At St. Anne’s, we believe that by nurturing and developing our pupils’ communication skills, they will be empowered with the skills and knowledge they need to be valuable and productive participants in the world. They will be in charge of their own future. We know that speaking and listening are the foundation of effective communication and this will be developed throughout the key stages alongside reading and writing. It is important that our pupils all have a voice and we regularly seek their viewpoints to continue to strive for excellence.
Reading and ‘learning to read’ is prioritised in our curriculum. Our aim is that ‘Everyone is a reader’. Pupils’ fluency skills will be employed at every opportunity through rich and varied texts which support content delivery. By reading widely and often, pupils will make connections in their learning across all subjects and aspects of school life. Through quality text choices, their ideas and emotional responses will be explored and used to construct new learning. Writing will be similarly prioritised to provide a platform for pupils to express their learning and views.
St Anne’s curriculum content is rich, plentiful and well-matched to the needs of the community served by the school. As the pupils grapple with this, curriculum leaders have ensured that learning is:
- Connected to what the pupils already know and can do
- Purposeful and reflects real-life
- Driven by curiosity and enjoyment
- Accessible to all whilst having inbuilt challenge for advanced learners
- Memorable
- Has children and adults as active participants who explore, reflect and practise together
- Full of opportunity for risk taking and trial/error
- Delivered in a supportive and nurturing ethos
- Promotes independent success
Our school’s mission is ‘We love, we learn and we grow together’. We are a school that develops and celebrates individual growth. Through the delivery of our effective curriculum, we expect the St. Anne’s child/leaver to be:
- An effective communicator, proficient in speaking/listening, reading and writing
- An active participant who is a natural learner
- Curious about the world
- Someone who takes calculated and appropriate risks
- Someone who has high aspirations
- Someone who believes in themself as a learner
- A reflective problem solver
- A critical thinker
- Someone who achieves independent success
St Anne’s practitioners are learners alongside the pupils. They know how to:
- Communicate effectively: speaking/listening, reading and writing proficiently
- Inspire others to work hard
- Teach effectively using evidence informed practices to deliver purposeful lessons
- Collaborate
- Take calculated and appropriate risks
- Set high challenges whilst ensuring access for all
- Be creative
- Create an ethos where support and nurture are paramount so that each pupil learns to know and believe in themself.
Through a curriculum which aims to develop excellence in communication, we recognise that each curriculum area will bring its own unique contribution and so we have carefully defined subject purposes.
Religious Education
To understand the world around them and follow Gospel values so that pupils can manage their lives, now and in the future. To develop a strong sense of faith, community and relationships. To think theologically and ask questions about things that there are sometimes no answer to.
English
To communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, so that others can communicate with them. To be confident in all skills of language so they can participate fully as a member of society.
Maths
To provide solutions to many problems and have an appreciation of the beauty and power of maths to solve problems with enjoyment and curiosity.
Science
We teach science in order to learn about doubt, to ask and answer questions. To have a body of key knowledge and concepts, along with a sense of excitement and curiosity to be able to explain, predict and analyse.
Art and Design
To equip children with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to experiment, invent and contribute to the culture and creativity of the world.
Computing
To use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. To become digitally literate to be active participants in a digital world.
Design and Technology
To use innovation and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems. To take risks and be resourceful.
Geography
To inspire a lifelong curiosity and fascination about the world and its people.
History
To think critically, ask perceptive questions and weigh evidence. To sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. To use these to explore identity and the challenges of their time.
Languages
To provide an opening to other cultures and foster pupils’ curiosity of the world. To provide a foundation for learning further languages and equip pupils to study and work in other countries.
Music
To engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians.
Physical Education
To become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. To build character and help embed values such as fairness and respect.
Our curriculum is an evolving program and we continually review and refine it to meet the ever-changing needs of our children. Our ongoing assessments are used to evaluate its success and our next steps for learning.