Our curriculum gets to the heart of what matters
At Broadstone First School, our aim is to prepare children for ‘a life well lived’. Four pillars underpin all of the actions and decision we take when designing and developing our curriculum.
Knowledge Acquisition – The disciplinary and substantive knowledge to make sense of the world around us
Preparation for Work – Being ready to successfully contribute to the economy
Self-Agency – The feeling of being in control of our actions and the consequences they have on our lives
Taking Positive Action – Understand our place and impact on the world
When we talk about ‘curriculum’, we are referring to all of the opportunities that our learners will experience whilst at Broadstone First School. This includes the curriculum ‘taught’ which identifies how the national curriculum is designed and delivered by our teachers and learned by our learners, but also the curriculum ‘lived’ which is defined by the broad range of opportunities that are offered outside of the national curriculum that we believe are valuable and necessary to prepare children for a life well lived.
The Curriculum ‘Lived’
Our curriculum lived includes opportunities such as the University of Broadstone Curriculum where learners can opt to study modules in gardening, musical theatre, touch typing and survival skills, to name just a few. We offer an increasingly varied co-curricular provision after school and at lunchtimes. We run School Council elections to engage our learners in influencing decision making as well as encouraging all learners to take a role in the running of school life in order to instil a sense of responsibility and develop leadership skills.
The Curriculum ‘Taught’
What do we mean by Knowledge Acquisition in our curriculum?
We recognise the importance of knowledge. Without it, our learners cannot effectively analyse, manipulate or create in the way they need to for ‘a life well lived’. We have defined our curriculum to identify key facts about each subject that must be learned alongside ‘big ideas’ about each subject in the national curriculum. The big ideas help our learners develop the knowledge required to think differently in each of the subject disciplines. The learn that, at times, they must think like a scientist and at other times they will be asked to think like a historian!
How does our curriculum Prepare for Work?
Our curriculum is designed with purpose. Each module ends with a Quest whereby the learners must apply the knowledge that they have learnt through their module to complete a task within a given time limit. They are required to use the skills needed to effectively complete their Quest such as creativity, co-operation and collaboration, effective communication and evaluation and reflection.
Developing Self Agency
The PSHE curriculum is instrumental in providing the time for learners to consider and reflect on how they manage themselves and their feelings. Several module Quests are designed so that learners are required to think about the value of their opinions and recognise the impact of the choices they make.
Where do we plan for our learners to Take Positive Action?
Within the planned curriculum, every Quest designed for the modules of learning involves the community. This maybe the class community or school community or further afield locally, nationally or internationally. Our curriculum is designed to ensure our learners recognise the important part they play in the success of the world around them.
Here is more information about our Curriculum Aim