Headteacher’s Update
Curriculum
Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact
Our curriculum is based on our mission, "All pupils to achieve high standards of work, behaviour and attitudes to others."
Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum is real, relevant and based on first-hand experience underpinned with opportunities for educational visits and residentials. The development of language and in particular tier 2 and subject specific tier 3 vocabulary is at the heart of every subject. Knowledge, skills and concepts are developed so that children’s understanding is extended year upon year.
Curriculum Implementation
Skills and knowledge are taught discreetly in subject areas.
English includes, speaking and listening writing across the curriculum in different genre and reading every day in dedicated reading lessons. Children develop a love of reading and an ability to read both for fun and in the research of knowledge.
Mathematics follows the White Rose Scheme with adaptations in our medium-term plans. There is an emphasis on the learning of basic skills which has a proven track record for all.
Educational trips and visits, visitors and residential visits underpin the curriculum and makes the topics real. The visits are subsidised by school and FAB (Friends At Beecroft) Educational visits enrich the development of language in real contexts. (See Curriculum Booklet 2023)
School visits include for example:
Saltaire, Otley study, residentials – Nell Bank, Whitby, Castleton for Geography, firefighters, ambulance visits, farm visits, Mosque and Leeds Minster.
Curriculum Impact
At Beecroft ALL pupils achieve. We have excellent results in terms of academic success. Children make rapid progress with the majority achieving their Year 1 phonics. By the end of Key Stage 2 children do extremely well when compared with local and national results. The school is a beautiful place and high-level work, from all age groups, is celebrated on displays around the school.
Our work on promoting good mental health and social skills (Place2Be and Play Therapy) means that children are confident and resilient learners. Good manners and kindness are viewed as extremely important. Pupils’ attitudes to one another are excellent.
Monitoring Impact of the Curriculum.
Next steps are planned from teacher assessments every lesson. Assessments half-termly in English and maths are reported to parents and checked by the leadership team. Parent consultations are held regularly. All pupils are supported to success.
Quality of Education Curriculum BookletDrama
The school has a strong tradition in the arts. Drama lessons are held after school by the Headteacher. It is open to all pupils in Key Stage 2. A drama production is held every year and pupils develop a high level of confidence and good speaking skills.
Visual Art And Design
We employ a specialist teacher who teaches the process of designing and making. The school's art work has been on display in the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Design And Technology
We have a design and technology area in school and all pupils from Reception class learn the design process. Design And Technology
Music
All pupils learn to play a musical instrument from Year 4. They can learn violin, flute, recorder, guitar, chimes, or the keyboard. Instruments are on loan from school and no charge is made. The school has its own orchestra. Children take Associated Board of the Royal School of Music medals.
Download Music Policy| Instrument | Copper (level 1) |
Bronze (level 2) |
Silver (level 3) |
Gold (level 4) |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recorder | 11 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 17 |
| Flute | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 11 |
| Violin | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Guitar | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Keyboard | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 34 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 57 |
Computing
We are passionate about the teaching of computing and coding across the school and keep up to date with the latest technology to enable our pupils to learn at their best. In school, we have class sets of laptops in Years 1 to 6, which pupils use for their weekly timetabled computing lessons. In addition to these the school has 80 Chromebooks, which are used for home learning; all current Year 6 pupils have been able to loan one, to use for their studies at home. Additionally, we have class sets of iPads and 2 class sets of VR headsets. As using technology is an important part of the five-a-day strategies we employ when teaching, every classroom is fitted with a 55inch Clever Touch Screen, so teachers scan utilise video, animations and collaborative work in their lessons.
Physical Education and Sport
We hold the Football Chartermark for
outstanding commitment. There are
numerous sports clubs and all pupils
have 2 P.E lessons each week. Children
learn to swim in Year 3. We ask parents to help us in
enabling all pupils to be able to swim 25 metres by the
time they leave our school.
Evidencing the Impact of the Primary PE and Sport Premium
Religious Education
The Education Reform Act 1988 requires all schools to organise a daily act of collective worship, which is to be of a broadly Christian nature, and to include Religious Education in the curriculum of the school. Our Religious Education programme deals with Christianity and other world religions and encourages tolerance and understanding of different faiths. Parents are entitled to withdraw their children from Religious Education lessons or from the daily assembly. If you wish to withdraw your child you are asked to discuss this with the Headteacher so that alternative arrangements can be made. We hold a Family Assembly for children, parents and friends. Children are praised and rewarded for good work, kind and helpful behaviour and good effort. We celebrate birthdays and share the achievements of children in their out-of-school activities. This is followed by tea and biscuits for parents.
Homework
Beecroft has maximum hours in school - 34.75 hours to allow for lessons, musical instrumental work and enrichment activities. Children need time to play and enjoy themselves at home. They need time to 'wind down' and enjoy out of school activities like swimming lessons. All pupils do at least one hour of enrichment (clubs) after school. This means they finish at 4.15pm. (From Year 2)
We know that it is important to develop good habits and homework can help. Homework though must be relevant. There will be one piece of homework (lasting about 20 minutes) each night by Key Stage 2. Weekend work is reading - every week – there will be no other tasks.
- Reading is a priority - at least 3 times a week. Please read with your child even when they are in Year 6 and record new words in your child’s reading diary.
- Mathematics - times tables/number bonds/arithmetic or word problems. (Times Table Rock Stars online)
- Spelling
- Preparation/ finding out for work in school the next day.
- Challenge - once a term- like Black History Month.
All pupils in Year 6 have a Chromebook (on loan for a year) They also have a school thesaurus on loan.
If you want more than above, then you can ask your child's class teacher.
From Year 4 pupils have a homework diary.
Learning Journeys
Children are taught all subjects in the National Curriculum, providing a basis for a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. The non-core subjects are blocked each half term to ensure continuity and a thorough grasp and understanding of the vital basic skills.