Curriculum

The National Curriculum (2014) is operational across the whole school and the teachers plan engaging and relevant programmes of study with the statutory frameworks to ensure coverage across all subject areas.

We usually run mixed age classes (currently mixed year R/1, 1/2, 3/4 and 4/5 with a single age year 6), so we operate a rolling programme across two years to ensure a class will have experience of the curriculum for both age groups in each class, enriched with a wide variety of opportunities to develop cultural capital. 

We follow the whole school termly themes: Who am I?, Woodland, Water, Treasure, Time Travel and Journeys across two years. Teachers plan creatively to weave together different subjects, ensuring full coverage of curriculum skills and knowledge for each year group. We also take into account events relevant to pupil's interests and curiosity including current events, both national and global. 

At Holly Meadows School, we recognise that some children may have more experiences and opportunities to access different types of capital such as languages, beliefs, traditions, travel, interests, literature and clubs. We strive to provide access to and recognition of as many different life options and experiences around the world as possible. We facilitate this in part through 'Lyfta time'. Use of this inspirational online tool, with 360 degree environments around the world, allows children to reflect upon and recognise their own cultural capital, as well as demonstrating alternative ways of being and living, challenging stereotypes and preconceptions. 

As well as embracing 'Lyfta time',  we take part in popular events such as Number Day and World Book Day as well as creating opportunities to develop understanding and promote thinking by being involved in Earth Day and Refugee Week. An exciting programme of Forest School education is available to children at Holly Meadows. This helps to build confidence, resilience, independence and a range of life skills too. We welcome visitors into school to enhance learning, ranging from our local MP, representatives from KLimate Concern, the Mayor to classical musicians and professional dancers.

We value the arts and dedicate time to developing high quality drama, music, dance, public-speaking and performance skills. It is wonderful to see children grow in confidence when they are given opportunities to perform in front of an audience. 

The PE curriculum is rich and diverse at Holly Meadows. Children get to use the extensive grounds to participate in the Daily Mile as well as a broad range of activities to build stamina and communication such as OAA, (Outdoor Adventurous Activity) Balance-ability and off road cycling 'Bike-ability', using our own set of cycles and equipment. A recent addition to our extensive school grounds in a 500m by 2m cycle track, funding by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

We make use of the PIXL Primary assessment resources for English and Maths across the year groups from Year 1 to Year 6. It provides tracking and target setting information for teachers that is regularly shared with the pupils and their parents. It identifies through regular assessments, the standard that the children are working at, their targets to aim for and the progress they are making towards those targets. PIXL helps us to identify those children who are not reaching their expected levels and signposts the focus needed for the support that will help them to improve.  It also provides a skills assessment that helps us to identify gaps in knowledge in the basic Mathematics and English skills and ensures we can track progress on a weekly basis.

In writing, we create opportunities for children to write about a wide range of subjects in different genres, using real experiences wherever we can. The assessment of writing is based on teacher’s judgement of whether the children have matched the age related expectations laid down in the National Curriculum.

We track progress of individual children termly and write an annual record of achievement in the Spring term for all pupils except those in their Reception year; their report will come out in the Summer Term.

All parents of children in Year 1-6 receive an end of year achievement summary. 

We know well how beneficial parental support can be to a child’s education. We can offer support and guidance to parents if you are at all unsure how best to help with your child’s learning. Your time, full attention, praise and interest in what they are doing at school and in their home-learning is a really good place to start.

Home-learning usually consists of daily reading, an activity to support spelling and writing and either an online, paper based or practical maths task. We use the Class Dojo app for uploading and sharing home learning. 

These  'jigsaws' reflect a breakdown of the curriculum into year group allocations of the National Curriculum:

Click here: Overview of Primary Education

There is variation in this for our school as we have to run the rolling programme of curriculum maps to ensure we can teach our mixed age classes with one topic at a time but still meet the requirements of the curriculum. Over the two year period, the teachers blend topics from both year groups relevant to their class.

The last Ofsted inspection was in July 2019 where the school was recognised as remaining 'Good'.

Ofsted reported that: 'Considerable planning has gone into a rich, broad and balanced curriculum that takes into account pupils' interests and aspirations.'