Recent developments in education and our changing school population have led to some significant changes in the way we approach learning at Alfreton Park. These changes are all set out and explained in our new Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment Overview.
Our Intent
Leaders and teachers design a curriculum to prepare pupils for life as caring and thoughtful members of their local community and society. We use the Education, Health and Care Plan to build on prior learning that develops key concepts and knowledge and broadens pupils’ knowledge and skills.
Teaching is adapted to the meet the needs of the whole pupil based on their individual needs, providing opportunities to succeed. We understand the long-term value of knowledge and deep understanding, and give ample opportunity to revisit concepts so pupils gain deep understanding of the subjects they learn about. As pupils cover concepts in more depth, they are given the tools and resources required to become independent learners as far as practicably possible and follow their own interests.
Our curriculum intertwines academic and personal development, targeting next steps for learning based on the needs of the pupil. Our enriched curriculum gives pupils the chance to access key life experiences such as off-site visits and residential trips, taking their learning further afield and outside of Alfreton.
Delivering our curriculum in a way which ignites a love of learning is critical to improving the life chances of our pupils. We achieve this by prioritising:
Our Approach
This overview brings together three central aspects of learning for pupils at our school; curriculum, teaching and assessment. We believe that education is most effective when a strong coherence exists between learning content, teaching methods, and assessment mechanisms, and we therefore aim to establish common themes and consistency in our approach to each of these areas at Alfreton Park. We subscribe to a pupil-centred philosophy of education, which can be briefly summarised as follows.
Curriculum – ‘what we learn’
The overall intent of our curriculum is that every pupil should gain the skills, knowledge and experiences they most need to grow in confidence and independence. Our starting point is to consider the specific needs and capabilities of the pupils at our school, and the future that may lie ahead for each of them. We use a multidisciplinary approach to identify learning priorities, and each pupil follows their own unique journey towards fulfilling their potential. We consult with families to set meaningful outcomes, and pupils’ wellbeing and best interests are at the heart of everything we do.
Teaching – ‘how we learn’
We use our knowledge of the needs of our pupils to present learning opportunities in ways that are accessible and engaging. We tailor our approach to suit the strengths and interests of our pupils, through the implementation of a wide range of specialist strategies to deliver personalised provision. We place particular importance on the development and exercise of independence not just as a goal, but as a method, and feel that our pupils learn best when they are empowered to think, say and do things for themselves wherever possible.
Assessment – ‘how we review learning’
We evaluate progress by returning to earlier targets and plans to review their impact. Where we find a winning formula, we aim to repeat our successes, and where we encounter challenges, we aim to learn and improve. We recognise that progress is not just about assessment data, and we value the full range of pupils’ efforts and achievements in the way that we track their holistic growth.
This model summarises our approach to education at Alfreton Park.
Long Term Plans
Informal Pathway Long Term Plan
Semi Formal Pathway Long Term Plan
Formal Pathway Long Term Plan KS1 2
Formal Pathway Long Term Plan KS3
To find out more about our curriculum, please contact the school office and ask for a member of the senior leadership team.
We follow the Read Write Inc. Phonics scheme, which is a literacy programme that teaches reading and writing through a systematic approach rooted in phonics. Please ask for our Phonics Policy for more information.
