Avoch Primary School

A curriculum for ExcellenceCURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

Nursery 3- Primary 7

This Curriculum framework is a high level curriculum map for our school1 which has been developed in line with A Curriculum for Excellence [CfE] and will be used as a structure for the further development of CfE. This has come together after consultation with staff, parents and pupils of Avoch Primary so that all stakeholders have been involved in sharing the vision for our school.

Avoch Primary School ValuesOur pupils worked together to discuss what values meant to them and what was important to them at school and in their lives.

The core values of our school are:- Being honest hard working Respectful Being kind

Pupils worked together to produce a mission statement from these core values and shared it with all stakeholders:

Mission statement

At Avoch Primary we respect each other and are honest. We aim to work and play in a safe, stimulating environment where everyone is valued, feels included and is listened to. At Avoch, staff and pupils strive to work hard, individually and as part of a team and welcome support from parents and other stakeholders.

1 The term ‘school’ refers to both the primary school and nursery at Avoch

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School Vision We recognise that everybody has strengths and we use them to improve learning in all areas of our school life.We face challenges with confidence and enthusiasm.We are inclusive, fair and value everyone.We are committed to moving forward and believe that everyone can contribute to this.We recognise that Health & Wellbeing impacts on learning and teaching.We want everyone to achieve their very best.

Avoch School Values

Being honest hard working Respectful Being kind

Four Capacities

Successful learnersConfident IndividualsResponsible CitizensEffective Contributors

7 Key Principles

Challenge and enjoyment

BreadthProgression

DepthPersonalisation &

choiceCoherenceRelevance

Mission StatementAt Avoch Primary we respect each other and are honest. We aim to work and play in a safe, stimulating environment where everyone is valued, feels included and is listened to. At Avoch, staff and pupils strive to work hard, individually and as part of a team and welcome support from parents and other stakeholders.Curriculum Areas

Languages Mathematics Health and

Wellbeing Social Subjects Sciences Technologies Expressive Arts RME

Cross Cutting ThemesCitizenshipEnterpriseCreativity

Sustainable Development

Curriculum Aims to build on current good practice and

strengths to have a clear focus on learning and

teaching to provide high quality teaching of core

skills including literacy, numeracy, Learning and Thinking Skills, Problem Solving.

to provide challenge and appropriate support

to provide real contexts for learning. to develop the key personal qualities of

resilience, perseverance and a positive attitude to learning.

to encourage life long learning.

AVOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL 2013-2016The curriculum: ‘the totality of allthat is planned for children and youngpeople throughout their education’ • Curriculum areas and subjects• Interdisciplinary learning• Opportunities for personal achievement• Ethos and life of the school as a community

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Towards a Curriculum RationalAvoch Primary endorses the following documents, which were used to develop our policy.

Building the Curriculum 1, 2, 3 and 5, Towards a Curriculum Rationale, Journey to Excellence

Policy RationaleAt Avoch Primary School we aim to provide a broad, experiential curriculum that meets the needs of all of our pupils and which develops skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. In doing so we will build on our current strengths in preparing our pupils to take their place in a modern society.This means that every child at Avoch Primary School is entitled to a curriculum which is:

Coherent from nursery through to their transfer to secondary education Founded on sound learning and teaching practices including well- planned learning experiences which are active and

engaging and based upon sound pedagogical research Based upon developing skills and competences in literacy and numeracy and an ability to make informed choices about

their health and well being Real and relevant now and in the future

All staff have a responsibility to build our pupils’ capacity to become: Successful learners Confident Individuals Responsible Citizens Effective Contributors

By developing a curriculum which is based upon the seven key principles of: Challenge and enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and choice Coherence Relevance

Staff knowledge and understanding of curriculum and a collegiate approach to developing experiences and outcomes in our school context will underpin development. This in turn will provide teaching and learning of the highest quality for the pupils in Avoch Primary School.

Learning & teachingThe ethos of the school is a crucial element in the delivery of a Curriculum for Excellence. The experiences of our pupils will be based on sound pedagogy. We will deliver experiences that develop the values and principles through:

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activity which is teacher directed or initiated and pupil initiated across the stages. independent and collaborative learning. active learning & thinking skills problem solving through investigating and exploring.

Supporting all of our pupils to become literate and numerate is a key factor. All stakeholders have identified the ‘basics’ as a top priority. This will have implications for the organisation of our learning:

In the early years developing literacy and numeracy will be a priority and the balance of curriculum will reflect this. Collaboration and participation will be embedded from the early stages and time will be taken to support our pupils to

learn, practise and become active learners. Opportunities to embed literacy and numeracy in all curriculum areas will be a priority. Real and relevant contexts will

support this. Teachers will be explicit about the use of literacy and numeracy skills in differing contexts to underpin our pupils’ understanding.

At all stages this learning should be linked to skills for life and skills for work.

Scottish themesScotland, its place in the world and history as well as a celebration of its culture and heritage, including Scots Language, will feature in the curriculum. Although some aspects will be planned for, much will filter through other areas of the curriculum.

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VALUES Our values were devised by the pupils

and reflect what is important to them Our values are understood by the pupils Our values are reinforced regularly by

the pupil council and in newsletters to parents

The school has clearly set out aims Pupils and staff are valued as individuals We welcome parents and members of

the community and respect their opinions and contributions

Opportunities are planned to support charities and others in need locally and across the world

Citizenship groups allow pupils to gain understanding and empathy for others and for their local community

All pupils are encouraged to respect and care for the planet

TOTALITY OF THE CURRICULUM

Personal achievements are recognised , promoted and celebrated An interdisciplinary learning planning format is used by all staff Parents are given a variety of opportunities to be involved in the life of the school Steps are being taken to promote sustainable education Planned opportunities are helping to develop the life and ethos of the school for all pupils Extra curricular activities are offered to all children within school time & to almost all out

with school time Breadth of learning is planned across each level Outdoor learning is being used as a motivating tool by most teachers

LEARNING AND TEACHING Staff reflect on aspects of learning and teaching through

regular curricular staff meetings and professional discussion All pupils are setting their own targets in maths/numeracy,

literacy & Health & Well Being All pupils are reflecting on their learning in maths/numeracy,

literacy, Health and Well-Being and other curricular areas and are sharing these with parents

Most children are involved in setting success criteria in lessons Most pupils are involved in planning aspects of their learning in

social subjects An active learning approach is promoted across the school Learning through play is being developed in Infants Personal learning profiles have been introduced across the

school Value is placed on achievements out of school Positive feedback is given by staff and peers Independent learning is evident in classes The school is inclusive for all learners There is a focus on basic skills in spelling, presentation and

mental computationEXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES All staff are working with the outcomes

RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN~All pupils are part of at least one citizenship

CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALPupils are given opportunities to develop

ENTITLEMENTS All staff are aware of the need for equality and inclusion and

AVOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING OUR CURRICULUM WHERE ARE WE NOW? [2013]We will continue to work closely with parents/carers and our community. We will take every opportunity to involve them in the life and work of the school, to share our achievements and to build links, which enhance our curriculum. This rationale will be reviewed as part of a three year cycle to ensure that it reflects the embedment of a Curriculum for Excellence.

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and experiences across all 8 areas of the curriculum

Progression within outcomes is detailed in maths

Pupil progress is tracked across reading, writing and maths

We use a planning format which encourages interdisciplinary learning and links across learning

Science outcomes have been grouped under topics to ensure breadth of learning

Technology outcomes are being taught within contexts and scenarios (trial) to make them more ‘real’

Staff and pupils’ understanding of the importance of Health and Well Being is beginning to impact in a positive way

Some use is made of Experiences and outcomes in the development of International education, enterprise, Sustainable development and creativity.

group, either as a class or individually. Groups include Pupil Council, buddies, reading buddies, bus monitors, junior librarians, playground Friends, House system, wet weather monitors etc ~ all pupils have contributed to setting class rules~ Pupils, parents and staff have agreed to a positive behaviour policy which is reinforced by staff and by most parents. ~ pupils are increasingly taking responsibility for their own behaviour,~ behaviour is improving

SUCCESSFUL LEARNER~The sharing of learning intentions and success criteria are helping pupils to achieve success~Pupils are developing an understanding of their strengths and next steps and how they will achieve these~almost all pupils are enthusiastic and motivated~ there is an appropriate use of praise / recognition of success & achievement~Pupils given opportunities to work in a variety of ways ~ most pupils have a high attendance

skills and build confidence through performance, sport, music, rotary quiz, representing the school, presenting work at open days, assemblies and parents evenings, ~Pupils recognise achievement in this and record it in their folios~ Pupils are taught how to be to be resilient and encouraged to keep trying, with support when appropriate

EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTOR~Pupils are given some opportunities to develop as enterprising citizens~ Pupils are encouraged to share ideas through group work and are developing an understanding of the skills & social rules for working in a group~ pupils are taught the skills of negotiation and compromise through circle time and collaborative learning ~Pupils are developing problem solving strategies ~almost all pupils are proud to be a member of the school

work to ensure this Pupils have access to a broad education Care is taken to ensure the needs of all pupils are being met Staff participate in training and are supported in meeting

children’s needs Pupil interests are increasingly being taken into account The tracking and monitoring of individual learning has been

developed Robust planning and wide ranging opportunities and support,

including those with ASN, between Nursery and P1 ensures a smooth transition

Transition between primary and secondary, both pastoral and curricular needs to be revisited to ensure smoother and longer transition

Social transition opportunities are in place between nursery and P1

The mechanisms are in place for transitions between classes

PERSONAL SUPPORT Early identification of needs is ensured

through and management of the GIRFEC [Getting it right for every child] approach

Support is given to staff by the management team to help them to plan and implement support for pupils

The effective timetabling and organisation of the school’s support team which ensures valuable additional support for pupils

We use a range of whole school and classroom strategies to support pupils who are at risk of missing out and those who are vulnerable.

Home school communication procedures are in place

More able pupils are given opportunities to be challenged in their learning

Differentiation is used in some areas of the curriculum such as maths and reading

We work with a range of agencies, to support pupils’ learning and progress.

PRINCIPLES Opportunities are offered for personalisation and choice in learning Almost all pupils find learning enjoyable Pupils are involved in aspects of planning topics and this increases motivation and

enthusiasm Breadth of learning is planned across each level Tracking of social subjects will ensure classes do not revisit topics unnecessarily The introduction of a Science grid will help ensure progression through each level Programmes of study in reading and maths/numeracy help deliver depth of learning Progression in reading, maths and writing is ensured by using an individualised tracking

system

ASSESSMENT A cycle of learning, assessment , teaching is evident in most

classes Staff use formative assessment strategies to support children

in their learning Self and peer assessment strategies are evident in all classes. Most assessment is measured against agreed success criteria There is some written feedback in pupils’ jotters Pupil folios of work have been introduced All staff participate in peer visits within the school and use

these to initiate professional discussion about school improvement in learning and teaching

staff have been involved in moderating writing within the associated school group and highland wide

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VALUES Values are embedded in the work of the school Our values are understood by the pupils and

followed by all Pupils and staff are valued as individuals Our aims reflect our values and have been

reviewed along with pupils and parents We have pupil friendly aims We welcome parents and members of the

community and respect their opinions and contributions

Opportunities are planned to support charities and others in need locally and in the wider world

All pupils and staff respect and care for the planet

All pupils have an awareness of their place in the world and their responsibilities

Citizenship (locally & further afield) is embedded within the school

TOTALITY OF THE CURRICULUM Pupils and parents involved effectively in planning next steps All parents confident and willing to support the learning of their child Sustainable programme has been developed across the curriculum.

School has achieved Green Flag All pupils offered opportunities to develop personal talents and

experience success The health and wellbeing of all pupils and staff has a high profile in the

school There is a Scottish focus within social studies topics and in literacy texts Extra curricular activities are offered to all children within school time and

out of school time Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the life of the school Breadth of learning is ensured across each level The outdoors and community are being used to provide a rich learning

environment for all children. Children practice their learning in real settings and apply their skills in

relevant contexts

LEARNING AND TEACHING Inter disciplinary learning fully developed across the school Children are active, independent learners High quality learning and teaching through out the school The school is inclusive for all learners All pupils are achieving their potential Challenge and enjoyment, personalisation and choice are evident

throughout the curriculum Learning through play is embedded in Infants Learner reflection and target setting is ongoing and in everyday work. Personal learning profiles are high quality and lead to improvements in

learning Teacher and peer feedback is evident in pupils’ work Teacher feedback is high quality and leads to improvements in learning The identification of success criteria by teachers and pupils is evident

in all lessons Teacher questioning is highly effective and promotes high level skills

such as reasoning, justification and prediction All staff actively seek out opportunities to share aspects of learning and

teaching within the school and in other schools Pupils have mastered the basic skills in numeracy and literacy,

appropriate for their age/stageEXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES All staff have an excellent working knowledge of

the 8 areas of the curriculum and how they relate to the children they teach

Experiences and outcomes are developed within contexts and real life situations to make learning meaningful

Progression within outcomes is detailed in maths, reading and writing

Pupil progression is tracked across reading, writing and maths

Learning is linked across the curriculum Science, RME and Social subjects outcomes

have been grouped under topics to ensure breadth of learning

Health and Well being outcomes and experiences are embedded across the life of the school

International education, enterprise, Sustainable development and creativity have been developed using Experiences and outcomes and are embedded in our learning.

RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN~All pupils are given valuable opportunities to develop as a responsible citizen~ pupils have a sound understanding of what skills are needed and are building these~ pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour,~ parents support the positive behaviour policy

SUCCESSFUL LEARNER~The embedment of learning intentions and success criteria ensure pupils achieve success~Pupils have a sound understanding of their strengths and next steps and know how they will achieve these~All pupils are enthusiastic and motivated~ praise / recognition of success & achievement impacts on learning~ high quality teacher/peer feedback leads to success~ high attendance ensures success

CONFIDENT INDIVIDUAL~All pupils are given opportunities to develop skills, increase independence and build confidence ~All pupils are encouraged to participate these opportunities and fully supported to do so.~ Pupils are taught the skills to be confident and independent learners

EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTOR~pupils are able to apply critical thinking in new contexts and transfer skills across learning~ opportunities for enterprise education are plentiful~ Pupils can work effectively together, with support where needed eg younger pupils, pupils with ASN~Pupils are able to apply problem solving approaches~ pupils are able justify their opinions ~ All pupils are proud to be a member of the school.

ENTITLEMENTS We have a fully inclusive curriculum and environment All pupils, staff and parents are treated with equality and fairness Pupils enjoy a broad education that is motivating and which takes

account of their interests and needs All transitions between nursery and primary, primary and secondary

and between schools are well planned, supportive and effective. Transitions take into account children’s learning and social and

emotional needs There is a progressive, coherent and relevant curriculum from nursery

to primary 7 and into secondary The tracking and monitoring of individual learning ensures work and

experience s are not repeated unnecessarily during all transitions, including class to class and teacher to teacher

Staff participate in training and are supported in meeting children’s needs

PERSONAL SUPPORT All pupils are supported through transitions to

provide a coherent experience for all learners

PRINCIPLES Valuable opportunities are offered for personalisation and choice Staff, pupils and parents are appropriately involved in developments within the

ASSESSMENT A cycle of learning, assessment , teaching is embedded in each

class and as a whole school

AVOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING OUR CURRICULUM WHERE WOULD WE LIKE TO BE IN 2016?

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There is early identification of needs across the school

All teachers are confident in writing Child’s plans, including Individualised learning plans

Staff use a wide variety of ways of supporting learners

Staff are reflective in their planning of learning Additional support staff are deployed effectively

in all classes & across the school Learning activities meet the needs of all learners More able pupils are consistently challenged in

their learning There is consistent and effective home school

communication We work well with a range of agencies, who help

us to best support pupils’ learning and progress.

school All pupils find learning enjoyable and challenging Personal Learning Planning is manageable and effective and fully involves

pupils and parents in planning next steps All pupils experience breadth and depth of learning across the curriculum We offer a coherent and relevant curriculum for every pupil Pupils have many and varied opportunities to plan their learning There is clear progression of learning for each pupil Pupils build on previous learning without revisiting aspects unnecessarily

Staff use formative assessment strategies to support children in their learning

Self and peer assessment strategies are embedded and meaningful in all classes.

Assessment is measured against clear and understood success criteria

There is clear written feedback in pupils work which is used to plan next steps

Pupil folios of work show best and latest work and have been assessed against success criteria, and show next steps

There is evidence of pupil choice in selecting work for the folio All staff ,independently & on a regular basis, organise and

participate in peer visits , both in the school and wider afield, and use these to improve learning and teaching throughout the school

Moderation is embed in practice across the school and ASG, including the use of national assessment resources

We will continue to work closely with parents/carers and our community. We will take every opportunity to involve them in the life and work of the school, to share our achievements and to build links, which enhance our curriculum.

This rationale will be reviewed as part of a three year cycle to ensure that it reflects the embedment of a Curriculum for Excellence.

June 2013

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