Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Intent
At Banstead Infant School we are passionate about learning and the children, staff, parents and SSB members work together to create an exciting and creative curriculum that nurtures and inspires all children to independent thinkers and learners.
Our curriculum has been designed around a core set of progressive knowledge and skills, which builds on previous learning, and is taught through themes that are tailored to each cohort of children dependent on their needs and interests. We ensure a broad and balanced approach to learning, that is underpinned by strong purpose and values to develop a life-long love of learning.
We want our children to think like learners, drawing on key drivers, such as being determined, observant, imaginative, investigative, curious, adventurous, co-operative and use reasoning. These drivers run as a thread throughout our curriculum and are used as a basis for our rewards.
It is our intention that opportunities and experiences are endless for each child, particularly ensuring any barriers to success are overcome for any disadvantaged or vulnerable child. The delivery and design of our curriculum is planned with a learning without limits approach, so that all children feel challenged; having the opportunity to surprise us and themselves. Staff work to create an environment where children feel safe to take learning risks, knowing that their mistakes are valued and become a learning opportunity.
We recognise the role of values in providing our children with an understanding of what it means to be a good citizen. Values are at the heart of our school and guide our actions and decision making. We chose the Jammie Dodger biscuit as a symbol to help the children to remember them. The biscuit represents all our learning, and the jam is the heart of the school. Our key values are: respect, responsibility, honesty, trust, co-operation and patience. The children are taught to use these in their everyday lives towards themselves, other people, creatures and their environment. These values are embedded as part of our daily practice as teachers, in assemblies and in the conversations we have with children.
The children are taught how to respect each other and themselves and to celebrate the differences in everyone, no matter what their faith, culture or lifestyle may be. We teach the children what it means to be a good citizen through weekly citizenship lessons. This also includes teaching emotional literacy which enables the children to express their own feelings and to understand the feelings of those around them. They learn about the consequences of their actions on themselves and others in the real and digital world.
It is our belief that children will be most successful when school and home work together in partnership. Therefore we have a high focus on engaging parents with their child’s learning through a variety of methods, such as the use of Seesaw and enabling parents to support their children’s learning using a consistent approach with school.
If you would like further information please contact your child’s teacher. There are also termly meetings for parents at which the class teacher will explain how the curriculum is organised and the ways in which parents can help at home.
