The Effective Development of an Inspiring Skills Based Curriculum which develops Life Long Learners by Embracing Pupil Voice and Personalised Learning

Why this is leading practice

The curriculum is devised in consultation with the pupils, regular meetings with the pupils to evaluate the curriculum and how it can be further developed. Pupils choose curriculum themes and teachers plan, monitor and evaluate creative projects which have a final product to work towards. The final projects provide pupils with the opportunity to work towards a real audience and purpose while also providing excellent opportunities for risk taking, personalising and managing their own learning. The children are taught key skills and given opportunities to develop these skills independently.

Impact to date

• All pupils now motivated to learn and to manage their own learning because they are given choice, allowed to take risks, evaluate their learning and be creative.
• Pupils feel valued and listened to as teachers are using their ideas to plan from.
• School Council have a high profile within the school and have had a positive impact on a whole school priority.
• Teachers feel empowered and inspired to create highly motivating and imaginative themes and final products. Teachers have more flexibility and ownership of the curriculum. The whole school ethos is committed to the good progress and enjoyment of all learners. Pupils are creating excellent high quality work as they have an audience and real purpose to work towards.
• Pupils are independent learners and can apply learned skills confidently to a range of situations. Pupils have a good understanding of their strengths and areas for development and regularly involve themselves in constructive learning conversations according to these.
• Increased standards of behaviour - children are too busy and excited to be silly and off task!
• Teachers and pupils are now involved in collaborative approaches to learning. There is a real buzz of excitement throughout a curriculum theme. Parents feel much more informed of what their children are learning about in school and enjoy celebrating their final products with the children.
• There is a whole school commitment to high quality learning.
• Standards have increased dramatically - The percentage of pupils in Year 6 achieving Level 4 in all subjects increased by 26% after there had been only marginal increases and decreases over the last 3 years.  90% of pupils in Year 5 are predicted to make at least 2 levels progress in all subjects between the end of KS1 and the end of KS2.

Rationale / Start Point

• Teachers felt that pupils were not making links and applying their skills across the curriculum.
• Teachers and Pupils felt very restricted by time and rarely got to complete extended pieces of work to a high standard.
• Pupils had limited learning skills and were passive rather than active learners.
• Pupils were not reflective in their learning and could not identify relevant next steps for themselves.

Key Strategies

• Pupils know how their curriculum is planned and know that their ideas and contributions will be included in the planning.
• The curriculum was devised in consultation with the pupils, regular meetings with the pupils to evaluate the curriculum and how it can be further developed. Pupils choose the curriculum themes and teachers plan, monitor and evaluate creative projects which have a final product to work towards.
• In teacher interviews, teachers from different year groups clearly understood how the curriculum is planned.  An NQT had induction training and plans with an experienced teacher
• Parents visit school regularly as curriculum meetings have end products e.g. WWII, space display in gallery.  Parents very positive about the curriculum taught
• During pupil interviews pupils understood how they contributed to the planning
• Development of the Curriculum is by all staff and all pupils.  In Foundation Stage and KS1 discussions / ideas recorded by teachers, with ownership of recording by Year 6
• Whole school policy on evaluating the topic weekly through Learning Logs and Termly by Teacher / mixed ability pupil interviews
• Pupils choose skills to be used in their learning. The children are taught key skills and given opportunities to develop these skills independently.
• Skills and 'must haves' dictate topic rather than knowledge
• Success criteria included in all teaching
• Pupils in KS2 evaluate skills at beginning of topic and each half term (Traffic lights)
• Through Learning Logs and pupil interviews the curriculum is monitored and evaluated
• Curriculum Leader and teacher have  led inset training and workshops at local schools
• The final projects provide pupils with the opportunity to work towards a real audience and purpose while also providing excellent opportunities for risk taking, personalising and managing their own learning.

Sustainability and Further Development

• Children developing the skills and confidence to manage aspects of SIP.
• Re-looking at Curriculum Co-ordinators