Curriculum at Moorside
At Moorside Primary Academy we strive for excellence in teaching and learning. This is informed by evidence-informed approaches to learning, participation within the Enquire Learning Trust communities of practice and most importantly: knowing our children as unique individuals. We are resolute in our academy vision that ‘Every child will be a confident, resilient, and lifelong learner with strong foundations to succeed and achieve their full potential.’ Our curriculum offer is a stimulating, sequenced and structured showcase of units of learning that reflect the National Curriculum and the modern day international community to which we all belong.
All our classes from Nursery to Year Six base their learning on high quality texts which immerse the children in a highly engaging and interesting curriculum throughout the year. English is taught through topics but also stand-alone lessons on specific skills or knowledge. Our Maths curriculum follows the mastery approach where pupils focus on an area of learning until they have grasped the concept and are able to apply their understanding. All children are also given the opportunity through quality first teaching and challenging task design to show how they can apply their understanding with greater depth.
Signature Pedagogies
Wider Curriculum Vision
Our learning offer carefully aligns curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to ensure that all children experience success and engage in purposeful practice that widens their understanding of essential knowledge. The curriculum map below offers an overview of the carefully curated units of learning that children will experience at Moorside Primary Academy. Subjects follow the National Curriculum programmes of study, alongside comparable units that develop children’s cultural capital and wider understanding of issues beyond our community.
Curriculum Plan
In order to ensure our curriculum serves children effectively and complements our academy vision, our curriculum reinforces the following values.
Curating Confidence
Lessons and learning sequences are carefully designed to offer a balance of challenging learning and scaffolds for success. Teachers explicitly share the learning intent and success criteria before guiding students through a learning encounter. The experience follows the gradual release of responsibility model where learning models and scaffolds are gradually removed as students become increasingly proficient and confident.
Reinforcing Resilience
Retrieval practice is treasured at Moorside as we believe learning is a sustained change in memory as a result of purposeful activity and deep knowledge processing. Disciplinary concepts are interleaved throughout the curriculum, ensuring that children have opportunities to apply new substantive knowledge to existing subject schema. This approach ensures children have a rich knowledge base to access when facing challenge.
Lifelong Learning
Subject apprenticeship underpins our curriculum design as we view students as novice learners who can develop their own expertise by appraising the experiences of subject experts. We hope that providing students with insight from significant experts within their field of study will inspire their own aspirations for lifelong learning.
Fulfilling Foundations
Our EYFS curriculum advocates that children are articulate, knowledgeable and capable learners who deserve a curriculum that cultivates their curiosity. This provides a crucial time for children to develop effective characteristics of learning that prepare them for the opportunities to deepen their learning further through the National Curriculum.
Achieving and Aspiring
Assessment for learning practice ensures that learning is built upon complete and accurate prior knowledge, paving the way for future learning and deeper thinking. Retrieval activities, low-stakes quizzing, targeted feedback, and tailored questioning provide opportunities for students to strengthen knowledge through recall, whilst teachers can assess the strength of recall and address misconceptions. The Carousel platform is instrumental in appraising learning over time.
How we adapt the curriculum and modify teaching approaches for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
All staff are aware of the SEND Code of Practice, September 2014
- Quality First Teaching is at the heart of every teachers’ practice at Moorside. We have high aspirations for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.
- All our staff are trained so that we are able to adapt to a range of SEND. This includes:
- Communication and Interaction needs, such as speech, communication and language needs (SCLN) or Autistic spectrum condition (ASC)
- Cognition and learning needs, such as specific learning difficulties (SpLD) like dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia
- Social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH), such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder (AD). SEMH also encompasses a variety of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
- Sensory and/or Physical needs, such as visual impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI), multi-sensory impairment (MSI) or a physical disability (PD)
- All our staff are trained to adapt resources and work, so that every child is able to learn at their own pace and in their own way. Staff do this whilst still providing an appropriate level of challenge.
- Where appropriate, we use interventions tailored to the pupil’s needs. Interventions/extra support take place within the classroom where possible, either on a one to one or small group basis and where appropriate out of the classroom in a small, quiet room.
- We have a Pastoral Team who offer support in social and emotional development. This includes:
- One to one support
- Mentoring sessions to talk about worries/feelings
- Lego Therapy for team building and communication
- Emotional wellbeing sessions.
- We are a dyslexia friendly school. We use visuals, neutral backgrounds, first/then boards, Clicker 7 (Literacy programme), IDL (Literacy/Numeracy programmes) and Nessy (Reading and spelling programme).
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Staff regularly attend training internally and externally so that they can further support the ever-changing needs of specific pupils with SEND
For further information, please see the SEND page.
If you require any additional information about our curriculum, please contact us at the Academy Office.
Oracy
What is oracy?
"Oracy is fundamental to the way that children think about the world as well as speak about the world and the way in which they can interact with other people. "
- Tim Oates (Oracy Commission Conversation)
Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language.
In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to social mobility, empowering all students, not just some, to find their voice to succeed in school and life.
The Oracy Framework
As a school working with the Voice 21 project, Moorside Primary Academy uses The Oracy Framework as a tool to structure our oracy curriculum. The Oracy Framework, devised by Voice 21 and Oracy Cambridge, provides a structure through which we can understand what constitutes good speaking and listening in different contexts. It breaks down the skills within oracy into four distinct but interlinked strands: physical, linguistic, cognitive and social & emotional.
Progression:
EYFS
In EYFS we introduce the four strands – physical, linguistic, cognitive and social & emotional – and set one core oracy objective for each that gets to the root of each Framework strand. At this stage we put the emphasis on students’ fundamental oracy skills such as speaking loud enough to be heard, beginning to join ideas together, asking questions and taking turns.
KS1
For our Key Stage 1 we build on the ideas introduced in EYFS and have two or three interlinked objectives for each strand. Each objective is slightly more complex than the previous key stage and introduces more sophisticated vocabulary. At this stage we put the emphasis on beginning to have more self and audience awareness, considering which language is appropriate and thinking about speech being structured and purposeful.
KS2
For our Key Stage 2 we build on the ideas introduced in Key Stage 1 and have three or four interlinked objectives, each under the relevant subheadings for that strand. Each objective is more complex than the previous key stage and introduces more sophisticated vocabulary as well as demanding a little more thought to its application. At this stage we put the emphasis on adapting to different situations and audiences, tailoring speech to a particular audience and being more aware of group dynamics and how to influence
Reading is at the heart of the curriculum at Moorside. Throughout school, a love of reading and an appreciation of books is fostered through highly engaging learning opportunities and immersive experiences that are linked to high quality texts. It is these carefully chosen class texts which drive learning in other areas of the curriculum.
Reading for Pleasure
The children at Moorside are encouraged to read for pleasure. Our children understand what it means to read for pleasure and the importance that it has. Alongside the high-quality Power of Reading texts, children also have access to an assortment of interesting books. Each class has its own set of high quality ‘class reads’ for children to access as well as access to the school library. Our school library is a beautiful, calming environment in which children can explore, engage in book talk with their peers and read for pleasure. Teachers read to the children, along with the children and at the same time as the children to model good reading practices. We also have a group of children in school who are our Reading Champions. Once these children have been selected, the pupils have the opportunity to meet three times a year.. They gain information, have opportunities to discuss their achievements, share ideas with other schools and be inspired to develop ownership of reading for pleasure.
Reading at home
We track all reading – home and school – on a digital reading record on Boom Reader. There is no limit to how much the children read. This is monitored in school and children are encouraged to read daily. We support parents to support children in their reading by running workshops, providing parent guidance and having open communication.
Watch this helpful video for support with the Boom Reader app
Reading Plus
At Moorside, we are committed to enabling children to become motivated, independent readers. Reading Plus is an online resource which is used in Key Stage 2 to develop silent reading, fluency and stamina as well as providing the opportunity for each child to develop their own vocabulary and comprehension skills. As students work to develop the skills and stamina required for extended reading with good comprehension, they are presented with personalized scaffolding to build independent reading skills. Students who demonstrate mastery are progressed to increasingly higher levels of practice and instructional rigor.
Other Useful Resources
Tameside Digital Library Service
Teaching of writing
At Moorside, our approach to writing, helps us to develop inspired, creative and enthusiastic writers.
We do this by immersing pupils in rich and diverse experiences, stimulating high quality texts taken from The Power of Reading (CLPE), and the work of a wide range of authors, poets and playwrights. We develop language through music, media and drama so that when children put pencil or pen to paper they want to write, linking writing to real life experiences and other curriculum work. They are made aware of the basic skills of grammar, punctuation and spelling whilst at the same time appreciating the subtleties of syntax, structure and flow which makes their writing come alive. Non Fiction texts are developed through real experiences. For example pupils are encouraged to write letters, news reports, keep diaries, send e-mails, contribute to blogs, write persuasively when working on theme projects, science and maths enquiry, international links, school council projects and many more, using links to topic work.
Within the Foundation Stage, writing is taught through mark making practical play activities based on the EYFS (Early Years Foundations Stage) curriculum. Opportunities are planned to cover a range of skills needed to write. As in the rest of the school, the children`s next step targets are key, even in the foundation stage.
In years 1 to 6, daily literacy is made up of sentence, word level work, interrogating texts and writing opportunities. Drama and speaking and listening activities also make up lessons on a daily basis. During English lessons, teachers in years 1 to 6 plan for children to discuss their thoughts and ideas, as well as for children to mark their own work (self assessment) and their partner`s work (peer assessment) using differentiated success criteria.
For more information on the CLPE, visit: www.clpe.org.uk
Spelling
We follow the Read, Write, Inc, scheme (RWI) for phonics from nursery (Summer term) to Year 2 (Autumn term). Once children have completed the Read, Write, Inc scheme, they progress to learning spelling through Scode. Scode, Sounds and their Codes, is a systematic, phonics based spelling scheme for Years 2-6. Scode focuses on etymology which engages children in the origins of language. Children are immersed in the history of words and why words are spelt the way they are, providing them with the knowledge on which to build their spelling skill. The fascinating, the gross, and hilarious combine to introduce children to challenging and varied vocabulary. spelling sessions are taught using Scode 4 times a week in Years 2-4 and 3 times a week in Years 5-6.
Teaching of phonics
At Moorside, Phonics is taught through the systematic, synthetic phonics programme out lined in Read, Write Inc.
Although the vast majority of children will leave Key Stage 1 having finished the Read, Write Inc. Phonics scheme, children in Key Stage 2 who have gaps in their phonics knowledge are supported by a phonics intervention group until their understanding is secure.
Phonics is assessed and monitored to enable progression through the phases. In Year One, all pupils are tested through the Phonics Screening Test in June. Results are recorded and used for assessment purposes. Any Year One pupils who do not meet the required pass rate for the test re-take the test when they are in Year Two.
Phonic sessions are taught daily.
For more information on how you can support your child with the phonics learning please follow the links below.
Teaching of Maths
At Moorside, our approach to Maths is underpinned by the Journey To Mastery model, where all students are fluent in the unfamiliar and can apply their skills in any new situation. Mastery of the curriculum requires that all pupils:
-Use mathematical concepts, facts and procedures appropriately, flexibly and fluently;
-Recall key number facts with speed and accuracy and use them to calculate and work out unknown facts;
-Have sufficient depth of knowledge and understanding to reason and explain mathematical concepts and procedures and use them to solve a variety of problems.
Our pupils begin their Journey to Mastery in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), where mathematics is taught through practical play activities based on the EYFS curriculum. Opportunities are planned to cover numbers, counting, calculating, shapes, measures as well as lots of investigative and problem-solving experiences. These crucial early experiences provide the foundations on which future mathematical learning will develop.
Maths
A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is happening, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Science
Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
Art
Intent
At Enquire Learning Trust, we believe that it is vital for all our pupils to learn from and about Computing and Technology, so that they can understand the world around them. Through teaching our computing curriculum, we aim to equip our children to participate in a rapidly changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. It is our intention to enable children to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information as well as having the skills to manipulate, develop and interpret different forms of technology in an ever-changing world.
In such a fast-moving curriculum, we are constantly looking at new ways of delivering relevant and exciting activities, while still delivering the fundamental skills needed for computing. Using technology safely and responsibly is a main priority and ensuring all pupils are able to use the internet and equipment appropriately is of paramount importance. We encourage our pupils to make links across the curriculum, the world and our local community, to reflect on their own experiences, which are designed in our curriculum, allowing horizontal and vertical links with previous year groups.
The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
Our ambitious computing curriculum is now structured in 3 areas that allow all pupils from EY to year 6 to progress through different categories of knowledge.
Implementation
The Enquire Learning Trust bespoke computing curriculum offers a cross curricular scheme of work for EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 which matches the expectations of the National Curriculum. The curriculum looks at the progression needed for all pupils to develop and embed skills and knowledge within the strands of: computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The curriculum is designed to support teaching and learning and the acquisition of subject knowledge in all areas. Children will have the opportunity to explore and respond to key issues such as digital communication, cyber-bullying, online safety, security and social media.
Impact
The impact this curriculum will have shows that:
- Children will be confident users of technology, able to use it to accomplish a wide variety of goals, both in school and at home.
- Children will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems which is important in our ever-evolving society.
- Children will be able to apply the British Values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and liberty when using digital systems.
- Solve problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
Computing
Look after yourself
Click here - Learn how to look after yourself and others with Scratch
CoderDojo Scratch
Click here - Learn Scratch by working through these fun projects!
Barclays Code Playground Activities for pupils
Code Monster from Crunchzilla is an interactive tutorial for kids that focuses on action. Code changes immediately yield visible results.
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Rapid router has been created to teach the first principles of computer programming that are covered in the National Computing curriculum. |
For students who want to experience one of the most-loved coding games in the world. |
Everything needed to learn computer programming the fun way! Ages 5+ |
Try a one-hour tutorial designed for all ages |
Games for tomorrow's programmers. |
Create stories, games and animations.
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Scratch Projects
BBC Bitesize KS1 Who uses computers and how are they used in everyday life to help people in their jobs or at school?
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BBC Bitesize KS2 The internet plays a big part in how we communicate. Find out how we keep in touch online.
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Welcome to Dance Mat Typing, a fun way to learn touch typing. |
Create your own maps and stories in Google Earth |
E-Safety
The Play Like Share animations and Band Runner game are part of a package of resources created by the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command, designed to help 8-10 year olds learn how to stay safe online. |
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These cartoons illustrate 5 e-safety SMART rules and include a real life SMART Crew of young people, who guide the cartoon characters in their quest, and help them make safe online decisions. https://www.childnet.com/ |
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Is your child spending a bit more time on tech right now? If you haven't caught it yet, The Legends Family Adventure from Google and Parent Zone will give your family the tools you need to explore the online world in safer, savvier ways. It's really fun to watch together. Find out more: The Legends Family Adventure |
Design Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject, which makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation. In design technology, children build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
As pupils progress, they will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, computing and art, whilst taking risks and becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Using creativity and imagination, pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
DT
A high-quality geography education should inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with children for the rest of their lives. Geography at Moorside gives the children the knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s physical and human processes. As pupils progress, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding of the interaction between physical and human processes, and of the formation and use of landscapes and environment. Geographical knowledge, understanding and skills provide the frameworks and approaches that explain how the Earth’s features at different scales are shapes, interconnected and change over time. The geography curriculum at Moorside gives our children the knowledge and skills base to develop into a conscientious and knowledgeable global citizen aware of some of the challenges and complexities of our modern world.
Geography
We endeavour to share the rich tapestry of history with our children and help them to see the narrative of the passing of time and their place within it. The teaching of chronology and historians’ accounts of the past underpins all our sequences of learning. We introduce children to stories and events from regional, national, and international history to develop their historical thinking. We appreciate that history is a discipline of critical thinking and embellish children’s understanding of significant aspects of history through our ‘core concepts.’ We will guide children to critique historical sources, appraise artefacts, and make links when evaluating and communicating their ideas as apprentice historians. We hope that investigating history will nourish children with pride, a sense of place and prepare them for their future historical studies. Above all: history will be purposeful, engaging and fun.
History
We endeavour to provide our children with the skills and confidence to listen to, understand and communicate in Spanish, whilst giving them awareness of the value of learning a foreign language. Through mediums such as story, song, games and role-play, our children will find language learning stimulating and enjoyable. We strive to embed the key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in every lesson to enable children to apply their learning. The curriculum is designed to also develop children’s love of learning a language and curiosity and awareness of other countries and cultures. Whilst understanding the importance of communicating with others in our multi-cultural society.
Modern Foreign Languages
Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. We believe all children should perform, listen to, review and evaluate music, be taught to sing, create and compose music and understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated. At Moorside, our intention is that children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions and musical genres.
Music Progression of Skills
At Moorside Primary Academy, we recognise the importance of physical education to promote a positive attitude towards an active and healthy lifestyle. We aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, giving all children the opportunity to develop their physical competence and confidence. The intent of our PE curriculum is to provide every pupil with high quality PE and sport provision. It is our vision that all children succeed and achieve their full potential. We aim to ensure all of our children leave primary school with the passion, knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to equip them for lifelong participation in physical activity and competitive sport.
We intend:
• To develop skills in a wide range of different sports
• To develop and apply a range of physical skills and be able to use them in different ways – extending their balance, control, co-ordination and agility, which develops as the children grow physically and emotionally.
• To understand some of the basic rules of different sports.
• For all children to have the opportunity to take part in competitions.
• All children understand the importance of teamwork – and know the 6 key schools games values: respect, self – belief, passion, honesty, teamwork and determination
• For children to develop an understanding of the importance of rules in order to keep safe.
• For children to develop an understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle – and how regular exercise contributes to physical and emotional well – being.
Progression of Skills PE
Clubs and Extra-Curricular Activities
Swimming |
Year 6 - PGL Winmarleigh Hall
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After School Clubs
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Our structured framework enables each child to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others, and to learn how to form positive and respectful relationships within the school community and in each child’s home community. We introduce children to stories and events from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu and non-religions to develop their religious education thinking. We appreciate that RE is a discipline of critical thinking and embellish children’s understanding of significant aspects of RE through our ‘core concepts.’ These include: Believing – religious beliefs, teachings and questions about meaning, purpose and truth; Expressing – religious and spiritual forms and questions about diversity and identity; Living – religious practice. We will guide children as they begin their journey towards understanding and valuing the differences between individuals and groups, whilst developing their emerging moral and cultural awareness.
RE
EYFS Curriculum Intent
At Moorside Primary Academy, our Early Years curriculum is built upon the school values of pride, collaboration, understanding and aspiration whilst also upholding the responsibilities of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework. Our core aim is for children to develop as creative individuals and leave the Foundation Stage as independent, resilient and curious learners. We also ensure that the curriculum is broad, balanced and rigorous so that children are prepared for the formal demands of Year One and the National Curriculum.
We provide:
- Rich and stimulating environments and experiences.
- Warm, responsive and respectful relationships with children and their families that recognise and celebrate a diverse range of cultures, preferences and interests.
- Adaptive teaching to meet the needs of all learners, identifying where some children need additional support to succeed.
- Sequences of purposeful learning that engage children, through play and adult instruction, to develop a strong foundational knowledge across all areas of learning.
Therefore, the children become:
- Settled, comfortable and empowered members of the classroom and school community.
- Respectful members of Moorside Primary Academy and informed citizens that understand and show care for the world around them.
- Successful learners that are confident to try again and understand that perseverance and resilience contribute towards their own personal growth.
- Knowledgeable, enthusiastic and articulate learners that can explain and apply ideas with their peers and in their play.
EYFS Curriculum Implementation
At Moorside, the Early Years Foundation Stage adheres to the statutory framework and is underpinned by the following core values:
- Language rich environments, that encompass high-quality interactions; stimulating contemporary songs and rhymes; reverence to traditional tales and nursery rhymes; engaging, high-quality key texts.
- Precision teaching of high-quality language that builds all three tiers of vocabulary.
- Positive Interactions that are centred around sustained shared thinking involving both: adult-child and child-child.
- A culture of reading for pleasure that is drawn from rich texts (adopting approaches from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) that drive learning and stimulate discussion.
- Mastery approach to maths inspired by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
- Outdoor classroom and environment that provide authentic opportunities for the development of physical skills, appropriate risk-taking, and investigation of the natural world.
- High-quality provision, with open-ended resources and activities, that is consistent and conducive to explorative play.
- Flexible activities that are tailored to the needs of all children as individuals.
- Collaborative learning approaches, such as Talk Partners, which provide all children with an opportunity to share and extend their thinking.
- A balance between high quality provision and thematic enhancements are purposeful and build strong foundations for future learning.
- Valued partnerships with children and their families are developed through regular communication including Class Dojo, Twitter, family workshops and celebratory events.
- Diagnostic activities and half-termly assessments for maths/phonics that identify and respond to any misconceptions and inform future learning.
- Professional judgements that are moderated both internally and externally with colleagues within the Enquire Learning Trust.
We also prepare children for future learning by adhering to the following programmes of instruction with fidelity:
- Read Write Inc. Phonics (Oxford University Press)
- Mastering Number Programme (NCETM)
- TalkBoost & Early TalkBoost (Speech and Language UK
EYFS Curriculum Impact
The Moorside EYFS curriculum, and its delivery, ensure that children make good progress from their own starting points. Within the EYFS, staff and children are aspirational and seek to ensure that all children develop to the best of their individual ability. This progress supports the development of a foundation for learning that aspires to meet the national expectation for a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of the foundation stage. Personal development is a key strength of the Moorside EYFS curriculum. Staff support children to develop and display the school values of collaborative learning; pride in themselves and others; understanding of themselves, their community and the wider world; and aspiration to always do their best. Children demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning and are able to apply their knowledge to a range of situations, making links and explaining their ideas and understanding. Children develop the confidence to seek challenge, take risks and explore new experiences. They understand that mistakes are a valuable part of their learning and an opportunity for personal growth. The curriculum naturally fosters a culture that is high in expectations and celebrates the successes of children as individuals, within groups and as a community of learners. Assessment for learning is a key component in our everyday pedagogy to ensure that children’s learning is built upon their current level of knowledge, which empowers them to go on to succeed.