Curriculum Drivers

The Shirley Manor Curriculum has 3 ‘drivers’ which are constantly considered when deciding how and what we teach. These are:

Independent Learning

Aspirations

Fresh Experiences

At Shirley Manor we want to develop children’s independence, motivation as learners and their sense of responsibility as future citizens in all our teaching and learning.

This year we have introduced a mantra GROWTH which links with the Growth Mindset work we have been doing.

Going places

Respectful

Open minded

Wise

Talented

Happy

Underpinning all of these drivers is Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSC) through which we further develop our pupils’ understanding and celebration of diversity. This leads to tolerance, harmony and understanding.

The Shirley Manor curriculum has a strong focus on the development of Key Skills and Knowledge through which there must be progression to ensure that every child develops skills at an appropriate level and is challenged. We provide opportunities for our children to see the link between subjects and future careers. 

We have a creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the 2014 Primary National Curriculum to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations. Our curriculum is delivered through a core text which will provide a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning activities that make creative links between all aspects of our children’s learning. We encourage our children to have a love of reading by giving lots of opportunities for our children to read in different contexts. this was recognised by our Ofsted inspection June 2019.

We believe children learn better when they are encouraged to use their imagination and apply their learning to engaging contexts. Our curriculum will provide lots of learning challenges throughout the academic year that will require children to solve problems, apply themselves creatively and express their knowledge and understanding effectively across the curriculum.

In delivering our curriculum, we realise that it is essential for each child to experience different methods of learning through the effective use of a range of printed and practical materials including the use of computing. Some of these learning skills are addressed through a whole class approach/small groups, and individual work.

Some children will still be working on the Early Learning Goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as they enter Year 1. There is a period in the Autumn Term where the majority of children progress to the National Curriculum. Throughout this period all children are still developing their phonic knowledge through the Letters and Sounds Programme and developing their fluency in reading through the Daily Supported Reading Programme.

Children study all subjects in the National Curriculum. These include English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Art, Design Technology, Music, Physical Education, Religious Education and Personal, Social and Health Education combined with Citizenship. Wherever possible, children are encouraged to explore thematic links between curriculum areas. RE and PSHE are taught in separate sessions throughout the year.

The outdoor environment and the local community are considered an opportunity for active learning for all our pupils. The school grounds have been developed so they can enrich different curriculum areas through forest schools practice.

Children have opportunities to share their learning with each other, their parents and carers and other learners through school-based and external performances, competitions, events involving other schools, and stay and learn sessions.

Please look at your child's Class page on this site to view the Curriculum Overview relevant for their year.