Springhead Primary School

Our Approach to Curriculum

At Springhead Primary School, our curriculum is rooted in our motto:
“Working Together To Achieve Our Best.”

Our curriculum exists to ensure that all pupils, regardless of background, starting point or ability, are able to unlock their academic and personal potential. It is ambitious, inclusive and carefully sequenced to empower pupils with the knowledge, skills, vocabulary and character virtues they need to thrive both in learning and in life.

At its core, our curriculum is designed so that pupils:

• Know more
• Remember more
• Can do more

We have high expectations for every learner and believe that excellence is achieved through collaboration, consistency and care. Our curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, but goes beyond these requirements to ensure depth, enrichment and aspiration across all areas of learning.

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Curriculum Entitlement

Pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Our Early Years curriculum is creative, play-based and highly purposeful. Learning is structured around the seven areas of learning, supported by skilled adult interaction and high-quality environments.

Prime Areas

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development

Specific Areas

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Learning in EYFS is guided by children’s interests and curiosity, with a strong emphasis on early language development, systematic synthetic phonics, independence and school readiness.

Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2

Core Subjects

• English
• Mathematics
• Science

Foundation Subjects and Wider Curriculum

• Art and Design
• Computing
• Design and Technology
• Geography
• History
• Languages (Key Stage 2)
• Music
• Physical Education
• Religious Education
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), including Relationships and Health Education (RHE)

In addition, all pupils benefit from carefully planned opportunities to enhance personal development and cultural capital, including:

• Forest School
• Careers and Aspirations
• Shakespeare and the Arts (including our RSC partnership)
• Educational Visits, Visitors and Residential Experiences

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Our Approach to Curriculum Design and Delivery

At Springhead, we teach subjects discretely to ensure that each subject retains its integrity and is taught with rigour, clarity and ambition. This approach ensures pupils develop strong subject-specific knowledge and skills, alongside transferable learning behaviours.

Our curriculum is:

• Progressive – knowledge builds carefully over time
• Vocabulary-rich – Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited
• Inclusive – quality-first teaching with appropriate scaffolding and challenge
• Engaging – lessons are designed to enthuse, motivate and inspire pupils

Teachers plan lessons that connect with prior learning, introduce and reinforce ambitious vocabulary, and include regular opportunities for retrieval, reflection and deeper thinking. Learning checks are built into lessons to ensure pupils are secure before moving on.

Subject leaders work collaboratively across the school and with trust colleagues to ensure high-quality curriculum implementation and continuous improvement.

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Our Approach to Learning Environments

At Springhead Primary School, we believe that a high-quality learning environment:

• is an enabler for success
• acts as a silent teacher
• supports the development of long-term memory
• raises aspirations for pupils and staff alike

Learning environments across the school are calm, purposeful and welcoming. Staff are responsible for ensuring classrooms are places where pupils feel safe, inspired and ready to learn by:

• Organising furniture to create clear, flexible and safe learning spaces
• Providing a carpet or focus area where appropriate
• Displaying learning that supports knowledge retention and celebrates pupil achievement
• Ensuring resources are labelled, accessible and promote independence
• Maintaining clutter-free, well-organised classrooms and shared areas
• Teaching pupils to respect and care for their learning environment
• Creating inviting reading areas that promote a love of books and storytelling

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Our Approach to Assessment

Assessment at Springhead is purposeful and meaningful. It underpins effective teaching and learning by helping teachers understand what pupils know, remember and can do – and what they need next.

We use formative and summative assessment to inform teaching, support progress and ensure high expectations for all pupils.

Assessment for Learning (Formative)

Assessment for learning is embedded into daily classroom practice. Teachers regularly check understanding and adapt teaching to:

• scaffold learning where needed
• provide appropriate challenge
• address misconceptions quickly

Strategies include questioning, retrieval activities, discussion, low-stakes quizzes and observation.

Assessment as Learning (Formative)

Pupils are supported to become reflective learners by regularly recalling prior knowledge and making connections over time. Retrieval practice is used across subjects to strengthen memory and deepen understanding.

Assessment of Learning (Summative)

Summative assessments allow teachers to judge pupils’ attainment against age-related expectations. Judgements are informed by a range of evidence, including classwork, assessments, quizzes and tests.

Statutory and National Assessments

Pupils also complete statutory assessments at key points: