Curriculum Intent

At Instow Community Primary and Pre-School, we view learning as so much more than the National Curriculum. It is a complex puzzle that has many pieces; all important and valid in their own right. The pieces are intrinsically connected and if one is neglected or omitted, the jigsaw will never be complete.

 ‘Aim High. Learning together to be the best that we can be.’

Our vision has shaped our curriculum intent and reminds us of what is important. We want our children to be the best learners they can be but also to grow into the best version of themselves whether in school, at home, out in the community or in the wider world.

We believe that at primary school, we lay the foundations for this journey and so it is key we get it right. We are mindful of the holistic development and growth of the child and tend to this alongside the provision of a knowledge rich curriculum that inspires, motivates and challenges our learners.

In all areas of the curriculum, we want our children to learn more, remember more and understand more. Long term learning that is embedded by building on and strengthening prior knowledge is paramount if our pupils are going to become curious, lifelong learners who experience joy and a sense of achievement from their challenges.

Learning should be meaningful but nothing we teach is inherently meaningful (David Ausebel). It is only by connecting new information to existing concepts or understanding, that it becomes meaningful. This is why designing  a progressive, spiral  curriculum is so important for our children and one that we are always refining.

Growing up in North Devon is an idyllic start in life but one that can prove to be quite insular and lacking diversity. In response to this, we have planned our curriculum to be as rich and diverse as possible. British Values are embedded within our curriculum and we weave values work throughout all we do.

There are many things we want our children to learn and these have been grouped together to form our 4 main curriculum drivers; the golden threads that are woven throughout the curriculum. They provide the foundations for the knowledge and skills that are taught through the explicit subjects mapped out in the National Curriculum.

These are oracy skills, having a knowledge of the world and its diversity, being able to access the world of text and communicate through the written word and lastly having good learning behaviours and understanding and seeing themselves as a learner. It is our intention, that through the provision of our curriculum our pupils will leave Instow Community Primary as:

• Confident communicators
• Everyone a reader
• World Ready
• Active learners

Curriculum Implementation