At Loxwood Primary School, children and families are at the heart of all we do. We use the National Curriculum as the basis of what we teach, but we understand that education goes beyond this. Our curriculum takes into account the diverse needs of our community and the world, meeting the needs of all our children. Our core values (Resilience, Respect, Curiosity, Independence and Kindness) ensure that our children develop as life-long learners and responsible citizens.
In order to make learning meaningful, and to provide awe and wonder, we use real-life and first hand experiences wherever possible so that children can make meaningful connections. We have a coherent and sequenced curriculum, building upon knowledge and skills year on year.
Our school is set within the most beautiful and expansive grounds which allows us to learn in the outdoor environment with particular focus on Sports and Woodland Learning. In order to develop our children’s ‘Cultural Capital’, we make purposeful visits and have visitors in school (such as theatre groups, museum workshops and how to stay safe online) to enhance the children’s learning. We provide experiences of a range of professions to ensure our children are ambitious for their own futures. Diversity is embedded through our whole curriculum to provide meaningful examples of the uniqueness of our world. Working collaboratively, we are building links with schools within different locations that provide a contrast to the life experiences the children have here at Loxwood. We value the opinion of all our stakeholders and ensure we are meeting their needs through seeking regular feedback.
Please see below for our Loxwood Learner's Life List of experiences we would like the children to have tried by the end of Year 6.
Curriculum Implementation:
At Loxwood, we have established a coherent and sequenced curriculum that systematically builds upon knowledge and skills year on year. Teachers are entrusted with the responsibility of planning for their classes, employing our curriculum maps to ensure that teaching and learning are effectively aligned. Quality first teaching is pivotal, facilitating access to the curriculum for all children.
Our teachers create purposeful learning environments enriched with diverse resources that cater to different learning needs. They possess a comprehensive understanding of what was taught in the previous year group and are acutely aware of the learning objectives to be achieved by the end of the academic year.
Teachers actively draw upon opportunities within our local environment and community, thereby enhancing the educational experience and fostering meaningful connections. They utilise working walls to support current learning, emphasise key vocabulary, and illustrate the incremental steps of mastery in learning. Adaptations to lesson planning and resources are made as necessary to promote successful learning outcomes for all children. Furthermore, they collaborate with colleagues and other professionals to ensure that the educational experiences provided are tailored to meet the diverse needs of our learners.
Curriculum Impact:
We assess children as part of our ongoing teaching and learning. Class teachers assess the progress of children within and across lessons using our curriculum step planning to make judgements. This enables teachers to effectively judge whether children are on track to reach age related expectations (ARE’s) and adapt their planning and provision accordingly to ensure all children make progress. Most assessments are based on ongoing summative judgements following lessons. We use Juniper as a system for recording ongoing progress using the steps and statements for all core areas (Speaking & Listening, Reading, Writing, Maths and Science).
However, we also use formative methods to support our assessments. For Phonics and Early reading, children are assessed every six weeks to see how much progress they have made and are grouped according to this. In writing, we have an independent write every half term which enables teachers to assess how well the children are using their knowledge and skills away from the point of teaching and inform next steps in learning. In Key Stage 2, we use NFER tests in Maths, Reading Comprehension, Grammar and Spelling every term to support our ongoing judgements. All of these feed into our termly pupil progress meetings with senior leaders and then into our class action plans. These meetings support teachers to identify barriers to learning and how to overcome them, ensuring high expectations for all.
We regularly moderate assessment in Reading, Writing, Maths, Science and EYFS to ensure accurate judgements and benchmark our outcomes against other schools locally and across West Sussex. Subject leaders work closely with teachers to monitor progress, evaluate provision and identify actions to further improve learning.
