text: Know more, can do more and remember more across the full range of subjects leading to greater understanding
  We recognise the importance of knowledge acquisition as a key driver in raising attainment for all pupils, especially pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, we have designed a curriculum that identifies the knowledge pupils should acquire in each year, whilst also recognising the importance of developing pupils' skills, understanding and attitudes. E.D. Hirsh said:
  We respect others and celebrate our differences
  Learning a musical instrument (All children learning recorder & glockenspiel in Key Stage 2, with opportunities to learn other instruments)
  Behaviour plan that has clear rules, rewards, consequences and, as its focus:
  School Council, Eco Warriors, & Digital Leaders, providing opportunities for pupils to develop as responsible citizens
  The teaching of reading, resulting in pupils becoming confident readers who enjoy a wide range of texts is a priority throughout the school. The children's journey to become fluent, proficient readers starts in our Early Years and Year 1 classes, where we use the Read Write Inc. programme of phonics teaching. We heavily invest resources and adults into these initial years at school to ensure all pupils, no matter their starting point, make rapid progress in becoming independent readers. Pupils then progress to more challenging texts and teachers use a wide range of teaching strategies to challenge all pupils to make progress, whilst retaining an enjoyment and love of books. Teachers use whole class texts (alongside the children's individual reading) as the basis for much of their teaching to ensure all pupils are exposed to good quality texts and vocabulary. We recognise the importance of developing good reading habits at home and encourage parents to take an active role in helping their child develop the knowledge and skills to become a competent reader.
  As a school we recognise that the skill of reading is essential for children to access the wider curriculum and to prepare them for secondary education. Therefore, in all year groups, Reading and the teaching of reading remains a priority across all subjects. We provide children and parents with a list of 100 recommended books across 2 years (Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2, Upper Key Stage 2) and encourage the children to read from this list as it guarantees quality, progression and a wide range of genres.
  As a school we have identified, for each curriculum subject, the key concepts, knowledge, skills and vocabulary we expect all pupils to learn and understand. Pupils' prior learning is also listed in each unit plan to ensure teachers know what has been taught in previous years and how the new learning builds and links to this previous work. Understanding pupils' possible misconceptions about the theme being studied is also an important consideration that teachers must make to ensure, where at all possible, misconceptions are not allowed to form in a child's grasp of a concept, knowledge, understanding or skill.
  To ensure progression, teachers have made sure there is continuity, progression and challenge in each unit plan, with knowledge, skills, and understanding developing year-on-year.
  Quizzes – repeated retrieval improves long-term retention. In 2013, five cognitive scientists [Dunlosky, Rawson, Marsh, Nathan & Willingham] collated hundreds of studies looking at memory retention and showed that quizzing (practice testing) is the most successful tool for improving retention and learning.
  Vocabulary – identifying, using and in many cases, pre-teaching key vocabulary supports understanding. Word-poor pupils are at a significant disadvantage to pupils who are word-rich. Therefore, we select class texts that provide pupils with more complex and challenging content to widen their vocabulary knowledge. Subject specific vocabulary is used by teachers and pupils in all lessons.
  Reading – Reading quality texts is key in improving vocabulary learning. We provide pupils and parents with a list of 100 books that we encourage them to read over a 2 year period (KS1, Years 3 & 4, and Years 5 & 6). These books offer a range of genres, styles and topics, but are all selected for the impact they will have on increasing a child's knowledge of literature and to aid them on the journey of becoming word-rich.
  As a school, we follow the National Curriculum. The requirements for each subject within each key stage are grouped together, where applicable, under a Theme heading. This theme is often underpinned by a core text and subjects that naturally link together are taught within the theme. Other subjects, that don't easily fit the theme, are taught discretely.
  When teaching phonics we group the children according to their ability to ensure the texts they are reading are decodable by the child and that they are challenged appropriately whilst also having success. Children also have a wide range of other texts to select from to encourage a love of reading.
  In maths all classes (except Year 6) are taught in mixed ability classes. In Year 6 we set the 90 children across 4 ability sets. (Due to the impact of COVID we have introduced smaller group teaching in Years 4 & 5 for 2021/22. This is linked to our assessment of the children's needs).
  Science one-page summary
  Art one-page summary
  At Vale Schoo, we teach computing effectively by providing a rich and balanced curriculum fully mapped to the National Curriculum for Computing. The three main strands of the computing curriculum are:
  Information and Communication Technology. This covers the use of computers for functional purposes, such as collecting and presenting information, or using search technology. Pupils also become familiar with how computer systems work and how information becomes accessible and manipulated by technology.
  Digital Literacy and Citizenship. This covers the area of safe and responsible use of technology, including recognising its advantages for collaboration or communication.
  Computer Science. This provides children of all ages the opportunity to learn basic computer programming, from understanding what algorithms are and programming BeeBots in Year 1 to creating personal online projects and designing games throughout Key Stage 2.
  Details of our Computing Curriculum can be found here
  Computing one-page summary - What pupils should know, be able to do, and remember in Computing by the end of Year 6
  DT & Food Technology one-page summary
  We believe it is important that children not only grasp the concepts and skills within this subject, but that they also have a secure knowledge about the world. Each year we hold an Inter-House Geography Competition that covers the following areas.
  Locate the 4 countries & capital cities of UK. Name and locate 7 continents
  Geography one-page summary
  Nelson Mandela, Mary Rose
  History on-page summary
  Modern Languages on-page summary - This outlines what a child should know, be able to do and remember in Spanish.
  Music one-page summary
  PE one-page summary
  PSHE & SRE one-page summary
  RE one-page summary
  We aim for all pupils to become successful learners which means they will achieve the expected standard in each subject by the time they leave us to go to secondary school. We also aim for every child to be ready to thrive at secondary school as confident individuals and responsible citizens.
  Guide teachers' planning, strategies and use of resources and plan intervention
  In-school summative assessment: Children are assessed in Reading, Writing and Maths twice a year and attainment data is recorded and analysed. A range of materials are used to support teachers with accurate teacher assessment judgements. These assessments are carried out throughout the year and are used to monitor the performance of individuals, groups and cohorts as well as identifying gaps and next steps for planning. Assessments in Science and Foundation Subjects are undertaken at the end of each Unit of Work and an overall judgment is made at the end of each school year.
  PIRA (reading) tests
  In-school Maths tests
  White Rose Assessments (Maths)
  In-school writing framework
  In-school maths fluency & arithmetic checklist
  At key points children are assessed against national expectations. These are:
  2022 school assessment data is 2% points above national at each assessment point (including at greater depth).
  2024 school assessment data is 5% points above national at each assessment point (including at greater depth)
  Parent feedback Our yearly survey provides us with essential information about the impact our curriculum is having in developing pupils holistically, including their academic success.