The Curriculum at The Ridgeway

Curriculum ethos

At The Ridgeway, staff provide a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils and teaches them the skills and knowledge that will prepare them for their future lives. 

Three key elements that run through The Ridgeway curriculum ensure that pupils will be:

• knowledgeable and inquisitive;
• powerful communicators;
• successful citizens.

Curriculum intent:

Pupils are knowledgeable and inquisitive.  They are literate and numerate and read for pleasure and purpose.  Pupils learn with curiosity; they are successful, independent learners across a range of curriculum subjects and immerse themselves in learning wherever and whenever it happens.

Pupils are powerful communicators.  They listen and speak clearly and confidently, sharing their growing knowledge and understanding with a variety of audiences across a range of situations.

Pupils are successful citizens.  Their growing knowledge and understanding supports them to understand their place in their local community and ultimately within the wider world.  Pupils embrace and demonstrate the school values of respect, co-operation, kindness, perseverance and honesty.  Pupils are resilient to failure and aspire to succeed, whatever their choice.

Curriculum content:

The curriculum is broad and balanced and includes the essential elements of the National Curriculum for pupils in Years 1 - 6.  For pupils in the EYFS, the curriculum is built around acquisition of the Early Learning Goals.  In all key stages there will be a strong focus on the acquisition of literacy and maths skills, taught directly and within other curriculum subjects so that pupils learn key skills in context.  Teachers’ excellent subject knowledge and pedagogy will ensure pupils make connections when learning, strengthening and embedding their acquisition of knowledge and skills in all curriculum subjects.  The Ridgeway curriculum includes opportunities and experiences that will address social disadvantage, close gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills and allow pupils to acquire cultural capital as they move through the school.  For example, pupils will enjoy a carefully planned calendar of trips and visits to include theatres, museums, places of work and worship, higher education establishments and wildlife environments.  They will meet different experts in their field, such as authors and artists, scientists and engineers, musicians and conservationists.  Pupils will be introduced to the opportunities available to them in the next phase of their education and in the wider world, so that they are aspirational and learn with purpose and determination.

Forest School

We are very fortunate at The Ridgeway to have two forest areas and trained practitioners who can provide forest school learning experiences to all our pupils.  Forest School is a Scandinavian concept that promotes pupil wellbeing, self-esteem, confidence and resilience.  Pupils learn in a completely different way in the forest: they learn to push themselves; to assess and take risks; to work co-operatively with others; to problem-solve and to find alternative solutions.  With time and practice, these skills transfer to the classroom and on to pupils’ wider life.  Forest School is a key element of the curriculum at The Ridgeway.  For further information, see our Forest School page.

Curriculum depth

In the EYFS staff plan for pupils to meet or exceed the early learning goals through a series of themes within which learning is planned in line with pupils’ interests as well as their learning needs.  This approach develops pupils as independent, curious learners with the knowledge and skills in place to access the National Curriculum in Year 1.

In Years 1 – 6 staff refer to Chris Quigley’s key concepts and milestones to ensure they plan appropriate progression for all curriculum subjects.  To secure mastery and depth of understanding, pupils learn at three levels – basic, advancing and deep.  In the first year of each key stage (Years 1, 3 and 5) pupils are taught knowledge and skills at the basic level.  As they move through Years 2, 4 and 6 these knowledge and skills are developed and deepened so that knowledge is securely embedded and transferable across subjects and situations.  Pupils are successful and confident learners. 

Reading

Early reading and the pupils' acquisition of secure reading skills and confidence are key to their success in accessing the broader curriculum.  We place huge importance on the teaching and practice of reading for children across the school.

Pupils in the EYFS and Key Stage 1 use the Read Write Inc phonics programme to learn to read, spell and write.  As children become more fluent and proficient readers, a range of reading scheme (Read Write Inc) and non-scheme books support their reading fluency and comprehension.  Children from Year 2 to Year 6 use Accelerated Reader to support home reading and to foster engagement with reading - children's targets are regularly reviewed and children enjoy the competitive nature of this programme.

Values and British Values

The Ridgeway is a values-led school and our curriculum embeds our five values: kindness, perseverance, cooperation, respect and honesty.

Children are taught British Values across our broad and balanced curriculum and explicitly during PSHE lessons.  For example, during the topic 'All about me' in Reception, children learn about their similarities and differences with each other; when learning about WW2 in Year 6, children discuss and debate the morality of conflict and the impact of conflict on wellbeing.

Find out more about what is being taught by visiting your child's class page on the website!

If you would like to discuss our curriculum in more detail or if you can't find the information you are looking for, please telephone the school office and ask to speak to Miss Wells, our deputy headteacher and curriculum lead.