The Pilton Bluecoat Curriculum

Curriculum Statement of Intent

At Pilton Bluecoat Academy we aim to build the foundations of life in all its fullness underpinned by our Christian values where we understand what it means to be loved and to love others.

Our curriculum is designed to build towards overarching concepts through the careful selection of knowledge, sequenced over time and revisited judiciously, so our children build the skills to take the specific to the general and to respond with wisdom to unfamiliar content or situations. We fundamentally believe in children’s capacity to grow, to make progress and to absorb knowledge. We want children to also become imbued with our ‘hidden curriculum’ which we see as the content we learn which is not directly taught. This ranges from how we greet each other in the morning to how adults live our school values in plain sight.

Through our Trust ‘drivers’ that we seek to raise children's personal aspirations by providing them with the skills, knowledge and understanding to realise their ambitions, including the ones they have not yet formed.  The Big Event weeks in our curriculum provide opportunities for the children to develop a sense of pride in their locality and at the same time supports them in gaining a secure understanding of the wider world, a core aspect of our curriculum given our rurality on the North Devon coast. These weeks are intentionally designed to build up to the ‘big event’, so the learning is not lost in the experience, but enhanced.

Our curriculum is rich, exciting and diverse, but most importantly, it is accessible to all because we ensure all children have the skills they need to engage with their learning at every level. We want our school to be the one you would be glad to have attended if you aspired to Oxford University. We want our school to be the one you would be glad to have attended if you wanted to live off-grid. The breadth of our curriculum reflects the breadth of our ambitions for the children who we are privileged to teach each day.

At Pilton Bluecoat Academy we provide a knowledge-based approach to teaching and learning using ‘cornerstones curriculum maestro’ to ensure that we carefully curate the knowledge we feel will make the most difference to children living in modern Britain. Our children must have a strong connection with who we have been, who we are and what we will become. We firmly believe our curriculum delivers the experiences, knowledge and skills to lift children to these lofty ideals.

 

General Principles

The Pilton Bluecoat Academy Big Event Curriculum will give our pupils the opportunity to:

• explore the breadth and depth of the national curriculum
• develop a rich and deep subject knowledge
• experience the challenge and enjoyment of learning
• learn within a coherent and progressive framework
• provide opportunities for children to lead their own learning in order to enable them to become confident, resourceful, creative and  enquiring independent learners.

SMSC

The Pilton Bluecoat Academy Big Event Curriculum will give our pupils the opportunity to:

• Spiritual - Explore beliefs, experience and faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity and reflect on experiences
• Moral - Recognise right and wrong and respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues and offer reasoned views
• Social - Use a range of social skills to participate in the local community and beyond; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict
• Cultural - Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain’s parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity
• Tolerance and respect - To respect and tolerate the opinions or behaviour of others

Wellbeing

The Pilton Bluecoat Academy Big Event Curriculum will give our pupils the opportunity to:

• learn in a peaceful and supportive environment
• foster children’s self-esteem and help them build positive relationships with other people
• Follow their interests and be themselves

Pupil Voice

Our curriculum will give the children the opportunity to:

• explore ways of becoming an active citizen
• make a positive contribution to the school and local community

• express their opinions on a range of different issues.
• feel confident when speaking to larger groups of peers/adults

Pedagogy

Our curriculum will be taught through a pedagogy that:

• excites, promotes and sustains children’s interest
• carefully curates specific knowledge which underpins our overarching concepts
• promotes problem solving, creativity and communication
• offers all children a memorable Big Event experience at the start of every topic.

Enrichment

We will enrich our curriculum by:

• developing global partnerships with schools in Europe, India and Africa which extend children's opportunities for learning.
• opportunities for learning outdoors
• welcoming parents and carers to take part in children’s learning and experiences
• holding specialist curriculum days or weeks
• developing partnerships with external providers that extend children’s opportunities for learning

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