Holy Name Catholic Voluntary Academy

We intend to prepare our children to have a love of learning for life, making them independent thinkers who can work collaboratively and value differences. We aim for them to have a meaningful future that is purposeful and contributes to society through educational enterprise, with Christ at the Centre.

Our objective is to ensure that children receive a wide range of learning opportunities that will incorporate knowledge, skill and a desire to want to know more, enabling them to develop into flourishing individuals with strong roots that define character. We know that reading is a powerful tool therefore we will promote opportunities and inspire them to keep learning, and develop in them a love for reading and hearing stories being read.

We believe our children have the right to a rich curriculum that prepares them for the decisions they make in the future. We want them to be informed through practical wisdom, that influences the choices they make for themselves. And provide the children in our care with a curriculum that enlightens them to possibilities beyond their immediate experiences.

Through interesting topics and engaging activities our children will develop a belief that anything is possible.

 

Implementation
 

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but not what to see.”
 

Our curriculum has been designed to encompass knowledge and understanding of the world in which we live as well as the events that have shaped it in the past, making it what it is today. We are particularly proud of the respect and care that our children show for one another, the environment, and the community around us.

• Catholic Education provides the foundation for all aspects of learning throughout the curriculum.
• The curriculum is taught with the consideration of the needs of all our learners; it is exciting and inspires children to nurture a passion for learning.
• High priority is given to foundation subjects and curriculum coverage ensuring that our children have a breadth of knowledge to inspire them and fully prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
• Learning sequences are clear, highlight skills progression and contain milestones to ensure children are at the expected standard.
• Teachers explicitly teach the meaning of subject-specific language, and we expect lessons to contain challenging reading and writing.
• Knowledge organisers provide students with key information that they are expected to learn and recall with fluency, enabling them to develop their understanding of key concepts outside of their lessons.
• Curriculum leaders support teachers in using their pedagogical subject knowledge to ensure high quality teaching and learning.
• Members of staff are given responsibility for leading, managing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing their curriculum areas.
• Teachers and Teaching Assistants are given excellent opportunities to use their subject expertise to enhance the curriculum.
• Opportunities are taken to enrich the curriculum using educational visits, experience days, visitors, artists, crafts people, actors and musicians - developing connections in their learning and aid long-term retention. (See separate document)
• Across all subjects we make links with our local area encompassing Cookridge, Leeds and Yorkshire, helping the children to make sense of the world, their local area and their place in it.
• An extensive range of high-quality resources including ICT are used effectively to underpin the curriculum. Online safety is taught both discretely and throughout lessons wherever applicable.

Impact

The rich and inspirational curriculum we provide enables our children to develop and embrace their God given gifts, talents, and skills. They use their excellent grasp of English and maths to access the skills and knowledge required to achieve high standards in all subjects. We have very high standards: consistently performing above local and national standards.

Our carefully planned curriculum enables children to retain information and apply it in a variety of situations. All children become resilient and independent learners.

Our curriculum is underpinned by effective systems to check progress to ensure continuity and challenge. Leaders’ commitment and passion for their subject is infectious and has a tangible effect on the quality of teaching.

Children having a secure knowledge and understanding of where they live and their place in the world.

Children’s work and achievement throughout the curriculum is celebrated and displayed to enable it to make a significant impact on the visual appearance of the school and to contribute positively to our wonderful ethos.

Our curriculum offer has been developed from contributions by our pupils, staff, governors and our families.