Vision and Values

Curriculum Intent:

Our Vision 

At Walton the Hill we aim to offer a rich and engaging school experience in which children are willing partners in their own learning. They enjoy school, form friendships for life and become responsible, respectful young people.  Our curriculum is diverse, well planned, thought-provoking, aspirational and punctuated with memorable moments and events. Our students love learning, read willingly for pleasure and retain key skills and knowledge. The values that we instil embody qualities, skills and characteristics that equip all children to become successful, independent and content – at school and beyond.

The curriculum we offer at Walton on the Hill Primary aims:

• To instil a love of learning and reading
• To offer a diverse range of engaging learning experiences peppered with memorable moments and events
• To nurture confident, independent and resilient individuals who are equipped and skilled for later life
• To ensure that the skills and knowledge taught build sequentially with logical planned progression using a small steps mastery approach
• To give everyone the opportunity to fulfil their highest potential, both academically, and in respect of their wider interests and talents
• To offer a community curriculum that makes full use of the local and outdoor environment but also reaches out in to the wider world to nurture global thinkers and global citizens of the future
• To use oracy, drama and debate to encourage structured, confident and articulate communication
• To offer the widest possible range of enrichment activities and experiences, including after school clubs and educational visits
• To provide expert teaching and motivated teachers who are well trained and supported to ensure ongoing professional development and dialogue
• To foster creativity and curiosity
• To nurture, protect and bolster children’s mental health, emotional resilience and wellbeing

Teaching and Learning – Curriculum Implementation

We are a nurturing school and our learning environment and curriculum should reflect the 6 key nurturing principles. Children’s social and emotional needs are given absolute precedence as we are aware that children will not thrive unless those essential needs are met. The nurturing values that we instil in our children, and staff, pervade every area of the school and should be evident in every aspect of our curriculum. When building our curriculum we take into consideration both the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, as detailed within our policies. If you require any further information on the curriculum please contact the Deputy Head, Richard Laing via the school office.

The Learning Sequence

At WOTH we believe that effective curriculum sequencing and planning is essential to facilitate impactful learning. Learning needs to be planned over time with an understanding of how children progress, develop and retain information. Teachers and subject leaders need to be aware of the existing knowledge base, skill level and vocabulary to ensure children are provided with learning opportunities targeted at the appropriate zone of proximal development. Long and medium term curriculum planning and assessment are crucial to ensuring the success of this strategy. Subject leaders work in conjunction with SLT and class teachers to ensure that lessons and teaching sequences are appropriately pitched. Learning points sit within learning sequences; units of work build on skills and knowledge from earlier points in the curriculum. Teachers and students should make explicit links between their current learning and previously mastered knowledge and skills. We expect teachers to know the logic of the teaching sequence and where the learning sits in the bigger curriculum sequence. We regularly revisit prior learning to help ensure long term retention of knowledge and skills.

Our Six Learning Values

Our learning values should be evident in all that we do at school. Children are taught about the constituent elements of each value and begin to understand the importance that we place in each. Assemblies are used to introduce and explore the values in greater depth and we expect that these principles are referenced in both lessons and social interactions. By emphasising the importance of these key tenets we aim to embed these values within the fabric of our curriculum, our staff and our pupils. Our learning values are:

Collaboration

Resilience

Respect

Compassion

Creativity

Curiosity

Collaboration is crucial to successful learning at WOTH. Through effective collaboration we begin to understand the importance of cooperation, teamwork and unity.

Resilience is about being determined to succeed, setting a goal and sticking to it. We aim to foster a willingness to take risks and an acceptance of failure. We take positives from all that we do and learn from our mistakes. We are responsible for our own learning and develop high self-esteem and growth mind-set.

Respect is vital to achieving our vision. This key value incorporates inclusion, equality and diversity as well as ensuring our interactions are polite, courteous and sensitive to the needs of others. We expect all children to have an awareness of the wider world, to celebrate difference and respect the rights of all individuals, both in the school community and beyond.

Compassion is about kindness and concern, about friendship and love, about communicating effectively and understanding the needs of others. Through our focus on this value we expect to develop thoughtful, considerate children who are empathetic, respectful and kind.

Creativity is the value through which we hope to inspire children to appreciate their individuality, to be imaginative and inquisitive, to inspire and be inspired! We aim to nurture originality and dynamism through continued exposure to the latest design, technological innovations and art.

Curiosity is key to a love of learning. By focussing on this value we aim to encourage children to become active learners and to be curious and confident when experiencing new things. Exploring the world beyond their own classroom will help to develop a respect for nature and a love for the outdoors.