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Maple Cross JMI & Nursery

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum at Maple Cross, 2020 and beyond

The aim of the curriculum at Maple Cross School is to raise children’s aspirations.

By this we mean children are exposed to opportunities beyond their contextual norm where high quality texts offer pupils a window to the world. This includes opportunities within the classroom and beyond such as watching the ballet at The Royal Opera House, Spanish themed cooking classes with a professional chef, learning to sail and experiencing world famous art galleries.

The curriculum will recognise, acknowledge and celebrate the children’s various starting points and concurrently provide opportunities to broaden and enrich their horizons.

By this we mean staff at school spend time getting to know starting points and barriers of pupils and their families both in school and at their homes. Learning is facilitated and scaffolded to ensure it is not limited and informed by prior learning so that the barriers some pupils and families face is never an obstacle. Horizons are broadened by regular visits to London using the London Underground network and connections made to professions and professionals pupils may not ordinarily experience.

Children’s well-being is central to all we do and school has taken on approaches including THRIVE to offer additional support above and beyond.

The structure of the curriculum is informed by both professional research and the context, needs and interests of the children.

By this we mean all colleagues read widely and are outwardly looking to create their own knowledge. Non-positional leadership permeates all aspects of school where professional dialogue, honesty and reflection are exhibited. Colleagues are encouraged to take on further development including Master Degrees, Teacher Led Development Work projects and connections with professional learning communities to enhance their own professionality and impact on the learning of all pupils.

The curriculum will focus on the growth of and deepening in knowledge, the development and application of skills, the exposure to challenging concepts and the exploration of values and attitudes.

By this we mean pupils gain new knowledge which they return to beyond their initial learning. Learning is sequenced and designed to promote depth of knowledge allowing revisiting and revising. This usually happens through reading where key domains of each subject are reinforced. Explicit knowledge and skills are broken down by each subject in addition to concepts and values and attitudes.

Connections and links within and across the curriculum will be made to promote and support learning. The curriculum will develop children as lead learners by developing inquisitive and curious minds and by providing them with opportunities to crucially reflect

By this we mean teachers plan opportunities inside and outside of the classroom for pupils to link learning where it naturally fits but connections are not forced. Through the school’s key attributes of reflect, lead and aspire pupils are taught to be inquisitive and reflective.

The schools Teaching and Learning Policy can be viewed here.

 

Maple Cross at Denham Way Playing Fields

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Whole School Curriculum Overview

Maple Cross JMI and Nursery follow the 2014 Primary National Curriculum. More information about the National curriculum can be found below:

2022 2023 whole school overview september 2020 onwards amended docx.pdf