Curriculum Intent
At Acomb First School, we have worked hard with teachers, parents and pupils to develop a unique curriculum, bespoke to our school, in order to inspire children’s thirst for knowledge and life-long learning. We ensure that our teaching is based upon high quality, evidence based research and responds to the needs of each and every child. All children are recognised as individuals and all children will be supported and challenged. We understand that children learn in different ways and adapt our teaching styles accordingly. We pride ourselves on the inclusive education we provide in a safe and welcoming environment.
We recognise the importance of a rich and varied vocabulary for all children in order to improve academic outcomes (see “The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3,”by Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley).
We are committed to ensuring that our curriculum is relevant to the world in which our children live and it engages, inspires and excites in order that all children succeed. We create a broad, balanced and knowledge rich curriculum which ensures children know more and remember more. We plan for progression in knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare children for future success in education and careers.
We continuously strive to ensure all of our children develop a love of reading through a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics, sharing high quality texts, providing opportunities for discussion about books and encouraging children to access a range of high-quality texts and genres throughout the curriculum.
Our community is a fundamental part of our school life and we use community links to enhance our curriculum. Our children take part in relevant educational visits, have regular opportunities to learn in a “forest school”, work with the local WI on projects and make the most of the outside environment. We also believe in the value of involving the wider community to increase their experiences. We offer a broad range of after school clubs which enable our children to try out new experiences and give them opportunities to identify and develop talents and skills in a range of areas.
At Acomb First School we believe that all children should be exposed to cultural experiences and background knowledge that will equip them with the cultural knowledge to propel them further in their education, social development and careers. Developing cultural capital at Acomb First school will help provide experiences that the children may otherwise not have had.
We are committed to ensuring that every child is well prepared for their next phase of learning with the knowledge, skills and character to ensure they have a successful future. We work closely with Little Oaks Nursery and Hexham Middle School (and other feeder schools) to ensure all children smoothly transition to and from our school and our curriculum is progressive.
