Dobwalls Primary School Curriculum Intent

Underpinning our vision and values are our Diamond Rules and SECRET Skills which aspire to develop well-rounded children who are confident and resilient through our carefully planned and sequenced curriculum.  Our curriculum is rooted locally whilst also developing children's understanding of the wider world. 

All members of our school community are expected to follow our Diamond Rules which are: 

• Care and respect everyone and everything 
• Follow instructions with thought and care 
• Show good manners at all times. 

By curriculum, we also include all aspects of personal development which is encouraged through our emotional coaching approach.  We do not only focus on the content that children need to learn but also on how they become more effective learners so that they are prepared for their futures. These learning habits are called our SECRET skills e.g. how to be organised.   

Staff have devised the curriculum map for each class to ensure that the pupils have a progressive and sequential pathway through the curriculum. This is to ensure children are able to make maximum progress by knowing more, remembering more and being able to do more.  Children are all taught in single aged year groups.  Our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure we are inclusive in line with our vision of "one and all".  We ensure and believe all learning meets all children's learning needs, irrespective of their ability, background, ethnic origin or gender. Further details can be found on subject pages and in the SEND section of our website. 

The National Curriculum is our starting point for all learning.  The National Curriculum is cross-referenced throughout the planning, teaching and assessment processes to ensure coverage as well meeting the needs of our children at Dobwalls.  Our subjects have been carefully planned focussing on key concepts which are then spiralled over the years to support enhanced levels of children's long term memory retention.  

See our class curriculum maps below 5-step planning process below:

1. Class Curriculum Long Term Overviews: We work together to produce annual overviews. 
    
2. Subject Specific Long Term Objective Map Subject: subject leaders map out progressive objectives from the national curriculum, cross-referencing this with topics.  These enable us to share common expectations linked to key concepts to create a spiral curriculum.  The spiral curriculum ensures key concepts are revisited and built upon.
3. Class Medium Term Plans Each Half term: the class teacher plans from the objectives and ensures the children can learn the concepts, skills and knowledge as well as how to apply this in new situations. Knowledge organisers are planned and shared with the children to support embedding in concepts, key vocabulary and images needed to deepen their understanding.  Each half-term children have a knowledge organiser for each foundation subject.
    
4. Assessment: ongoing teacher assessment throughout lessons ensures the lessons are pitched carefully to the individual class and children.  Teachers assess children half-termly in foundation subjects using a progression matrix. In Reading, Writing and Maths pupils are assessed termly using a variety of methods including: teacher assessment, RWI assessments, low stakes testing. PIRA and PUMA assessments are carried out termly as well as arithmetic tests.
    
5. Review and connect: knowledge organisers are reviewed over the year to review what pupils have learnt. Teachers will adapt appropriately and revisit where needed. Pupils connect learning through discussions using SECRET Skills.