Page 7 - Cherry Orchard Prospectus 2015-2016

THE CURRICULUM
Our Approach
The introduction of the new National Curriculum in September 2014 will have a large impact on schools.
The National Curriculum only forms a part of the curriculum a school offers. Teachers at Cherry Orchard Primary School have developed the school’s own bespoke curriculum.
The Cherry Orchard Curriculum is based on the following key guiding principles:
 “Curriculum” is a blanket term used to encapsulate all that is taught or experienced in the
school setting;
 The Cherry Orchard Curriculum will extend beyond the bounds of the national curriculum
in every area, and will cover many areas of learning that are not part of the National
Curriculum – the ‘COPS School Aims’;
 The Cherry Orchard Curriculum is about giving our children the best possible education
that we are able to, and about preparing them most effectively for both the next stage of
their school careers and ultimately for life;
 The Cherry Orchard Curriculum is underpinned by our ‘Three Rs’ – REALITY,
RELEVANCE and RIGOUR.
 A key aim for the Cherry Orchard Curriculum is to give all children who leave our school a strong set of rich and happy memories.
We pride ourselves on providing an innovative, exciting and varied curriculum fit for the changing world of the 21st century. We have high expectations for children’s work and require pupils to challenge themselves and show enthusiasm and interest. In return we make lessons interesting and varied and set great store by each child seeking to constantly better themselves.
Our approach to curriculum design has been recognised at a national level. In 2014, our work was used as a case study by ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers).
The Cherry Orchard Curriculum will continuously be developed, fuelled by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of our teaching staff. This means continuous research in to cutting edge teaching methods and ongoing review of best practice across a wide range of educational settings.
Resources to support the curriculum
There can be no doubt in this day and age that if a child is going to be able to communicate and excel, a strong proficiency in computing must be the cornerstone of their education. At Cherry Orchard we are well placed to afford these opportunities to children.
The ICT suite, relocated in Summer 2011, has 30 Internet connected workstations, three plasma screens, sound system and a range of peripheral devices. Alongside the suite’s relocation, the whole school has wireless, access making it possible for whole classes to work on individual laptops, accessing all the extensive range of resources available on the school system. Each classroom and work area is fitted with an interactive whiteboard, sound system, internet links, a number of workstations and access to equipment including programmable toys, sensors, digital microscopes, digital cameras and digital video cameras.
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