Curriculum Intent Statement

At Bowmandale Primary School our aim is to provide all our learners with a broad and balanced curriculum which excites and engages them. We recognise that all children are different and we celebrate this individuality and strive to create an environment where diversity is celebrated and respected and where learners set high personal aspirations. We encourage our pupils to develop a positive growth mindset, build resilience and become creative, critical and independent thinkers.

We firmly believe that children should feel that there are no barriers to their learning and that there are no limits to what they can achieve. At the core of teaching and learning at our school are the basic skills, understanding and values which all children need in order to be ready for life beyond the primary setting. By providing children with exciting and innovative learning opportunities, we aim to stimulate their curiosity, develop their inquiry skills and foster their inquisitive nature. Our curriculum allows children to participate in memorable experiences, in addition to diverse and rich opportunities from which they can learn and develop a range of transferable skills. We also encourage strong links with the community and strive to ensure that all our pupils are well prepared for life in their local area as well as life in modern day Britain.

 “Inspire afternoons are really fun because we get to experience new things.”       Casey

Curriculum Newsletters

Each Milepost studies a termly cross-curricular topic of work based on the National Curriculum, which is our statutory requirement.

You can download these newsletters from our newsletters page.

British Values

The DfE requires schools to promote fundamental British values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Schools must also challenge opinions or behaviours in school that are contrary to fundamental British values. We actively promote these British values in a variety of ways including through RE, PSHE, assemblies and discreet lessons which relate specifically to one of these five values.

All staff and governors at Bowmandale have received Prevent training to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to be vigilant in keeping our children safe.

Educational Visits

We aim to enhance our curriculum by giving pupils a wide range of first-hand learning experiences that are relevant, memorable and fun. We use our local town as well as the wider area to bring learning to life.

Parents are asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of visits/activities that take place during the school day. In addition to day visits we offer two fantastic residential experiences. Our residential opportunities are currently offered to Year 4 and Year 6 pupils.

Homework

In response to feedback we have received from families, class teachers now issue a weekly homework task which is related to the current learning for that particular week. This either enables children to consolidate their understanding or to undertake pre-learning before an upcoming topic.

In addition to weekly homework tasks, we politely ask families to support their children with weekly reading, spelling and times tables activities. Please find lists of high frequency words below if you wish to access these to support your child's learning.

Further guidance on homework is documented in our updated Home Learning Policy.