Curriculum Overview
At Barnburgh Primary we provide a creative, cross-curricular approach to learning based around the Cornerstones Curriculum.
The Cornerstones Curriculum is a creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the 2014 Primary National Curriculum to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations. Our curriculum is delivered through Imaginative Learning Projects (ILPs) which provide a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning activities that make creative links between all aspects of our children's learning.
We believe children learn best when they are encouraged to use their imagination and apply their learning to engaging contexts. Our curriculum provides lots of learning challenges throughout the academic year that require children to solve problems, apply themselves creatively and express their knowledge and understanding effectively across the curriculum.
ILPs are built around four stages of learning. Each stage of learning has its own characteristics promoting high quality teaching and learning.
ENGAGE: to provide children with an inspiring and thought provoking starting point that stirs curiosity and initiates interest. Children engage in purposeful and contextualised learning experiences in and outside the classroom, making best use of partners, experts and the community to provide the stimulus to learn. To ensure that children are immediately 'engaged' teachers provide a range of memorable experiences and starting points that stimulate children's interests in a particular theme or concept.
DEVELOP: to provide children with an opportunity to develop and mastery skills, subject knowledge, research techniques and independence. Children become industrious learners making sense information and experiences, leading to sound understanding and progress. Children DEVELOP the knowledge, understanding and key skills of a range of subjects through high quality teaching.
INNOVATE: to challenge children's ability to work creatively, exploring possibilities and finding solutions. Using and applying previously learned skills, knowledge and understanding children work collaboratively to innovate, managing their own learning to respond to a challenge. Teachers provide an imaginative and relevant provocation or scenario that provides opportunities for them to observe how successfully children can use, apply and problem solve in creative, collaborative ways.
EXPRESS: to empower children to share, celebrate and reflect with a range of partners and audiences. Children consolidate their learning through shared reflection with peers and other adults and are able to suggest next steps for learning. Teachers discuss, review and support individual and group evaluations using their observations and evidence to make summative assessments.
We believe that our children should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development whatever their age, ability or circumstances. We recognise that learning outside the classroom will often offer the most memorable learning experiences. We encourage learning outside the classroom to take place daily in the school grounds, regularly in our local community, sometimes in places further afield and, for some year groups, an annual residential visit.
If you wish to find out more about our curriculum offer at Barnburgh, please don't hesitate in contacting school to make an appointment to speak to a member of staff.