Curriculum Intent Implementation and Impact

Curriculum Implementation 

How is our curriculum delivered?

Teachers at Ravensden are given the freedom to plan their timetables week by week. We encourage teachers not to have the same subjects at the same times each week and to offer a varied timetable. During the week there are a number of 'non negotiables' which must take place each week which include maths lessons, guided reading, handwriting practice and phonics. It also includes P.E. lessons, PSHE, Music and French (Year 3 - 6). The teachers have the flexibility to teach other curriculum areas through their immersive project for varying amounts of time each week. 

Teaching time at Ravensden is a mixture of whole class mixed ability teaching, ability group teaching in for example mental maths and phonics as well as independent learning time. Subject knowledge and skills are taught in a variety of ways through practical hands on tasks, open ended questions allowing children to investigate and explore as well as opportunities to overlearn key facts and skills. 

Children also have the opportunity to take part in a range of educational visits each term. We encourage our teachers to take our children on as many trips as possible during the school year and where this is not possible get visitors into the school. Examples of educational visits and visitors experienced last year include:

Reception and Pre-school - a trip to the Higgins Museum, visits from the fire service, a nurse and a veterinary nurse with a dog, trip to the Snowdome, forest school days and a visit to a farm!

Year 1 and 2- a visit to London including to the Tower of London, a boat cruise on the River Thames, a trip to the Snowdome and local visits, singing sessions with Bedfordshire Music, a visit from a Polar Explorer

Year 3 and 4 - a trip to the Stibbington Centre (Victorians) for a day as a Victorian school child, singing at the Christmas Tree Festival, a trip to the Snowdome and local visits, instrument sessions with Bedfordshire Music, a visit from a Polar Explorer. Year 4 residential activity days

Year 5 and 6 - a visit to London including to the Golden Hind and the Globe Theatre (Tudor London- Shakespeare), a trip to the Snowdome and local visits, singing sessions with Bedfordshire Music, a visit from a Polar Explorer- Year 5 and 6 residential activity days

Curriculum Impact

What is the impact of our curriculum? 

The first place to look would be to look at the standards our children reach at the end of each age-phase as well as by the time they leave our school. Our standards in 2022 in EYFS, KS1 and KS2  are at or significantly above national.

However, as well as the impact on the outcomes for our children we believe that the most important impact that our curriculum can have is on our children and the community in which we serve. As a Church of England school, our Christian Vision is a golden thread that runs through our curriculum, and allows a real focus on "letting all of our lights shine for ourselves and for others." This is why we work with immersive projects where we try to use our local and wider community and have an impact on it, allowing all who work with us to flourish. We believe in the importance in creating global citizens and this can be seen in our project work. As well as this, children at Ravensden are articulate, confident, happy, independent individuals. This is something we are very proud of. 

Learning environments

As part of our curriculum vision we believe in creating 'enabling conditions' for our children that allow them to thrive and flourish. Classrooms are designed in a way that allow children to work in spaces where they feel comfortable. Each classroom will have flexible seating, 'a reflective or prayer space ' (i.e. a space where children can go that is quieter), spaces where they can learn in groups / pairs as well as work individually or with their teacher. Classrooms are themed according to the project to allow the children to be completely immersed in the theme. Teachers create an environment that is exciting and stimulating for their class. There will be 3 different learning environments a year. The children love coming in on their first day back to see what awaits them, as each new project is a surprise! 

How is our curriculum designed and organised for each subject?

At Ravensden CE Primary Academy we have a carefully planned curriculum for each subject area. We use the Education Endowment Foundation guidance and DFE/ Ofsted subject review reports to ensure our decisions around the curriculum have a secure, measured research based focus.

We have mixed aged classes, so this needs to be a flexible document in order to ensure coverage across the year groups.

We have a two year rolling programme divided into Cycle A and Cycle B which meticulously details how we will teach in each year of the cycle.

We base our Mathematical Curriculum on White Rose maths, using the Concrete, Abstract, Pictorial process to support the mathematical development of the children. In maths children are taught in single year groups to ensure content and mathematical development is carefully 

In English we use Read Write Inc as the underpinning of early reading and writing, alongside Jane Considine's  The Write Stuff approach to writing. This is carefully blended with the 'high quality text led' approach of Nicola Powell from the Primary Matters consultancy.

We have devised our own curriculum plans for History, Geography, Science and PE. These look to reflect local needs and areas of interest and to maximise the development of cultural capital and aspiration for our children.

For Art and Design, Computing, Design Technology, French, Music, RSE, PSE and Wellbeing we use the highly regarded Kapow Primary Curriculum programmes. Anna Spyropoulos- headteacher was a Kapow subject ambassador and helped test the new RSE curriculum at Ravensden.

Our Christian Vision "Let your light shine" provides a golden thread that runs across every subject. Through this, our children have the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the achievements of those whose light has shone, and is shining for themselves and for others.

Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact 2021

Our school vision is ‘Let your light shine!’ Through our Christian Vision we provide high quality and exciting learning experiences for our children and staff that inspires them to be the best version of themselves and to support this development in others so they can achieve excellence in all they do.

Intent Statement:

At Ravensden CE Primary Academy we share a belief that:

● Children will have a stimulating, vibrant and exciting learning environment so that they feel happy and confident and are challenged to achieve excellence in everything they do.

● We will treat children as individuals and develop their individual personalities and interests as well as developing a respect and understanding of others. We will celebrate differences and treat everyone equally.

● We will provide an inspirational, modern and relevant curriculum where children develop six life skills across all curriculum areas underpinned by a core set of six values.

● We will develop a relevant curriculum that is irresistible, unforgettable, based on practical, real life experiences.

● We will let our children be children.

● We will provide an environment where no child is left behind and all children can achieve their full potential both academically, physically, socially and emotionally.