The curriculum is sequenced coherently, allowing the interweaving of topics to support the acquisition of key concepts; it is compatible with the key requirements of the National Curriculum and robust collaboration between primary and secondary phases ensures progression.
Curriculum components are repeated over time, ensuring all pupils practise retrieval, master skills and concepts, develop long term memory and make progress from starting points. Retrieval tasks are built into all lessons to enable pupils to remember more.
The ‘Bigger Picture’ is shared with pupils, providing them with a rationale for their learning and to make links between lessons, allowing them to know more and remember more.
Teachers ensure lessons provide a supportive environment for all pupils including those with SEND, removing barriers to learning and participation through adaptive planning, modelling, scaffolding, explicit instruction and metacognitive strategies.
Accurate, regular assessment enables an informed and systematic judgement to be made about a pupil’s knowledge, understanding, skills and attitude. Pupils are provided with feedback and set ‘perfecting our work’ targets to close any learning gaps.
Teachers provide a language-rich environment. Key tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary is mapped out carefully across the curriculum to enable our pupils to learn the correct words and phrases in the right order. A phonics-led approach is used to improve reading and spelling. Carefully selected texts are used to foster a culture of scholarly reading.
Pupils are given opportunities to consider how their learning links to future study and careers, and the importance of British Values.
The curriculum is enriched to include experiences outside the classroom, and we design homework to both pre-learn vocabulary in order to maximise lesson time, as well as reinforcing challenging structures learned in lesson.
Key Stage 4 and 5 lessons are planned to ensure that all language skills are covered, including writing, reading, listening and speaking.
Key Stage 4 Assessment Objectives:
AO1: Listening – understand and respond to different types of spoken language.
AO2: Speaking – communicate and interact effectively in speech.
AO3: Reading – understand and respond to different types of written language.
AO4: Writing – communicate in writing.
Key Stage 5 Assessment Objectives
AO1: Understand and respond:
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- in speech to spoken language including face-to-face interaction
- in writing to spoken language drawn from a variety of sources.
AO2: Understand and respond:
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- in speech to written language drawn from a variety of sources
- in writing to written language drawn from a variety of sources.
AO3: Manipulate the language accurately, in spoken and written forms, using a range of lexis and structure.
AO4: Show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically and analytically to, different aspects of the culture and society of countries/communities where the language is spoken