle by which the academy achieves its core objective of educating children in the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need in order to lead fulfilling lives. Our curriculum is underpinned by five key values.
These are the main values upon which we have based our curriculum:
At Newquay Junior Academy we work together to develop the enquiring minds of happy, well-motivated and creative individuals who can confidently reach their own potential. The curriculum is the vehicle by which the academy achieves its core objective of educating children in the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need in order to lead fulfilling lives. Our curriculum is underpinned by five key values.
These are the main values upon which we have based our curriculum:
- Learning – We value the importance of developing active learners who show a thirst for learning. We strive to nurture motivated, engaged and life-long learners who work hard, show determination, perseverance and resilience in all they do. Our aim is to enable each individual to reach their true potential.
- Location – We value our unique location on Cornwall’s Atlantic coast. We provide our pupils with inspirational opportunities to connect not only with Cornwall’s beautiful natural environment, but with our proud heritage and culture. Our pupils are confident and grounded, with a strong sense of place. They are proud ambassadors for our school and our values, both historic and present.
- Each other – We value the way in which all children are unique, and our curriculum promotes respect for the views of each individual child, as well as for people of all cultures. We value the spiritual and moral development of each person, as well as their intellectual and physical growth.
- Our community – We value the importance of each person in our community. We organise our curriculum so that we promote co-operation and understanding between all members of our community.
- The environment – We value our environment, and we aim, through our curriculum, to teach respect for our world, and how we should care for it for future generations, as well as our own.
The curricular aims of Newquay Junior Academy are:
- help develop lively enquiring minds, with the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills.
- help pupils acquire the knowledge and skills relevant to adult life and employment in a fast changing world.
- encourage pupils to use language and number highly effectively.
- ensure pupils have a secure understanding of a wide range of demanding vocabulary and are able to use and apply it in many contexts.
- promote pupils’ understanding of the world in which they live and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations.
- encourage respect for religious and moral values and tolerance of other races, religions and ways of life.
- help pupils appreciate and celebrate human achievements and aspirations.
- help pupils to make the progress they are capable of by knowing more and remembering more.
- ensure prior knowledge is revisited and embedded so that pupils can learn new content.
- help our pupils to gain powerful knowledge, transferable knowledge and carefully sequenced knowledge.
- ensure that learning over time is ‘durable’ and ‘lasting’.
- use fluency within our teaching so that pupils can successfully recall knowledge.
- help pupils develop a secure understanding of the small components of each learning step so that they accomplish the overall composite.
- establish an environment within which teaching and non-teaching staff, academy managers, advisory colleagues, parents and future parents can work together for the successful achievement of these aims.
Newquay Junior Academy Curriculum – Implementation
At Newquay Junior Academy, we are incredibly passionate and excited about our bespoke curriculum. As a team, we have worked very hard to develop a thematic curriculum across the academy which aims to ignite pupils’ imagination, develop motivation and engagement, boost creativity and develop a true thirst for learning. Our pupils are given the opportunity to develop a sound knowledge and understanding in a range of skills with high expectations and high quality learning in all subject areas. In addition to this, we pride ourselves in the opportunities we provide for our pupils to take part in many different extra-curricular activities throughout lunchtime and after academy.
We plan our curriculum in three phases and agree a long-term plan for each year group. The long-term plan shows the thematic titles, when they will be taught and to which year groups. Each subject has a detailed progression of knowledge and skills for each year group ensuring a clear learning journey for all pupils. We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum (KS2). Our long-term plans are reviewed on an annual basis.
Our medium-term plans give clear guidance on the subject knowledge and skills to be taught across a theme. Where possible, we aim for teaching to be truly cross-curricular and immersive in approach. As with all areas of planning, our medium term plans may change and be adapted to the needs of the year group to ensure full immersion for the pupils.
The short-term plans at Newquay Junior Academy are those that our teachers write on a weekly basis. These are used to set out the learning objectives for each session, and to identify what resources, activities and teaching strategies are going to be used in the lesson to ensure progress of all.
When planning and evaluating the success of our curriculum we always give consideration to the following:
Newquay Junior Academy Curriculum – Impact
In order to ascertain how well our pupils’ learn the content outlined in our curriculum we use a variety of assessment strategies which include:
In-Academy Formative Assessment (to support and inform pupil progress) including, but not restricted to:
At Newquay Junior Academy, we are incredibly passionate and excited about our bespoke curriculum. As a team, we have worked very hard to develop a thematic curriculum across the academy which aims to ignite pupils’ imagination, develop motivation and engagement, boost creativity and develop a true thirst for learning. Our pupils are given the opportunity to develop a sound knowledge and understanding in a range of skills with high expectations and high quality learning in all subject areas. In addition to this, we pride ourselves in the opportunities we provide for our pupils to take part in many different extra-curricular activities throughout lunchtime and after academy.
We plan our curriculum in three phases and agree a long-term plan for each year group. The long-term plan shows the thematic titles, when they will be taught and to which year groups. Each subject has a detailed progression of knowledge and skills for each year group ensuring a clear learning journey for all pupils. We plan the curriculum carefully, so that there is coherence and full coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum (KS2). Our long-term plans are reviewed on an annual basis.
Our medium-term plans give clear guidance on the subject knowledge and skills to be taught across a theme. Where possible, we aim for teaching to be truly cross-curricular and immersive in approach. As with all areas of planning, our medium term plans may change and be adapted to the needs of the year group to ensure full immersion for the pupils.
The short-term plans at Newquay Junior Academy are those that our teachers write on a weekly basis. These are used to set out the learning objectives for each session, and to identify what resources, activities and teaching strategies are going to be used in the lesson to ensure progress of all.
When planning and evaluating the success of our curriculum we always give consideration to the following:
Newquay Junior Academy Curriculum – Impact
In order to ascertain how well our pupils’ learn the content outlined in our curriculum we use a variety of assessment strategies which include:
In-Academy Formative Assessment (to support and inform pupil progress) including, but not restricted to:
- observational assessment
- marking of books
- oral feedback
- learning conversations (adult/child, child/child, etc)
- self-assessment,
- peer assessment,
- group assessment,
- targeted questioning,
- quick recap questioning to consolidate knowledge
- moderation and assessment of exemplar work of a range of stages,
- written feedback that links to assessment criteria
- use of examination materials
In-Academy assessment for learning (diagnostic, evaluative and responsive see appendix for further detailed strategies) including, but not restricted to:
- Sharing Learning Goals/Intentions/Objectives
- Clear success criteria-written or verbal
- Using consistent feedback and marking strategies-(See Marking and Feedback Policy)
- Pupil self-assessment and peer-assessment
- Use of effective questioning and response
- Target setting (verbally/written)
In-Academy Summative Assessment (to summarise children’s abilities, attainment and progress more formally) including, but not restricted to:
- Termly formal PIRA, PUMA, GAPS standardised assessment/SAT style tests in Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Maths
- Year 3 baseline formal standardised tests in Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Maths and teacher assessment for writing
Nationally Standardised Summative Assessment including, but not restricted to:
- End of Key Stage 2 Standard Attainment Tests (SATs)
The Headteacher and the senior leadership team have developed systems and processes that have been designed to integrate assessment recording and reporting with curriculum planning. The roles of all staff using these systems are detailed below:
The Assessment Leader, Senior Leadership Team and Data Team
The Assessment Leader, Senior Leadership Team and Data Team
- Summarise formal reporting presented by the curriculum leader
- Brief curriculum leaders and staff prior to formal meetings with parents, governors or inspectors
- Provide opportunities for staff to share assessment information with colleagues
- Develop a reasonable timetable of assessment requirements and monitor its teacher’s contributions and the results of the actions designed as a result
- Evaluate the whole academy effectiveness of assessment, planning, teaching and learning and subsequent improvement
- Share data analysis reports at set calendared points with the LT and wider team to ensure rigorous identification and tracking of progress, attainment, groups and gaps.
- Support linked HOY in diagnosing strengths, areas for development and intervention strategies where appropriate
The Curriculum Leader (along with the assessment lead)
- Prepare guidance and provide support for assessment within each subject.
- Organise, review, order and evaluate resources (assessment)
- Take a proactive role in curriculum leadership and assessment through keeping up to date with current research and findings
- Consult with colleagues and moderate assessments to ensure accuracy of assessment information
- Systematically monitor each subject as it is essential for the improvement of each subject/area as per the subject development plan and in line with the SDP.
- Update the co-ordinator’s evidence, tracking and record files throughout the year
The Head of Year
- Analyse and discuss pupils progress with year groups and individual teachers with direct emphasis upon key groups of pupils (such as by gender, those with SEN, etc.) and individual pupils of concern.
- Guide and support year groups and individual teachers professional development around what support/interventions/strategies are going to be adopted/altered to ensure all pupils make the expected progress towards their targets.
The Class Teacher
- Prepares initial assessment activities and evaluates the results
- Prepares plans that indicate where attention has been given to assessment findings (where appropriate)
- Assesses the work and progress of all children in the class throughout the curriculum through a range of formal and informal methods
- Responds effectively and rigorously to assessments of learning and adapts teaching through support/challenge as necessary to enable pupils to achieve their potential
- Consults colleagues for extra information, guidance, moderated judgements and assessment opportunities
- Provides information for informal and formal discussion with parents on the child’s progress
- Informs the children what they are going to learn as well as success criteria, support and challenge for how to be successful. i.e. makes the learning objective explicit/unpicking success criteria
- Gives clear indications of how improvement can be made (in line with the assessment, marking and feedback policies) and provide time for them to make these improvements
- Helps children understand that learning from mistakes is at the heart of learning and something to be celebrated
- Encourages children to check work themselves and for each other
