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01524 410286

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Morecambe, LA3 1EJ

Curriculum at Sandylands

Children at Sandylands are taught the curriculum through well sequenced lessons so they develop their knowledge. Each subject lead has developed a guarantee which outlines the aims, key knowledge and principles each child will leave Sandylands with by the end of Year 6. It is important that children remember the critical content of the subject as well as developing their understanding of the subject as a discipline, so they gain a deeper understanding as they move through their education. But it is more than this…

Knowledge

The children will acquire knowledge as they progress through their educational journey. This knowledge will enable them to know and remember more, giving them a solid understanding of the subject allowing them to be High School ready.

Children learn three key knowledge aspects

  • Substantive – key facts, figures
  • Procedural – development of skills
  • Disciplinary – The knowledge they need to apply higher order concepts. Knowledge related to a specific subject as a means of enquiry eg. Being a scientist

The knowledge is planned for in each subject as CRITICAL CONTENT. We then assess against the key aspects to ensure children know, understand and remember more.

We also have KEY VOCABULARY CONCEPTS that enrich the children’s understanding in each subject. Over time, this allows the children to form SCHEMA which deepens their learning.

We want children to see the purpose of knowledge and enable every child to articulate their understanding of the subject. This links directly with our language development giving our children a rounded curriculum experience.

Guarantee – We have developed a guarantee in each subject which lists what the children will know and be able to do in each subject.

Examples of knowledge

Essential Enhancements

We believe that engagement and making learning relevant is key. We ‘don’t know what we’ve never seen’. We want our curriculum to come alive by providing well planned, sequenced experiences that enable children to truly understand the discipline of the subject.

Examples of essential enhancements

Engagement

We encourage pupils to engage in the wider curriculum offer outside of direct lessons. We provide a curriculum that develops pupils interest in the Arts, STEM and Health & Well-being.

Examples of engagement

Citizenship, Diversity & Community

We need engaged citizens and this begins in the locality. Pupils need to know, appreciate and contribute to their own locality. We use the area as a resource to develop subject knowledge and have an understanding of ‘community’. British Values are developed through the idea that we are all unique and can appreciate difference. We represent differences positively.

Examples of citizenship, diversity & community

Sustainability

We need to educate pupils to understand and protect our world. Sustainability of our planet is central to our ethos. We equip our children with the skills to understand and appreciate they are Global citizens who can make a difference now and in the future.

Examples of sustainability

Values

We need pupils to grow with a strong sense of values. As a values based school we have a strong emphasis on embedding compassion and allowing the children to have a sense of how we can support one another as well as grow as an individual. We need to be resilient as learners and persevere. We have seen this in abundance during the recent pandemic.

Examples of values

Articulate  / Pupil Voice

We believe in encouraging independence, collaboration and giving pupils a voice. We will develop the children’s ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings. We have a Pupil Parliament who actively help and shape our school.

Examples of articulate / pupil voice

Stay Safe / Feel Well

Safeguarding children is our number one priority. Children need to feel safe in school and community knowing they have a voice that is heard. We live in a digital world educating young people to stay safe online is key to their well-being. We will teach well sequenced lessons through ‘Education in a connected world’. This is  strengthen by our PSHE sessions which including statutory Relationships and Health Education. The sessions give our children the relevant learning experiences to help them navigate their world and to develop positive relationships with themselves and others. There is a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health.

Examples of stay safe / feel well

 

Basic Skills

Basic skills are at the heart of it all. All children will leave our school in Year 6 being able to

  • Speak clearly
  • Read and communicate ideas through writing efficiently and effectively
  • Calculate efficiently and solve problems.
  • Handwrite well
  • Use technology effectively in their learning

Examples of basic skills

 

Reading

The teaching of reading is an integral part of our curriculum. Every child should learn to read with confidence whilst developing a true love of reading.

We foster a love of reading by providing opportunities to access high quality reading materials to ensure children are supported in developing a broad and rich vocabulary.

Our reading spine is a collection of books selected in each year group which reflects our past and present world.

The ‘Journey into books’ passports add another dimension to our reading provision – encouraging families to get involved at home.

Our Sandylands reading model ensures children are taught the decoding, fluency and comprehension skills to read for knowledge and pleasure.

Examples of reading

Career pathways / aspirations

Learning is for life…

We encourage the children to be ambitious and aspire to be whoever they want to be by equipping the children with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. We have strong links with the local high schools and Lancaster and Morecambe college where children can find out  future options and career pathways.

All Sandylands children from Year 1 -6 have the opportunity to take part in The Children’s University programme which provides children with exciting and innovative learning activities  and experiences outside normal school hours. At the heart of its work is raising aspirations, boosting achievement and fostering a love of learning.

Examples of career pathways /  aspirations

Access to the Arts

‘When I sing, trouble can sit on my shoulder and I don’t even notice’

Sarah Vaughan (Jazz singer)

At Sandylands we believe that all children have an entitlement to the arts. This isn’t just about visiting galleries or one off projects it is about the way art and music can change our perception of the world. Every child engages in an art and music lesson weekly, building on prior learning and developing deeper disciplinary knowledge.

We have formed partnerships with amazing organisations that are supporting our vision of entitlement including the Ruskin Library, the Eden North project, local artists and Lancaster university. We even have a local artist in residence that is enabling the school to learn from her wealth of knowledge and expertise.

As Pablo Picasso said…

‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up’.

Examples of access to the arts

 

 

 

 

Extended Curriculum

We believe achievements outside the classroom are just as valuable to a ensuring a child develops into a good citizen within the local and global arena. Every child in school is given the opportunity to achieve outside of the classroom.

We have a variety of extended curriculum activities which run after school which include sports clubs – rugby, football, frisbee and dance clubs. Fostering a love of the Arts is also an important part of what we stand for here at Sandylands and some of our clubs and wider curriculum reflect this. We have an active school choir, craft, cooking, storytelling, art and song & sign clubs.

Music sessions run in school including woodwind, guitar and beat box and we have excellent links with More Music Morecambe a local music provider. We have an artist in residence and a number of local artists who work alongside the children on different art projects including potters and sculptors.

Examples of extended curriculum