Welcome to our Creative Curriculum Section 

At Winterslow Primary School, we value and respect the uniqueness of every child recognising and nurturing their potential for learning. Our aim, through our tailor-made curriculum, is to enable each child to participate fully in current and future society as a responsible, self-confident citizen.

We believe that our curriculum offers a balance between understanding and using knowledge as well as developing and applying skills, leading to better understanding and progression for our pupils ensuring they are ready to face the next steps in their educational journeys.

Our curriculum design at Winterslow is based on the National Curriculum requirements for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. 

Our Curriculum drivers inform the design, intent and implementation of our curriculum and ensure all children in our school leave us with the knowledge and skills to 'Explore, Discover, Sparkle as light of the world.'

Our Curriculum Drivers

Our vision, including our four Christian values, is woven throughout our curriculum. Allowing children opportunities to explore and reflect on their personal values and spirituality enables them to behave and learn as courageous advocates for change and 'sparkle as light of the world'. 

Engaging with the environment in which we live enables children to be more observant and helps foster their sense of responsibility and belonging. Maximising our rural environment whilst educating children on local, national and global diversity helps foster responsible global citizens, through our International School Awards.

Building our learning around enquiry questions encourages our children to ask questions and develop their quest for knowledge and answers. We start with a big question and then, through a learning journey, equip ourselves with the tools to be able to answer the question at the end. Each enquiry gives children the opportunity to review their previous knowledge and skills enabling them to make links within their learning experiences. 

Global awareness and Sustainability are important golden threads of our Curriculum. Children are provided with opportunities to reflect on our ever changing world and explore the potential they have on driving change. Our curriculum links celebrate the people, places and stories within our locality and provide aspirations for our children. Within our Curriculum, we provide opportunities for sustainable creativity (where possible using recycled or recycled materials) and our Summer Term focus encourages children to see themselves as changemakers of the future. 

Please also see our School Partnership page to find out more about our Global Links

Our learning gems ensure our curriculum embeds personal metacognitive development. Each learning gem helps children to develop the skills for life for managing and having strategies for positive behaviour and learning. 

Within subjects, these skills for life are interwoven with 'States of Being' which encourage children to see themselves as active participants in acquiring knowledge and skills. 

Our Wider Curriculum at Winterslow 

Our Wider Curriculum at Winterslow is developed with whole school 'themes' which lead the learning each term across the school. These themes unify the learning journey of children across the school and enables classes to share and discuss their learning experiences. 

Each term, the wider curriculum is delivered through Enquiry based learning involves using a 'big question' as an overarching hook for learning. This question is too big to answer straight away and requires learning to be explored through the guide of 'micro questions'. 

Within an enquiry, being a Historian or being a Geographer is the lead State of Being for learners. Knowledge and skills in these areas drive the micro question enquiry journey. Alongside, being an Artist or an Engineer are suppportive States of Being. Knowledge and skills within the supportive States of Being are taught in micro steps. 

Each enquiry allows children to explore, research, ask questions and respond. At the end of each enquiry, the enquiry response is a planned 'Living Museum' experience. These experiences allow children to showcase their work as a gallery to other classes and parents and are a real celebration of the learning that has taken place throughout an enquiry. Our Living Museums see a high level of parental engagement and are a wonderful way for all children to share their achievements, understanding and progress. 

Additional States of Being (Scientist, Musician, Sportsman) in the wider curriculum are taught discretely, but natural opportunities to make links with the enquiry focus of the term are maximised to create more meaningful experiences for learners.

Placement of units of work within these States of Being are carefully considered and, where appropriate, are mapped across the year to complement the enquiry focus. 

Please contact your child's class teacher if you would like more information on the curriculum or alternatively , please see the National Curriculum information on the Department for Education website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum