At Normanton-on-Soar Primary School our children experience a broad curriculum that aims to go beyond the scope of the National Curriculum. We have developed an ambitious curriculum which prepares children for secondary school and life beyond this. Our ambition is that our children leave us, not only with a secure and fluent understanding of reading, writing and maths, but also with a breadth of knowledge and skills across the full range of curriculum subjects.

Our curriculum is designed so that each subject area is taught discretely although links are made between subjects where possible to deepen the children’s understanding. Our curriculum has been constructed to ensure there is clarity over the knowledge taught within each year group and in each individual subject. However, as well as learning key knowledge and vocabulary, our ambition is that children are also taught the unique disciplines and concepts of each subject, so that they learn how to think, for example, as a historian or as a scientist. As a result, children become well-rounded learners ready to succeed across the full curriculum when they reach secondary school.

Lessons are structured so that they are focused and engaging, and also so that learning builds sequentially to deepen and secure children’s understanding of key knowledge. Knowledge taught will have clear links to prior learning and to future learning and children will leave each stage prepared fully for the next. To achieve this, clearly identified core knowledge is taught so that it can be securely built upon in future learning.  Our ambition is not that children just cover the curriculum or learn different knowledge in isolation, but that they remember what they have learned long-term and develop a secure grasp of the wider, ‘big picture’ concepts that thread through each subject.

Throughout the full curriculum, there is also an emphasis on developing children as successful learners and instilling them with positive learning behaviours, attitudes and values that will support them to become life-long learners. Furthermore, through our curriculum we seek not only to broaden children’s knowledge of the world, but prepare them to be active citizens within it.  There are therefore strong moral and ethical dimensions to the curriculum. For example, through geography children develop a deepening awareness of global environmental issues and ways in which they can play their own part in looking after the world. Furthermore, our curriculum specifically seeks to promote diversity as part of preparing children to live in a deeply interconnected world, and thus different cultures and faiths are studied and celebrated.

Our ambition is that the curriculum is accessible for all of our pupils. To achieve this, teachers employ a range of strategies that support all children to learn alongside their peers and develop the knowledge they need in order to be ready for their next stage in learning. Similarly, our curriculum is designed to be ambitious and challenging so that it enables children of all ability levels to fulfil their potential. The success of our curriculum is not only measured in attainment outcomes, but equally important is the individual progress that each child makes.

How we learn

Normanton-on-Soar has a broad, balanced and inclusive curriculum that is coherently planned and sequenced to ensure progression of knowledge, skills and understanding across the school.

Our mission is clear: Through the high-quality teaching of our ambitious curriculum, every child at Normanton-on-Soar can achieve their full potential and become well-rounded individuals, ready for the next stage of their education.

At Normanton-on-Soar Primary School our curriculum incorporates Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum.  We offer a positive, challenging, and enjoyable learning experience which meets all our children’s needs and abilities. The curriculum is delivered through topics and experiential learning opportunities such as visits and trips. We also ensure that the children experience a variety of enrichment activities such as theatre groups, outdoor learning and musicians. 

Our children also need to develop resilience and social and emotional skills if they are to participate fully in society. It is our awareness of this need which has led to the development of our STAR learning approach

 At Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, all teachers are responsible for providing an inclusive curriculum that is differentiated for those with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). We have high expectations for all pupils and are committed to ensuring our curriculum complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. 

Our inclusion statement emphasises the importance of providing an inclusive learning environment for all pupils including those with SEND. 

For children in the Foundation Unit, learning is accessed through a range of indoor and outdoor activities.

Current Reading and Phonics Schemes are Read Write inc and the school is a partner school with the English Hub.

If you would like to know more about our curriculum please contact us and we will be happy to share further information.  Thank you.