Curriculum Intent

At Netherthorpe Primary School, we are dedicated to developing achievement whatever the starting point, we are committed to supporting all children and ensure that they reach their full potential. We have a firm belief that we can make a difference to the lives of all the children that walk through our door. Through our bespoke curriculum, we aim to instil curiosity, passion for learning, high expectations, with a thread of “everyone has a chance to shine”, in line with our school motto.

We deliver a high quality curriculum which is broad and balanced with cohesive coverage of the National Curriculum objectives. We provide learning experiences that are relevant to our children and our curriculum is personalised and structured so that the development of knowledge, skills and vocabulary is completed in a systematic and logical sequence.  We ensure that our progressive, knowledge and language -rich curriculum allows pupils to consistently build upon what they already know enablng them to develops rich schema in their brains which in turn facilitates future learning.   

Lessons at Netherthorpe embed Quality First Teaching strategies and inclusive practice.  We draw upon our local context of Netherthorpe, Sheffield and Derbyshire to provide a range of concrete experiences enabling our children to develop both academically and personally. Objectives/enquiry questions are explicitly shared to ensure that learning is clear and outcomes achieved. There is an expectation that children build their learning power through the use of their ‘learning muscles’ and demonstrate a growth mindset in all that they do. All children are expected to achieve and appropriate scaffolds/support is provided to allow all children to remember more, know more and do more.

At Netherthorpe we teach discreet subjects but make meaningful links in learning where we can. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and their understanding of the core values of our society are woven through the curriculum. Planning is developed using our own knowledge, a variety of planning guidance documents and commercial schemes.

At Netherthorpe Primary, our curriculum intent is strongly linked to the curriculum drivers which underpin our learning and are developed through the curriculum:

Communication: building on and enhancing speaking, listening and communication skills; developing vocabulary to enable explanations and reasoning; increasing grammatical understanding and accuracy; overcoming speech and language barriers; developing IT skills required to access knowledge and information in the wider world safely; developing self-confidence in drama and public performance/speaking.

Enquiry: developing the skills needed to be active learners, such as resilience, perseverance and other learning muscles; developing a growth mind-set approach to intelligence; understanding that failing is part of learning on occasion; developing curiosity and enquiry skills; developing logical and lateral thinking to apply to problem solving; building on the independent skills learned in EYFS.

Global citizenship: setting all learning in relevant contexts that utilise pupils’ existing knowledge and experience and provide opportunities for acknowledging and respecting other people’s experiences; making learning relevant and applicable to the world outside the immediate school environment; broadening horizons and raising aspirations about future possibilities beyond that of families’ experience; developing tolerance, understanding and respect for all people.