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 Policy.
This policy 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, and a full explanation of how it works can be found in the policy document above.
Much of the detail for how our new policy will work in practice can be found in the following supporting documents. Teachers at our school have collaborated to write these resources, and the versions listed here are all first editions that will be further developed this year.
Appendix 1 Individual Learning Plans
Appendix 2 Whole School Curriculum Map
Appendix 3 Alfreton Park Teaching Strategies Resource
Appendix 4 Non Negotiable Lesson Characteristics
Alfreton Park School
Alfreton Park
Wingfield Road
Alfreton
Derbyshire
DE55 7AL
T: 01773 483330
