Curriculum Intent

All pupils at The Downley School are immersed in a carefully crafted curriculum that is broad and balanced, deep and rich; relevant to life in modern Britain and our global community. This encourages all pupils to become resilient, lifelong learners whatever their starting point or ability.

Our planning ensures that we meet individual needs and seek to ensure that all pupils enjoy and are ready for their next stage of learning. Equipping our pupils with the skills and knowledge to innovate and meet future challenges underpins much of what we do. Pupils connect with the outdoors and develop a deeper appreciation of the environment and ecological issues, understanding the impact choices make. Enriching the curriculum with first hand experiences, pertinent educational visits and providing opportunities for all to develop their cultural capital further brings learning to life for everyone at TDS.

Our curriculum enables us to learn, grow and succeed together and is underpinned by our 6 values:

Respect

• Create lively stimulating learning experiences where every pupil is encouraged to maximise their opportunities for intellectual, moral, spiritual, physical and social development.
• Cultural capital gives our pupils the vital background knowledge required to be informed and thoughtful members of our community who understand and embrace our values and modern British values.

Resilience

• Provide an ambitious curriculum with an emphasis on developing knowledge and skills needed to be successful as they grow together through our school and on to secondary education
• Develop pupils who are confident, independent learners who recognise that making mistakes provides further learning opportunities

Teamwork

• Provide opportunities where learning together and teaching can take place beyond the classroom and at times involve the wider community such as parents and carers and local community groups
• Promote opportunities to recognise and celebrate the important contributions made by others and help each other to flourish

Inclusion

• Ensuring that all pupils learn alongside their peers, having equity of access to our full curriculum and succeeding together
• Celebrate difference and enjoy learning together providing high quality teaching experiences, which excite and motivate pupils in the classroom and beyond

Responsibility

• Help pupils understand the world in which they live and to develop the ability to contribute as a member of society
• Enable pupils to recognise their rights and develop their sense of membership in their local community and beyond

Integrity

• Help pupils to develop lively, enquiring minds with the ability to question and reason rationally and to apply themselves successfully to tasks, problem solving activities and physical skills   
• Develop pupils’ sense of responsibility and determination for justice      

 

Curriculum Implementation

 Our curriculum is designed, organised and planned to ensure every pupil receives an appropriate mix of academic and personal development. We place equal importance on core subjects (reading, writing, maths and science) and the humanities, languages, expressive and creative subjects utilising our impressive indoor and outdoor facilities.  We also place a high priority on ensuring the physical and mental well-being of children is met, understanding that they will not be successful learners unless they are emotionally secure.  We provide for this through our well-planned approach to social, moral, cultural and spiritual (SMSC) development. This balanced approach ensures pupils have an opportunity to excel in a subject about which they are passionate. Enabling pupils to reach national expectations and above is of vital importance if they are to succeed at the next stage of their education and go on to achieve their aspirations.

At TDS, we seek to ensure the crucial deepening of essential knowledge, skills and understanding through our curriculum design.  We plan and organise our curriculum to ensure that pupils are not merely covering curriculum content but are achieving a depth to their learning which enables them to apply their skills and understanding across a range of contexts and subjects.  We build in opportunities for repetition of learning, allowing pupils to gradually develop a deeper understanding of skills and processes within subjects to help them know more, remember more and do more.  Furthermore, our curriculum is planned to move pupils' thinking to a deep level of understanding rather than just acquiring new facts, knowledge and skills.

Extracurricular clubs are provided by internal and external providers and currently include languages, sports, chess and music. The clubs run show the dedication we have to our children and commitment to them being the best that they can be.

 

Curriculum Impact

Pupils leave The Downley School with a secure understanding of the academic content of the National Curriculum; with the understanding and awareness of how to be socially, morally, spiritually and culturally responsible; how to make positive contributions to the local and global community and how to endeavour to be the best that they can be. They understand that when we learn together, we grow together and succeed together.