Curriculum

We endeavour to ensure that our pupils aim high, and achieve high. We strive to ensure that our pupils have a happy educational experience, built through positive relationships and constructive practices throughout the school learning environment.

Quarry Hill Academy aim to tailor education to meet individual needs, interest and aptitude, so as to fulfil every child's potential. Through the curriculum we use at Quarry Hill Academy, every pupil will have access to a rich, broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum. However, it is recognised that every child has a different knowledge base and skill set, as well as varying aptitudes and aspirations; and that as a result, there is a determination for every young person's needs to be assessed, and their talents developed through diverse teaching strategies. This means that at Quarry Hill Academy teachers will use the flexibilities that already exist to allow high standards in the basics, with opportunities for enrichment and creativity.

Aims and Objectives

We aim to help pupils to:

acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life in a rapidly changing world;
use language and number skills effectively;
understand the world in which they live, and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations;
develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally, and to apply themselves to tasks, and physical skills;
appreciate and understand religions and moral values and show tolerance for other races, religions and ways of life;
appreciate human achievements and aspirations;

Implicit in our view of the curriculum is the fact that we believe everything that goes on within the school, whether inside or outside the classroom, forms part of the curriculum. A summary of our curriculum follows:

English:

We follow the National Curriculum for English. Synthetic phonics are taught systematically in Early Years and Key Stage 1 using the Read Write Inc. scheme. Additionally, children progress through the banded reading books in the book band library during Early Years and Key Stage 1. Then, soon after starting Key Stage 2, pupils begin choosing from a range of high quality and stimulating texts. Reading comprehension skills are taught weekly during a dedicated comprehension lesson, often based on an age-appropriate quality texts. Writing skills are taught systematically using a range of resources and stimulus covering a multitude of genres across the curriculum. Handwriting is taught using the Nelson handwriting scheme. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is taught daily within every English lesson.

Mathematics:

In mathematics, we follow our own scheme of work which works as an enhanced version of the National Curriculum. Teachers prepare mathematics lessons using a range of concrete, pictorial and abstract resources following the whole school interactive calculation policy. Fluency, reasoning and problem-solving strategies are taught daily during mathematics lessons to accelerate the pupils' progression within the curriculum, ensuring they develop and retain a secure conceptual understanding of the mathematics objectives. Pupils complete weekly homework activities using set tasks on Purple Mash for KS1, Mirodo for LKS2 and SATs Companion for UKS2. We encourage all pupils to complete 10 minutes of Time Table Rock Stars each day at home as part of our school-wide initiative to improve multiplication facts recall. This is supported by Olympic Maths which is completed weekly in home classes.

Science:

Pupils explore Science in a variety of ways, which include whole days dedicated to the subject. We also celebrate National Science Week each year, with a variety of exciting activities and challenges, enabling the children to be fully immersed in science. Our lessons are prepared following our own personalised scheme of work and the National Curriculum for each year group. Children have access to a wide variety of physical resources to complement lessons within the classroom.

Religious Education:

Religious Education is taught to all year groups, covering a wide range of religions, cultures and ideologies. RE also includes looking at big questions, ideals, worship and morals. We follow SACRE, the local agreed syllabus, using our interactive and engaging methods of teaching and learning.

History:

In history, we aim to deliver a high-quality education that develops pupils into mini historians, who gain coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We aim to inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Through history lessons, we strive to equip the pupils to ask questions, think critically, weigh evidence, use sources and develop perspective and judgements.

History at Quarry Hill will help pupils understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different communities, as well as their own identity and challenges of their time.

Geography:

Pupils develop knowledge, skill and understanding related to people, places and environments at different scales in the UK and overseas, following our own personalised schemes of work. Additionally, pupils are encouraged to develop a sense of curiosity about the world around them by engaging in purposeful learning experiences, developing their geographical vocabulary and understanding how people and environments are connected.

Computing:

Computing lessons are based on using a variety of software, primarily Purple Mash. All year groups have a focus on ‘Keeping Safe Online’ and this will be revisited regularly. Many of our computing units link with the PSHE curriculum. Children have access to computers based within our computing suite and laptops that can be used within the classroom.

Physical Education:

PE lessons in gymnastics, dance, games and athletics are based on the Val Sabin schemes of work. The PE curriculum is progressive, enabling pupils to develop fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching before applying these skills in increasingly complex activities, team games and invasion games. Swimming is taught by specialist teachers at Impulse Leisure Centre. In addition to the PE curriculum, pupils have opportunities to take part in a range of extracurricular sports clubs throughout the year, helping to promote physical activity, teamwork and enjoyment of sport.

PSHE/SRE:

PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) is taught to all years using our own personalised curriculum based on the PSHE association scheme of work. PSHE covers a wide variety of issues such as health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world. Skills such as resilience, independence and real-world life skills are taught each week. Sex and Relationships (SRE) is taught to all years using resources from the Family Planning Association.

Music:

We follow the Charanga scheme of work for all year groups. The children will perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians. The children also have the opportunity to learn how to play the Djembe drums. Singing assemblies are held weekly so that the children learn how to sing in unison, as well as with harmonies.

Art:

The Art and Design curriculum aims to inspire creativity, imagination and self-expression while developing pupils' artistic knowledge, skills and appreciation of art. Children explore a wide range of media and techniques, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, textiles, collage and digital art, whilst learning to use different materials with increasing confidence and control. Through studying significant artists and designers from a variety of cultures and historical periods, pupils develop an understanding of how art reflects and influences the world around them. They learn to use the visual elements of art, such as colour, line, shape, tone, texture and pattern, to create and communicate ideas. Throughout the developed curriculum, children are encouraged to experiment, take risks, record observations in sketchbooks, and evaluate and improve their work. In Key Stage 1, pupils build foundational skills and explore a range of artistic experiences, while in Key Stage 2 they refine techniques, develop independent creative thinking and produce more complex pieces of work.

Design and Technology:

For Design and Technology, the curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils become creative, innovative and practical problem solvers who can design, make and evaluate products for real life purposes. Through a range of engaging projects, children develop knowledge and skills in designing, making, evaluating and understanding technical processes while considering the needs and wants of users. Pupils work with a variety of materials, including textiles, structures, mechanisms and food. They learn how to safely use tools and equipment with increasing accuracy and independence. The curriculum also develops an understanding of nutrition and healthy eating through cooking and food technology activities. Children are encouraged to generate and communicate ideas, take risks, test prototypes and reflect on how their products can be improved. In Key Stage 1, pupils learn basic designing and making skills through simple practical tasks, while in Key Stage 2 they undertake more complex projects that require greater creativity, technical knowledge and problem solving.

MFL:

We follow the Language Angels scheme of work and resources for Year 3 to 6 to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. Our diversity is such that as a school, our pupils speak over 45 different languages and the varied social and cultural differences are keenly shared and celebrated through our Cultural Celebration Events.

More detailed information about our curriculum can be obtained on request at the school office, or you can contact us by clicking the ‘contact us’ link at the top of this page. Additionally, below are some links related to the above information:

Quarry Hill Academy