Our Curriculum

What is the purpose of the Curriculum at Kibblesworth Academy?

Our mission is to provide a broad, balanced, engaging experience where everyone is valued as an individual within our community. Every learner is supported to foster an enquiring mind, challenged to succeed and encouraged to contribute as a valued member of society.

Our curriculum is at the heart of this.

Our curriculum is not narrowed, but is broad and ambitious. It is designed to not only acquire the academic skills and knowledge specified within the National Curriculum, but also to develop the whole child, including the personal skills and qualities required to make the most of that knowledge – qualities such as confidence, resilience, oracy, and ambition.

Our curriculum is best described as “Knowledge-engaged.” The knowledge gained through lessons and experiences that underpin and enable the application of skills. Both are intertwined and required to enable learners to reach their potential, and as such, both are developed hand in hand.

Our curriculum is appropriate to our context, the needs of our children, and the barriers they face. As such it is reviewed annually to ensure it is as appropriate for the children it is intended to serve. The acquisition of cultural capital is interwoven through carefully designed experiences, planned to remove barriers to learning and to inspire children to aim high. Each child has an entitlement which goes beyond narrow academic objectives, and teachers champion this entitlement and bring it to life through the richness of our curriculum offer.

Our curriculum is enhanced at every opportunity, from interesting visitors and memorable visits, through the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument, to dance and peformance.

Our curriculum gives the chance to work within, and be an active member of, the local community, to develop a love for languages and develop links with children overseas. Our curriculum encourages our school community to support charity, to be part of a team, and to realise we are all part of a world of endless possibilities.

 

For more details about our curriculum, please contact craigsteel@kibblesworthacademy.org.uk or talk to your child's class teacher. 

How do we believe that children successfully learn?

We believe that the role of the child, family and teacher are all important when supporting the children to learn and reach their potential. Children learn best when are given opportunities to practice and apply skills in different contexts. They have opportunities to try, fail, repeat, repeat, repeat – and have the growth mindset to see each “failure” as a step towards success.

We believe that children learn best when contexts and activities are fun, relevant and engaging for the children and the teacher.

We believe that children learn best when teachers are enthusiastic about the learning.

We believe that children learn best when the learning reflects their interests and is meaningful – it has a “point” which they understand.

We believe that children learn best when they feel valued and progress is celebrated – however small the steps.

Our curriculum is designed to deliver that.

Our School Approach

We follow the statutory Early Years framework in Nursery and Reception and the National Curriculum from Year 1 to Year 6.

In Early Years, the children work towards achieving seventeen Early Learning Goals which are organised into seven areas of learning:

  • Communication and Language: Listening, Attention and Understanding / Speaking
  • Physical Development: Gross Motor Skills / Fine Motor Skills
  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-Regulation / Managing Self / Building Relationships
  • Literacy: Comprehension / Word Reading / Writing
  • Mathematics: Numbers / Numerical Patterns
  • Understanding the World: Past and Present / People, Culture and Communities / The Natural World
  • Expressive Arts and Design: Creating with Materials / Being Imaginative and Expressive

In KS1 and KS2, children study the following subjects:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Computing
  • Art and Design
  • Design Technology
  • Geography
  • History
  • Music
  • PE
  • PSHE +C

Children in KS2 also learn French as a modern foreign language and RE is taught across school following the Gateshead agreed syllabus.

 

Phonics and Reading

The teaching of phonics and reading begins in our Early Years and continues throughout school. Our phonic teaching follows the Read Write Inc. phonics approach. Our children are introduced to phonic books initially, closely matched to their phonic ability, and then as they mature as readers they move onto a range of books which are organised using the book banding system, which is operated in conjuction with Star Reader, Accelerated Reader and our Reading Rails programme. This allows us to successfully integrate quality texts from a range of authors and publishers. 

Reading at Kibblesworth Academy

 

English

In English, children are taught to write with confidence, flair and independance through well planned and structured guided writes. Through shared and model writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar elements are taught in context, building towards a sustained piece of independant writing at the end of each unit.

Mathematics

In mathematics, a mastery approach is used to develop mathematical skills and thinking. Fluency is also developed through the use of daily Big Maths sessions, as well as structured independant practice of times tables and number facts. 

Foundation Subjects

Our theme-based curriculum is based around the four ‘Cornerstones’ approach which centres on the belief that children learn better when their interests and fascinations are allowed to flourish.

For many of the Foundation areas, the children are encouraged to explore subjects in a variety of ways using an integrated approach. Some subjects are taught discretely, including French, Music, PE and PSHE, using a range of quality resources to support planning and delivery. 

Religious Education

Geography

History

Science

Art and Design

PSHE / SRE

Music