The MBK Curriculum
CURRICULUM INTENT, IMPLEMENTATION & IMPACT
Through our whole school teaching approach of 'Explore - Experience - Create', our vision is to provide an ambitious and inspiring curriculum that prepares our children to be kind and responsible individuals who will 'believe, achieve and succeed' in their learning and their life.
Our curriculum vision is ambitious and aspirational. We place high value on supporting children to academically achieve their potential through a carefully crafted, knowledge and skills-based curriculum. However, as a school ‘family’ we are also passionate about providing a holistic approach that equips all children with the understanding, skills and compassion to become positive role models for future generations.
Our offer is underpinned by our ‘motto’ and ethos of ‘Believe, Achieve, Succeed.’ We want all of our children at Millbrook to leave with the self-belief and confidence to follow their dreams and aspirations; a life-long desire to learn; feelings of pride in each achievement, and finally be equipped with the experiences, knowledge and skills they need to live happy and successful lives.
As part of this, our thoughtfully chosen and high-quality texts form the ‘spine’ of our curriculum, and our 'Citizenship assemblies' actively celebrate difference, diversity and current social issues, such as Black History; Mental Health Awareness; road safety, and the impact of the war in Ukraine. At Millbrook, we believe that if children are given the opportunity to develop their understanding of both the local and global community, this will foster respect, responsibility and appreciation of the impact of their actions beyond our school.
This intent is woven through a broad and balanced coverage of clearly defined knowledge, understanding and skills that develop progressively through each year group, starting in the Early Years from Nursery to Year 6. Our curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and our intent is shaped through our four core curriculum drivers:
Awe & Wonder: a desire to know something; feel curious
Knowledge & Understanding: facts, information and skills acquired through experience and education; a thirst for knowledge
Good citizenship: making good choices; being responsible; helping, supporting and leading others, and contributing positively to the community.
Achievement & Success: realising your potential with effort, skill, or courage.
Implementation
Explore - Experience - Create
Our curriculum intent is delivered through a whole school experience. Teachers use the carefully developed Long Term plans to build clear sequences of lessons and exciting learning opportunities for all non-core subjects. Importantly, these are deliberately constructed to support and enable our children to make clear links in their learning and utilise these to build effectively on previous knowledge.
Children are taught English (including Phonics) and Mathematics daily alongside weekly non-core subject lessons. The delivery of our curriculum is further enhanced through our use of specialist PE, Science, Computing and Music teachers who work alongside teachers to enhance the delivery of the curriculum, as well as supporting the curriculum leads in these subjects.
Our curriculum extends beyond the academic, with an equal focus on personal development and citizenship. We provide plentiful opportunities to do this, such as the VAT Citizenship and Character Award; Pupil Parliament; Year 6 leadership responsibilities; sports leaders; Kindness Crew; Crop Crew; Pond Patrol; office assistants; librarians, as well as other volunteering opportunities. We take great pride in our extensive pastoral support (ELSA support; Learning mentor support; The Nest), and wider ranging extra-curricular enrichment opportunities, e.g. cycling proficiency, forest school, and utilising the local library.
Our 'Building Learning Powers' (BLP) - informed by the work of Guy Claxton - enhance and expands the capacity of children to learn. They children to develop transferable learning skills and prepare them to become a lifelong learner. By building up a coherent picture of what it takes to be a good learner, children are able to develop their learning character and habits, as well as their appetite and ability to learn in different ways. Children are taught and encouraged to make links with their BLP throughout their learning and are increasingly encouraged to consider which learning muscles will help them learn best.
Impact
Subject leaders and teachers are responsible for the design, structure and sequencing of the curriculum. In order to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum, leads oversee, champion and monitor the development of subject areas. This work is undertaken through a range of activities, such as lesson visits; conversations with teachers; evaluating pupils’ work and outcomes, and talking to pupils about their learning.
The end result of a well-thought out and challenging curriculum, is that:
- Pupils know and understand more about themselves and the wider world, and importantly, are ready for the next stage of their learning.
- Pupils understand what it means to be a good citizen and as such, show appreciation of others and understand how they contribute to the wider community.
In summary, our aim is for all pupils to be recognised for the contribution they have made to school and the wider community, and also to leave believing in themselves, having achieved their potential and ready for further success.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage covers children’s development from birth to the end of their first year in school and is taught via the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
'Explore, Experience, Create' underpins our approach to the curriculum in the Early Years and is implemented via elements of the 'Curiosity Approach' to learning. This approach supports our children to follow their own interests and become 'thinkers and doers', through the use of natural, real-life, easily-accessible items which encourage children's natural curiosity, exploration and creativity. This approach provides the foundation for our wider curriculum beyond EYFS, by putting the child at the centre of their own learning and development.
Our brand-new, purpose-built Nursery building, offers a warm and welcoming environment for your child. There is a wide range of resources; well-planned activities and scope for adventurous and imaginative play both indoors and outdoors.
The purpose of our Foundation Stage is to give every one of our children the best start in life because it is vital for early positive experiences to impact on children’s future chances. Children are encouraged to learn actively, through exploration, play and conversations and their learning takes place inside and outside.
In our Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, we develop the children’s phonics and reading through the Read Write Inc Scheme.
Key Stages One and Two
Children follow the National Curriculum. The subjects covered are the core subjects of: English, Maths and Science, alongside the foundation subjects of Art and Design, Computing, Design and Technology, Geography, History, Music, PE and MFL (for KS2).
At Millbrook Primary School we believe that children learn best when what they learn is real, relevant and linked to what they already know. We follow the National Curriculum and have developed a coherent progression in knowledge and skills, which preserves each subject’s integrity. We also believe that children need to develop a variety of skills to prepare them for later life, and we teach these through this creative approach, and through other aspects of the school curriculum such as PSHCE and assemblies.
We try to ensure that our units start with a ‘wow’ activity or a hook that engages children, and where appropriate, work towards a meaningful end product that children can share with their peers, teachers and parents, for example our Year 5 Indian Restaurant and Year 6 Craft Fayre.
If you have a question about a particular subject, please contact the subject leader via the School Office. Our Inclusion Leader, Mrs Stockwell, can be contacted for further information about how work is differentiated for children of all abilities.
Year group long-term plans 2023-24
Curriculum Leaders
Our Millbrook Curriculum Leaders 2023-24 are:
Curriculum Leadership Team
Mr Rich Baish
Miss Rosie Meyer
Writing Leadership Team
Ms Rosie Donnellan
Miss Jess Woodward
Reading Leadership Team
Ms Rosie Donnellan
Mrs Kayleigh Taylor
Phonics Leadership Team
Mrs Elise Keymer
Mrs Julie Catungal
Maths Leadership Team
Miss Amy Beckett
Mrs Kate Randall
Science Leadership Team
Mrs Rebekah Wallace
Mrs Cat Boaz
Computing Leadership Team
Mrs Cat Boaz
Mr Rich Baish
Geography Leadership Team
Mr Rich Baish
Miss Rosie Meyer
History Leadership Team
Miss Rosie Meyer
Mr Rich Baish
RE Leadership Team
Miss Beth Nyland
Mrs Komal Sanhotra
Art & Design Leadership Team
Miss Abi Baldry
Mr Rich Baish
Design & Technology Leadership Team
Miss Abi Baldry
Mr Rich Baish
Music leadership team
Mrs Fiona Crawshaw
Mr Gordon Campbell
MFL Leadership Team
Mrs Kayleigh Taylor
Mr Rich Baish
Healthy me, safe me, Pshe Leadership Team
Miss Isabelle Sanderson
Ms Rosie Donnellan