Learning at the Academy

Each year group has a curriculum map for each half term which shows how we develop learning in all the elements of the national curriculum and how those elements can be incorporated into the learning project. The maps give a framework for the teachers to plan learning and are adapted after the children have had the opportunity to give their input at the start of each project – a unique feature of the Academy’s learning philosophy.

Each teacher knows the strengths and interests of the children and the outcomes of assessments based on national performance descriptors for their class and plan learning accordingly. They also make sure that the objectives and activities are age-appropriate and suitably challenging to motivate and sustain engagement. Teachers use their assessments to ensure that we are always building on and extending the children’s learning.

Using the curriculum maps, children’s ideas and assessment outcomes, teachers produce detailed weekly/fortnightly plans that include the learning objectives (in the form of learning questions), activities, support and intended outcomes for the children. The senior management team, phase leaders and curriculum team leaders monitor this planning on a weekly basis to ensure high quality learning and progression is planned within year groups and throughout the school.

At the end of each term we review our curriculum maps to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our children and continuing to offer a broad and balanced curriculum.

To support children to think about, articulate, plan and assess what they learn, we use the ‘Academy Learning Toolbox’. The toolbox helps children to understand and use key learning skills and approaches suitable for high quality learning across the curriculum. The teachers and children use the toolbox to make links between the different areas of learning. The learning skills within the toolbox have been organised into 6 different ‘learning tool sets’ – communication, thinking, physical, creative, social and emotional and learning about learning.

The extended school service (Breakfast Club and the after-school service) adopts the same ethos as the Academy. We make sure that our children have plenty of opportunities to develop and practice other skills by offering a variety of physical and creative activities which build on the interests of our children and skills of our staff and volunteers. Find out more about extended school and the co-curriculum.