Why this is leading practice
Our newly built curriculum centres around the needs of this community – enterprise, multiculturalism and global awareness. |By ensuring a relevant curriculum, based on real life situations and problems, where children want to be and want to learn, our children are motivated and involved, which in turn has led to a rise in achievement. Our curriculum is based on the development of key skills and attitudes rather than a body of knowledge, especially the 13 enterprise skills, as identified by Rotherham Ready. Our curriculum, as a result, is relevant and engaging, with scope for children to develop their own creativity and a high level of independence in a real context. There is here a full understanding that enterprise skills go far beyond issues around money and finance – they are the foundation upon which society is founded.
Impact to date
- Tracking shows improved attainment in writing and maths in last two years across each age group.
- Introduction of Big Writing has made great gains in the quality of writing.
- Children show a huge increase in the ability to talk about their learning, to discuss and collaborate to solve a problem.
- The quality of learning has improved.
- Whole school initiatives impact on the learning experiences and achievements of the pupils.
- Standards in each subject are at least in line with national averages, frequently above and exceed local average.
- Children achieve well in all test but are exceptional by end of year 6 in `Enterprise Skills`.
Rationale / Start Point
As a school we feel that we would like to share our experience and practice. A recent HMI visit led to a report that stated that the level of discussion in which our children engaged was far in advance of their years and would be well placed in year 10. He described the school as outstanding in the field of enterprise because we have the skills of enterprise at the centre of our school. Our involvement in curriculum development has been all-encompassing and our experiences have been used by other schools, as well as on courses and at conferences.
Key Strategies
- Whole staff involvement in redesigning a curriculum based on the acquisition of key skills across all subjects
- A nationally acclaimed provider bought – in for 5 days to facilitate this
- In – house professional development based on 13 skills of enterprise led by outside providers
- Enterprise Champion (curriculum leader) chosen to lead project
- All staff have high expectations of the children and themselves
- Exemplary behaviour is expected of all children at all times
- School Council and outside agencies have great impact on and access to the project
- Involvement of entrepreneurs and crafts people used to help discover the world of work
- The curriculum incorporates enterprise throughout with identified threads in each term`s plans
Sustainability and Further Development
- The work involved in this project is sustainable as it is embedded within the working practice and ethos of the school. It will be developed over time to meet the changing needs of the pupils, the school and society.
- The Head Teacher should make entrepreneurial skills even more explicit in the aims and objectives.
- The school should try to increase enterprise links with their Infant school.
- There should be a named Governor for enterprise.
- Monitoring of teaching and learning in the school should focus on enterprise.