Over Hall Community SchoolCurriculum
At Over Hall Community School, Mrs Edgeley is our curriculum lead.
If you require any further information regarding the curriculum please do not hesitate in contacting the school via telephone on 01606 663650 or by email at admin@overhall.cheshire.sch.uk
Our Intent
We aim to ensure pupils enjoy learning and feel prepared for life within and outside of school, today and for the future, through a variety of strategies and activities. We offer our pupils new and exciting experiences through timetabled and extra-curricular activities that are designed to build strong foundations of knowledge, skills, resilience, confidence and self-esteem, preparing them for life beyond the school gates.
During their time at Over Hall, we aim for children to increase their resilience through identifying their secure base, build upon their self-esteem and a strong sense of self efficacy. As a result, we strive for them to be able to confidently complete the phrases...
I have ... (identifying their support and resources around them enabling them to feel safe and secure)
I am ... (identifying personal strengths, attitudes and beliefs)
I can ... (identifying social and interpersonal skills; a sense of control and mastery; an understanding of strategies and limitations)
We are determined to provide for our community at Over Hall building upon the foundations of love and tolerance, preparing for life beyond the school gates. We work hard to create a ‘harmonious community’ in which all can experience the freedom and safety to grow, develop, dream, believe, achieve and inspire each other. We aspire to high standards in the quality of all that we undertake and are passionate about seeking better outcomes for children and their families, meeting their needs and stretching their aspirations.
Our curriculum…
- Is the broad offer of planned activities organised to prepare each child for life outside of our school gates; to promote a love of learning; to support and nurture growth as individuals as well as lifelong learners.
- Engages children through a range of high-quality texts and reading opportunities, artefacts, discussion, enquiry skills, direct and real-life experiences that are inspiring for all. Both independence and creativity are promoted and children have a clear purpose for their learning.
- Provides breadth and balance - making learning exciting and memorable for all. A thematic approach is adopted where appropriate and whenever possible we provide exciting opportunities to support learning; including visits, visitors, learning outside the classroom, whole school projects and .
- Recognises the importance of challenge, supporting and ensuring learners they are safe to make mistakes and explore new concepts. As a result our curriculum aspires to be empowering, enabling pupils to develop their interpersonal skills, creativity and independence.
- As a result of consistently high expectations, all children experience a curriculum that enables progression, encourages and inspires for further learning. This in turn, ensures that our children are confident individuals who are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need in order to apply their education to become lifelong learners.
Our Implementation
Staff value the different ways in which pupils learn and plan lessons to account for these differences, this can include the use of themed days or events that enhance the furthering of everyday activities. Staff make cross-curricular links where possible within their lesson plans, so that pupils can draw upon knowledge from different subjects and understand how each topic plays a part in everyday life.
By using different techniques, we intend on keeping pupils engaged with learning and accommodate pupils who learn differently to their peers.
Staff plan learning of our curriculum in a thematic approach where appropriate, however, where links are not possible discrete teaching and learning takes place.
Staff use the EYFS and National Curriculum to ensure that pupils can access the whole curriculum effectively, allowing our children to flourish and achieve their full potential.
Vocabulary development, promoting a love of reading and writing skills are at the heart of our curriculum and are recognised as a key priority for a child’s development.
Leadership: staff have the knowledge, expertise, skills and enthusiasm to successfully implement the curriculum within their year group. All subjects are effectively led by enthusiastic, knowledgeable members of staff. Subject Leaders, alongside the Senior Leadership team, regularly monitor the effectiveness of their subject areas through book scrutinies, learning walks, data scrutiny and pupil and teacher voice. Feedback is then given to staff as a means to continually improve our curriculum. Trustees ensure that subject leaders are held to account, questioning their progress and subject development.
Training: Training is available for all staff to develop best practice. Staff have access to expert support from specialist teachers to enrich their teaching through the use of fellow staff expertise, outdoor agencies/consultancies, and cluster groups. Where necessary additional support is given to individuals to ensure the quality of the curriculum remains high in all areas. For example, additional support for members of staff when they are new to a year group or a programme of support for newly qualified teachers.
Equal Opportunities: At Over Hall we promote equal opportunities to all of our pupils in line with the Equality Act 2010 throughout all of our practices. All children access the broad and balanced curriculum. We aim to provide a mastery approach to the curriculum. Support or challenge is provided through scaffolding and where necessary, individual or small group support. Wherever possible, children access Quality First Teaching. Children receive feedback and immediate intervention to avoid misconceptions becoming established.
Planning & organisation: Planning provides a clear structure, often linked to high-quality texts and resources to ensure engaging and purposeful lessons. Progressive teaching takes a revisit, teach, practise and apply approach. Knowledge and skills are built upon to ensure children’s learning is embedded in the long term, providing memorable experiences that the children can draw upon to further develop in the future.
Discrete teaching sessions may be provided for pupils identified as needing additional support which can be either individually focused or group based. Staff also carry out interventions for small groups of pupils with Teachers or Teaching Assistants. Within these interventions, Teachers and Teaching Assistants break down the content of the lesson in a more digestible way for pupils. The sessions can last between 20 minutes to one hour (depending upon the age and ability of the child) and groups are generally no larger than six pupils to every adult. This allows pupils to get dedicated one-to-one time with the adult, ensuring any questions that pupils may have get answered in a way they understand. It is important to note that these interventions supplement the work of the teacher and do not replace it.
Breadth and depth: Children’s personal well-being is at the heart of progress and plays a significant part of life at Over Hall, with timetabled opportunities to explore and support the emotional well-being. A high-quality, broad and balanced curriculum teaches pupils to be articulate, literate, numerate, computerate, creative and also physically, socially and emotionally capable. Staff adhere to the formal requirements of the national curriculum; enriched further by an extensive range of outdoor learning experiences and extra-curricular activities. As a result of the wide range of opportunities open to our children, they develop culturally, morally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Assessment: Teacher Assessment is the primary form of assessment at Over Hall. However, testing is also used (where appropriate) to support teacher judgements and guide planning. Rising Stars, National Test-Style Standardised Assessments, are used for mid-year progress tests in reading and maths, which are in all line with the National Curriculum. Statutory testing is completed in Years 1, 2, 4 and 6. Termly Pupil Progress meetings take place for all year groups with the headteacher to discuss progress being made and next steps to facilitate further progress. Assessment information is shared with parents and children. All subjects are monitored closely by Subject Leaders.
All staff are involved with cross school moderation to ensure accuracy of judgements, particularly in the core subjects. Key year groups also are involved with cross town moderation as part of the strong Winsford Education Partnership, known as WEP. Staff also engage with Local Authority support, training and moderation.
Our Impact
During their time at Over Hall, children increase their resilience through identifying their secure base, improved self-esteem and a strong sense of self efficacy. As a result, they will be able to confidently complete the phrases...
I have ... (identifying their support and resources around them enabling them to feel safe and secure)
I am ... (identifying personal strengths, attitudes and beliefs)
I can ... (identifying social and interpersonal skills; a sense of control and mastery; an understanding of strategies and limitations)
Through the teaching and learning of a memorable broad and balanced curriculum children have an increasingly positive view of their education and future aspirations; they are able to enthusiastically discuss, explain and draw upon their previous learning using richer and more varied vocabulary. They become increasingly inquisitive, posing and solving problems and applying their learning in a variety of contexts.
Our children are confident individuals who are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need in order to apply them both within and beyond the school gates.
We celebrate our learning and experiences in a variety of ways, using our Twitter, Class Dojo and Facebook accounts to capture many events; our newsletter keeps everyone up to date with what is happening and each year group has a page on the website where you can find out more about the classes, their learning and learning links and each week.
Weekly assemblies celebrate successes both in and out of school. We invite parents to come and join us at coffee mornings, where children often share their learning.
