Curriculum Intent at St Anthony’s
The curriculum at St Anthony’s embraces the virtues of living, loving and learning together within a Catholic ethos. At its heart are three principles:
- Nurturing young people to be virtuous individuals who are equipped with the strength and courage to put their faith into action to become full and active members of society.
- Inspiring our young people to achieve highly and aspire to setting personal goals.
- Collaborative learning that promotes positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation and simultaneous interaction.
Therefore, our curriculum intent is centred on creating an inclusive culture of opportunity that allows every child to flourish through choice and challenge.
We aim to achieve this by:
- Offering learning experiences that not only inspire our young people, but supports them to connect and reflect on that learning.
- Planning meaningful sequences of lessons that build on prior learning experiences that promote memory retention.
- Enabling young people to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to be successful in a range of areas of learning.
- Organising classroom talk that develops language and communication in order to think and reflect on learning and progress.
- Nurturing individual talents and gifts.
- Using world, national and local events and other resources available to us to enhance young people’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
- Encouraging our young people to be healthy in mind, body and spirit.
When children leave St Anthony’s, we want them to be proud, virtuous young people who are empowered to change for the better following our patron’s example of
Actions speak louder than words.
CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION
Curriculum Content
Our approach to curriculum design recognises the benefits of a focus on subject specific content coupled with a flexible, thematic approach that enables us to make links across the curriculum.
We use units of work linked where possible to our English topics or study of literature for the construction of half-termly themes: history and geography are delivered through these creative learning projects with the other curriculum subjects such as art linked wherever there is a clear and purposeful connection. We also have whole school topics and themed weeks that explore a range of subjects and cultural exposure for example multicultural week, Proud to be a Brummie week, Remembrance week and other themed weeks throughout the year that are mapped out.
Topics are carefully mapped out to reinforce learning and understanding and for the children to be able to make links.
Although we place a strong emphasis on a thematic approach, in order to ensure progression and coverage, curriculum leaders have developed Long Term Plans that provide an overview for every subject, and for each year group, broken down into half term units.
An overview of each subject can be accessed by clicking on the buttons below:-
Religious Education English Mathematics
Science Global Learning Physical Education
Computing Art Design & Technology
Curriculum Enrichment
Our curriculum is extended by a variety of enrichment activities including day visits, cultural experiences and themed days. We also offer lunchtime and after school clubs, which are available throughout the school year. Attendance at the clubs is monitored and pupils consulted to ensure our offer meets needs.
CURRICULUM IMPACT
St Anthony’s uses a range rigorous monitoring throughout the year to gauge the impact of the curriculum design. The impact is evidenced as follows:
The children enjoy and are fully engaged in their learning, we believe it is this enjoyment of the curriculum that promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour. In all lessons engagement is fully maximised.
The range of learning opportunities provided enables the children to develop their own interests, skills and strengths whilst also providing them with new challenges. Children feel safe to try new things.
The design of our curriculum and the approaches used to deliver ensures that the needs of individual and small groups of children can be met within the environment of high quality first teaching, supported by targeted, proven interventions where appropriate. This has a very positive impact on children’s outcomes.
Rigorous assessment and tracking of children’s performance takes place to inform classroom practice, allowing children to make good progress and close attainment gaps.
A high proportion of children participate in extra-curricular activities.
Subject Leaders are aware of the strengths and areas for improvement and use this information to produce purposeful action plans that continue to develop the curriculum offer.
