Curriculum
Clipstone Brook Lower School Curriculum Design Statement
Intent
Our core aims and mission statement as agreed by governors in May 2019 is: To support and challenge pupils so
that they develop the tools they need to flourish in all that they do, as individuals and as members of the community.
The breadth of our curriculum is designed with two goals in mind:
1) To give pupils appropriate experiences to develop as confident, responsible citizens;
2) To provide a coherent, structured curriculum that leads to sustained mastery for all and a greater depth of understanding which
will be stored into pupils long term memory. We ensure the curriculum is exciting and engaging for all pupils. We prioritise the teaching of English and Mathematics to give our pupils secure foundations on which to build other skills. We have specialist coaches for PE so that we can provide the best quality learning opportunities for all pupils. To find out more about the content of our curriculum please see the relevant curriculum documents.
Underpinned by our school values (including British values) and curriculum drivers (see Policy) our curriculum uses either the
EYFS or the National Curriculum as the basis for content and expectations. We have structured this so that each year group/ key
phase has:
a) A clear list of what must be covered (curriculum map)
b) The ‘threshold concepts’ pupils should understand (Chris Quigley’s Essentials Curriculum key objectives for Foundation Subjects
and NC requirements in English and Maths).
c) Criteria for progression within the threshold concepts ( Chris Quigley’s Essential Curriculum Milestones for Foundation Subjects
and Teacher Assessment Frameworks for English and Maths).
Curriculum maps for each year group and key stage ensures that each teacher has clarity as to what to cover. Threshold
concepts are the key disciplinary aspect of each subject that will shape pupils as, for example, historians, geographers
etc. Milestones define the standards for the threshold concepts. The depth of knowledge pupils will achieve within a Key Stage will
at least be Basic (B), Advancing (A) or Deep (D). Pupils in Key Stage 1 (Year 1) will begin to develop a Basic understanding of
skills and concepts and sometimes Advancing or Deep. By the end of Year 2 we expect the children to have an Advancing or Deep
knowledge required. Pupils in Lower Key Stage 2 (Year 3) will begin to develop begin to develop a Basic understanding of skills
and concepts and sometimes Advancing or Deep. By the end of Year 4 we expect the children to have an Advancing or Deep
knowledge required.
Impact
The impact of our curriculum is that by the end of each year group, pupils will have a secure knowledge and understanding and
demonstrate meeting the curriculum statements in English and Maths; and some pupils will demonstrate a greater depth of
understanding. Within the foundation subjects the vast majority of pupils will have sustained mastery of the content, that is, they
remember it all and are fluent in it; and that some pupils will have a greater depth of understanding.
If you would like to find out more about the curriculum, please contact the school office to put you into contact with the relevant subject leaders.
Please double click on the subject name which outlines the national curriculum content. To see how each subject is taught, please click on each subject heading and find the associated progression documents taught at Clipstone Brook:
Non-Negotiables
Non-negotiables are the National Curriculum’s minimum age related expectations for a specific year group. With the significant changes to the National Curriculum and assessment guidelines as of September 2014, each class has now been given age related objectives that they need to reach during the academic year. The teachers and children use these as one of the tools to help discuss individual’s progress and levels of attainment.
Click below to view the non negotiables – a range of targets that must be achieved by each child by the end of the year.
Non Negotiable Parent Leaflet - Reception
Non Negotiable Parent Leaflet - Year 1
Non Negotiable Parent Leaflet - Year 2
Non Negotiable Parent Leaflet - Year 3
Non Negotiable Parent Leaflet - Year 4
