Our whole school curriculum offers our pupils the chance to grow and develop into successful young people. Underpinned by the values of honesty, love, passion, stewardship, empathy and perseverance, our experienced staff deliver a breadth and depth of learning opportunities to ensure your child learns the skills to become a successful young adult in our ever changing world.

Curriculum on a page

We’re In It Together…

Our school has an ‘in it together’ attitude to learning. We believe in letting parents and carers know what and how we are learning. We encourage dialogue through workshops, parents’ meetings, learning diaries such as Reading Record books and invitations to special celebrations and services. We also believe that homework plays an important part both in preparing your child for learning or reinforcing your child’s learning in school. Our staff are careful to ensure the amount of homework is suitable for their age.

Special Educational Needs

All Special Education Needs children are given the opportunity to participate fully in the life of the school. We aim for all pupils to access the broad curriculum with activities and educational offsite visits differentiated to support children with all levels of ability, including those with sensory or physical difficulties. This will always be done through liaison and consultation with parents, carers and pupils, and with the appropriate specialist agency.

Outdoor Learning

We are strongly committed to using the outdoor environment to enhance children’s learning experiences. We have a dedicated Forest School area as well as a Nature Area including a pond. Children undertake a variety of learning experiences outdoors throughout their time at Wilden from mathematics, to art, to science. We feel that learning in the outdoors really benefits our children in terms of their health and emotional well-being as well as their academic learning.

The Early Years…

We believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Our Nursery and Reception, provides a high quality and well balanced curriculum where children have opportunities to learn though planned and purposeful play as well as to experience a wide variety of adult-led and child initiated activities. We build on children’s existing knowledge and experience by providing opportunities for progression, extension and challenge.
We believe that every child is unique and constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. We encourage children to learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
Our learning environments, both inside and outside, are enabling environments in which creativity, curiosity, independence, critical thinking and imagination are inspired.

Our Forest School is a place where children can freely discover, create, build and imagine; a place where they are given a sense of being part of their world rather than just onlooker.

Children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. Our provision covers the care of all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Early Years staff are passionate about making sure that every child’s early experiences of school are happy, active, exciting, fun and secure, and support individual development, care and learning needs.

Phonics and Scheme

At Wilden we plan phonics based on the Super Sonic Phonic Friends, which meets the core criteria for phonics teaching set out by the DfE. Within our Early Years team, teachers work together to provide children with a hands-on, immersive experience into learning phonics. Termly work provides opportunities to develop systematic teaching sessions to ensure all children are applying their knowledge as well links to other areas of the curriculum. Teachers in Reception and Year 1 follow yearly, medium term and weekly plans to ensure phonics is taught in a systematic way to allow children to make progress. The phonics planning gives opportunity for sounds to be revised, new sounds to be taught, children to read and write words and apply their learning through a game or activity. In Year 2 we cover phase 6 of the program and look at different spelling patterns.

Key Stages 1 and 2…

As the children progress throughout school, they encounter a full range of National Curriculum subjects as well as many other enriching experiences. When appropriate, subjects are taught discretely but often they are combined within larger, explorative topics so that children can gain a clearer understanding of the bigger picture. The following subject statements have been written by our passionate subject leaders and aim to offer you an insight into Wilden.

Our Curriculum

Literacy

Our aim in literacy is to develop pupils spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary; building a foundation for success in all subjects. Literacy at Wilden is exciting, diverse and creative and provides all children with the chance to develop their literacy skills whilst being engaged in their learning. At Wilden we believe literacy is both a subject in its own right and a medium for teaching; for pupils, understanding of language provides access to the whole curriculum.

Mathematics

The focus of mathematics teaching at Wilden aims to ensure that all pupils develop confidence, mental fluency with number, place value and the four number operations. As pupils progress, they are introduced to increasingly complex problems across all aspects of the Maths curriculum from number, to shape, to data analysis. Lessons are exciting, investigative and hands on; where children develop an enthusiasm for and love of maths.

Science

Here at Wilden, we take a practical and investigative approach to science teaching and learning. From an early age, the children are encouraged to explore and investigate, to predict and to question. We aim to provide a high quality science education that provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific areas of biology, chemistry and physics. By working scientifically children will develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about the world around them.

Computing

The teaching and learning in this area of the curriculum is one of the most rapidly evolving; it is our aim that our children become digitally literate in order to engage successfully in a digitally driven world. We hope that our children will understand how to use information, computational thinking and creativity to change the world for the better and be better prepared for the future workspace.

History

We aim to inspire our children with a love of the past as they learn about the history of our country and the world. We aim to bring the past to life for children through use of artefacts, drama and educational visits. Children learn that history is about people, communities and the relationships between them; they learn to form their own opinions and judgements by weighing up the evidence provided. We enable children to develop their own sense of identity and to approach the challenges in their own lives with confidence.

Geography

At Wilden, children are given opportunities to cultivate an awareness of different societies and cultures around the globe and explore the natural and human environment. This develops their curiosity and fascination in the world around them and how its features are shaped, interconnected and change over time.

Physical Education

Physical Education and sport can help to enhance the whole individual, developing their understanding of success and failure as well as improving the skills of teamwork, communication and leadership. Here at Wilden the purpose of Physical Education is multi-dimensional, with enjoyment being the key theme running through all aspects. In early years the building blocks of physical literacy are vital, so that these can be built on in later years with a greater emphasis on sports and specific physical education. Purposeful practice, belief and opportunity are the keys to unlocking talent and here at Wilden we aim to combine all three.

Art

Art for most children is a natural form of expression and a source of great pleasure. Here at Wilden, we encourage the children to engage, be inspired and challenge themselves, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.

Design and Technology

Design and Technology helps pupils acquire a broad range of subject knowledge helping to prepare them to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing, technological world. Pupils learn to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens, through designing, making and evaluating products.

Music

At Wilden we believe that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. We aim to engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians. We believe that, through a high quality, musical education, children’s’ self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement will blossom.

Foreign Languages

We believe that learning a language enriches the curriculum, providing excitement, enjoyment and challenge. Positive attitudes towards language learning and cultural diversity are embraced and nurtured at Wilden. Whilst French is taught as part of the Key Stage Two foreign languages curriculum, staff in Key Stage One and Early Years are also encouraged to begin introducing some foreign vocabulary in their classrooms.

Religious Education

R.E. is provided in accordance with the local authority agreed syllabus. We are a Churc of England school, and our commitment to teaching the principles and values of Christianity permeates our curriculum. Children are taught about Christianity as well as other major world religions; they are encouraged to ask questions and to express and develop their own beliefs and opinions. Through R.E., we aim to enable children to understand the nature of religion, its beliefs and practice; to develop their spirituality and their sense of friendship and community. Personal, Social and Health Education Although it is not a statutory subject, we embrace the teaching of PSHE both as a subject in its own right but also through our delivery of the rest of the curriculum. We are committed to the personal development of each and every child, teaching them how to mix and socialise; developing their understanding of how to stay fit and healthy both physically and mentally and developing their financial awareness.

The National Curriculum

Please click here to view the National Curriculum.

For more information

If you require further curriculum information, please contact the school office and an appointment will be made with the appropriate member of staff.

A Broad & Balanced Curriculum