Curriculum

Teachers are qualified and experiences. They consider themselves to be “life-long” learners, as they continue their career, professional development, enabling them to teach the children according to best practise, through evidence-based research.

Our teaching staff have been trained in the “Little Wandle” phonics scheme. We use scripts to ensure that the fidelity of the scheme is retained. Some staff have been trained by Pie Corbett through “Read as a Reader” and “Talk for Writing”, and the English Lead uses this training to train others. 

Curriculum Leads attend training and network meetings held by GCC as part of their GLOSSI package (English, Maths, Science, Computing, EYFS). Curriculum Leads also attend the Cheltenham Learning Partnership (CLP) subject leader meetings and share best practise. 

Teachers follow a structured curriculum overview for all subjects, which has been developed for the needs of our pupils. Schemes are adapted and the teaching sequence is designed to build on prior learning and develop key learning. 

Curriculum Leads have developed their own guidelines for Reading, Writing and Maths, which details the implementation stage, to support teachers in the processes and systems they should follow. They also have their own Curriculum pages which detail more about each subject’s delivery stage.

Vocabulary is taught across the curriculum and new learning supported by the use of “Knowledge Organisers”.

Resources, toolkits, equipment and displays in the learning environment are used to scaffold and support the children’s learning, as we are aware that children learn best through experience, manipulation, imagery and pictorial representation.

Our “Cultural Capital Offer” includes visits and visitors, for the children to be immersed in their learning, have experiences and opportunities to learn in different settings. This supports the experiential, purposeful ad “real life” learning that all pupils need.

Our pupils are encouraged to be “Purple Learners”, communicating how they feel about their learning in the “Comfort”, “Stretch” and “Panic” zones. They are given “Purple Learner Challenges” in English lessons, as an extended next step, when they have completed their differentiated task.

We are part of the embedding Mastery Maths Glow Maths project. In Mastery Maths, children are taught the same concept, but they work through the “Do it”, “Twist it” and “Deepen it” – fluency, reasoning and problem solving. The work is not pre-differentiated but differentiated by the child’s attainment for that lesson. This prevents, any preconceived ideas that children have a set ability and are not able to achieve higher in different concept areas, from limiting children’s learning.

Children have timetabled sessions for practise and retrieval, in order to promote retention of knowledge, for example in “Number Sense” when fluency is practised in maths. 

Special Educational Needs children are supported through My Plan, My Pan+ and Education, Health, Care Plan targets and interventions. Please see the SEND page for further details.

Our Behaviour Policy supports the expectations of “Behaviour for Learning”, as well as rules for life “Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe”. Everyone has a fresh start every day and children move up to the “Gold” section of the Behaviour Chart, receiving a “Captain Positive” sticker. 

Children have timetabled sessions for practise and retrieval, in order to promote retention of knowledge, for example in “Number Sense” when fluency is practised in maths. 

Metacognition and positive “Growth Mindset”, bases new learning on prior learning, enables our children build up and make connections in their learning, whilst retaining a positive attitude to learning. This links to our values: Perseverance, Positivity and Pride. 

At Hester’s Way Primary School, we:

• Encourage pupils to ASPIRE and aim high – personally and academically.
• BELIEVE that everyone deserves the same opportunities; foster self-belief; core values and learning skills to be a successful learner. 
• Work in a happy, safe and CARING learning environment.
• ACHIEVE our aspirational goals and targets.

Our Vision “Aspire, Believe, Care, Achieve” and Values are woven into daily school life, built on positive, nurturing relationships and inclusive teaching and learning. 

The curriculum is our structured teaching and learning intent, however we also know and appreciate that children develop at their own rates, so assessment and evaluation is used to personalise every child’s needs and differentiate accordingly.  

We teach and guide them through their educational milestones, ensuring that they progress from their starting points and aiming to meet National expectations.