Respect - Aspire - Nurture

The Curriculum and Learning at

Hollybush Primary School

The Hollybush child:

Will develop the expected communication, reading, writing and maths skills to successfully access the broader curriculum, and apply these skills to acquire knowledge, develop understanding and achieve.

Be given the tools to keep themselves safe and make safe and healthy choices.

Will become an independent and resilient learner. One who understands the purpose and value of their learning and see its relevance to their past, present and future.

Be a kind and confident citizen who will continue to make positive contributions to our school and the wider community.

Will develop:

 A sense of IDENTITY     An understanding of COMMUNITY 

ASPIRATION and VISION for the future

HOLLYBUSH PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM OFFER

CURRICULUM INTENT

The Hollybush curriculum is founded on the planned development of knowledge, skills and dispositions to improve opportunities and life chances for Hollybush children and families.   Our curriculum delivers the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum with an emphasis on building children’s vocabulary and understanding through first-hand experiences within the local and regional context of Bramley, Leeds and Yorkshire.   We offer a curriculum which is broad, balanced and deep. The curriculum is designed to build the vocabulary, knowledge, understanding and skills of every child, from their individual starting points.

We have a commitment to children learning both from and about their locality, whilst also maintaining ambitious expectations for what children will learn and remember.   The commitment to: building communication skills and vocabulary; essential reading, writing and maths skills; keeping safe, effective learning and positive citizenship ensures that the broader curriculum meets the specific needs of our children and school community. 

CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS

The curriculum is designed to develop children’s sense of identity; understanding of community; and to provide aspiration and vision for a positive future.   Every aspect of the delivery of our curriculum is also aligned to achieving the school’s core values and beliefs:

RESPECT: 

Treat others as you would like to be treated. ​  

Communicate honesty and build trust. ​

Create a community where everyone feels valued and safe. ​

NURTURE: 

Act with kindness and compassion. ​

Grow and develop as positive and active citizens. ​

Empower self- belief and a desire for lifelong learning. ​

ASPIRE: 

Acquire knowledge.  Develop understanding.   

Aim high. ​ Be enthusiastic.  Be creative. 

Build resilience. Celebrate achievements. 

CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS - READY TO LEARN

An investment in positive relationships, mental health and well-being, and strategies for self-regulation are central to success of the implementation of our curriculum. 

We understand that when children are calm (regulated) they are more able to form trusting relationships (relate) and then to access their cognitive ability optimally (reason and learn).   Daily check in circles with additional lesson check ins and are established for all children to maintain calm and readiness for learning particularly at transition points of a day/week/term/school year.

This is further strengthened by our commitment to Restorative Practices – or ‘Peaceful Problem Solving’; designed to develop children’s resilience and respect within relationships both in and out of school.  Restorative practices teaches children to take responsibility for their behaviour and for building a community based around empathy, self-learning and repairing and maintaining relationships.

CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS – RESILIENT LEARNERS

We want children to be engaged and active learners who recognise that effort and persistence alongside high quality teaching and feedback will help them improve.

The language of growth mindset, and the visual representation of the learning pit, are used to engage children in reflecting on and developing positive attitudes to learning. We promote a culture of viewing mistakes and ‘failure’ as positive and necessary part of the learning process.