Curriculum Overview
Click here to read our Alderbrook Curriculum 'at a glance' document
Alderbrook Curriculum Intent Statement
Alderbrook is a safe and happy school environment that recognises and nurtures the potential of every child. We inspire in all Alderbrook pupils a curious, independent, confident and resilient love of learning, providing the building blocks for their future success, in education and beyond. A high-quality education is provided through a carefully planned, rich and broad curriculum that gives children the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Emotional intelligence is actively promoted in every child, providing a firm grounding for success in the wider world. We celebrate our diverse school community, actively promote inclusion and build strong collaborative partnerships with our families, developing a sense of belonging.
Our school is based in one of the most exciting cities in the world, full of rich, diverse learning experiences and a deep and interesting history. At Alderbrook, the core message behind our foundation curriculum is ‘what is London?’ and learning circles back to the impact within and on our locality – this is what we refer to as our ‘big picture’. This ‘big picture’ acts as a ‘hook’ for children to latch their learning onto by building on previous knowledge. This gives pupils a sense of community, further exemplifying our value of collaboration and the importance of tolerance and respect. In order to develop curiosity in our children, we aspire to include magical moments within our curriculum and we teach our children the process of learning and cognition ensuring that they can learn to be tenacious. Our school is physically house directly on top of the northern line on the London underground.
Classes and rooms around the school are named after stops on the northern line
Our entire foundation curriculum has been mapped onto its very own tube line, further exemplifying the connectivity of learning. the ‘London line’ is the central focus of our Alderbrook tube map, with the ways in which our entire curriculum links to our locality plotted on it.
We aim to inspire futures and actively discuss what it means to be an artist, designer, historian, scientist, mathematician, author, geographer and philosopher.
Cognitive Load Theory research has shown that if children have already learnt facts and information related to a new topic being taught, they don’t need to use precious working memory capacity considering them.[1] This frees up capacity for the children to consider the new material and task at hand, enabling learning to take place more readily. Having a curriculum that builds knowledge and skills sequentially enables children of all abilities to engage in ‘deep learning’ at all points in their journey through primary school. Staff and subject leaders select what will be taught, organise this in a progressive way that incorporates challenge and then apply this in the classroom.
[1] Creaby, C (2018) Learning to learn: Using evidence to enhance knowledge retention and improve outcomes
"Human beings are curious, but thinking is hard" D.T Willingham
Alderbrook Curriculum Implementation Statement
Our curriculum follows a carefully planned sequence that is progressive and well connected and begins with the Early Years curriculum leading up to the end of key stage 2. Subject specific content is taught and children understand the distinction between the subject areas. Key threads (big ideas) are followed within each subject area and exposure to tier 3 vocabulary is included and used in every lesson. Knowledge organisers, displays explicitly identifying prior learning, interactive display tops and dedicated book baskets linked to units enable children to make connections independently in their learning. Knowledge and skills are embedded into the long term memory through strategies such as recall, questioning and assessment opportunities. This ensures depth of learning. Pupils develop a strong sense of what happens to their brain as they acquire knowledge through cognition lessons. Pupils are given the opportunity for wider learning in a context through trips and visitors, working alongside our focus on inspirational people. We ensure staff develop strong subject knowledge, conduct research before teaching a unit supporting the development of knowledge organisers and ensure highly skilled subject leaders.
Alderbrook Curriculum Impact Statement
High quality planning and resourcing leads to high quality learning outcomes in the foundation subject at Alderbrook. Detailing the knowledge and skills clearly for pupils enables them to progress well and understand their own learning journey. The phrase “when you know more, you remember more and can do more” exemplifies how our intent leads to impact. Pupils show that they know through their individual responses, their personalised approach to a task due to reduced worksheets, extended writing pieces and responses to regular quizzes. Knowledge organisers offer an opportunity to assess ‘sticky knowledge’ at the end of a unit. The impact of our foundation curriculum enables pupils to become curious, tenacious and collaborative whilst developing a knowledge of the world around them, facilitating life long learning
Please click below to view the yearly overview for your child's year group. For Early Years Curriculum information, please see the 'Early Years Foundation Stage' tab.
Our curriculum overviews show how we adhere to the National Curriculum in England. Full details of which can be seen here
Year 2 Yearly OverviewYear 4 Yearly Overview
If you require more information on the curriculum, please contact the school on 02086734913
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