Our Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

We are a school family that nurtures excellence, aspiration and discovery. We are fully committed to providing a purposeful, engaging and empowering curriculum that incorporate our school vision and fully prepares our children for the next steps in their school journey, as well as the challenges of the wider world. Our curriculum is designed to ensure children leave our school happy, resilient, empathetic, aspirational, respectful, open minded, co-operative, positive and optimistic, independent, inquisitive, self-confident, responsible and to have integrity and a sense of belonging.

We provide our children with a broad and balanced curriculum, which is accessible to all and provides stimulating, exciting and creative learning experiences that foster and encourage a love of learning. Our curriculum has direct links to our locality, embracing the community from which our children originate, but also enables our pupils to see life beyond Castletown.

Our curriculum encourages our children to be aspirational and motivated in their own ambitions through quality learning opportunities and experiences. We value the individuality of all of our pupils, understanding that they have unique talents, ambitions, skills and aspirations. We provide an environment that affords our children the opportunity to live out our school values and also encourages and celebrates hard work, effort and engagement. This is reflected in our celebratory ‘Golden Child Assemblies’ and our comprehensive system of awards. We recognise that key learning steps must be achieved in order for our children to develop into life-long learners. Our curriculum at Castletown Primary is therefore underpinned by four key areas.

Click on each step below to find out more information.

Curriculum Implementation

At Castletown primary we believe our ‘Child Centred’ approach to the curriculum offers our pupils real opportunities to develop their educational, social and moral character. Our curriculum design is broad and balanced and progressively builds on previous skills, knowledge and conceptual understanding. Core subject areas, are taught discreetly so that our children gain a broad understanding of basic skills and can apply these across all curriculum areas. Foundation curriculum subject areas are delivered, across each age phase and are taught through exciting and engaging lessons. Learning is focused on problem solving, attention to detail, communication and teamwork, all of which are soft skills that are essential for future employment. Curriculum areas are clearly identified during lessons and our children are encouraged to know exactly which subject they are studying. Our teaching for effective learning policy illustrates how we develop learning and learners across the school and is closely linked to our school’s current curriculum yearly overviews. Our school vision, combined with our curriculum delivery, affords all of our pupils with a sound understanding of the difference between right and wrong, showing respect to one another, celebrating the difference and diversity of other faiths and cultures and an understanding of the values that underpin a democratic society. At Castletown Primary, we also recognise the importance of assessment and feedback, both adult and peer led, as an integral part of the teaching and learning cycle, and aim to maximise the effectiveness of its use in practice.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of our curriculum is monitored regularly throughout the school year. Leaders at all levels monitor curriculum subject areas: reviewing learning, evaluating pupil voice, providing individual feedback to move practice forward, celebrating positives and highlighting areas for further development. Through a clear understanding of our pupils needs and talents, all staff ensure that teaching impacts positively on all areas of the curriculum, ensuring it is inclusive, supportive, challenging and enriching. Senior leaders are committed to providing subject leads the opportunity and time for professional development so as to enable them to effectively deliver and evaluate the impact of their subject curriculum provision. Evidence of curriculum impact can be seen through the work, attitudes, engagement and confidence of our pupils within school.

Ensuring good curriculum provision: The role of our Governing Body

Our governing body work closely with subject leads to monitor the curriculum. All governors are allocated subject areas and, as link governors, meet regularly with subject leads to discuss curriculum provision, priorities, progress and impact. School governors meet termly, as a challenge committee, with senior leaders to carry out monitoring meetings that cover areas of school life, including the curriculum.