Values, Vision and Aims of our Integrated Curriculum

Children at Ringwood CE Infant School are taught through an Integrated Curriculum which is underpinned by agreed learning values. This enables us to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, mental, physical and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of life in modern Britain. By teaching each learning value, we hope children will learn skills that will support their learning throughout their lives.

Vision for the Integrated Curriculum

We believe that our integrated Curriculum will motivate children to learn by involving them in their learning journey. As a consequence of this experience knowledge, skills and understanding and concepts in learning will be deepened and remembered.

We encourage children to become creative explorers, flexible thinkers, adaptable changers and knowledge creators to evaluate and reflect on what and how they have learnt so that they can interpret information and make their own judgements.

We strive to develop children’s spirituality through our teaching approach. Through increased parental involvement, we aim to increase understanding of the learning values, curriculum and children’s learning.

We will offer opportunities for children to work independently and interdependently.

Learners will be presented with an exciting Integrated Curriculum, with a clear purpose and outcomes for their learning.

The staff and Governors have agreed the following six learning values:

• Thinking
• Independence
• Interdependence
• Creativity
• Emotional Engagement
• Spirituality

We will encourage children to consider these values, thereby developing their social, intellectual emotional, spiritual and moral understanding.

Curriculum Intent

We build, shape and develop our curriculum to engender a thirst for learning that lasts a lifetime and which:

• Nurtures, encourages and develops learners who live life to the full and gain moral strength and spiritual depth
• Creates individuals who are wise, well-rounded and responsible citizens
• Secures the foundations to confidently manage their lives and make a meaningful contribution to society
• Acknowledges, respects and values the preciousness of each person and those of different faiths and beliefs
• And, acquires the knowledge, skills and understanding to achieve academic success.

Curriculum Characteristics

Our curriculum is characterised by:

• Enjoyment and challenge
• Breadth, depth and richness
• Coherence, continuity and progression
• Integration and meaning
• Rigour, relevance and purpose
• Personalisation and choice

Curriculum Implementation

The key principles on which our uniquely integrated curriculum is built on

• Identify the lead subject and the specific learning in terms of key knowledge, key skills and understanding to be achieved
• Identify the lead learning value to be integrated within the IC
• Using the lead subject and lead value, create an outcome that gives purpose for the learning, meets the needs of a designated audience and show cases the journey of learning
• Recognising the central role of English as a vehicle for learning in other subjects, this features as a lead (second) in each IC
• The third lead subject is determined by the needs of the outcome and enhances the lead subject, giving greater depth to the learning
• The second value is always ‘thinking’ and strengthens the quality of the learning
• Two applied subjects allow for further practise of previously learned subject-specific skills, and application of prior knowledge, one of which is ICT
• The outcome is a special event, designed for a specific audience (of which half will be for parents)
• Design a ‘hook’ to stimulate the learning by igniting curiosity and creating a pathway to the IC outcome.
• Generate a catchy title that engages the learner with the IC and is memorable
• Produce a parent leaflet giving an overview of the IC, dates for the outcome and providing home learning opportunities

Curriculum Impact

The key impact of our Integrated Curriculum

• Subject-specific skills are demonstrated in action
• Key subject knowledge is retained in long term memory
• Learning skills are acquired and refined

English skills and knowledge are applied correctly in each subject