Our Curriculum Intent and Vision

At Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Oakengates Nursery School Federation, we are committed to giving every child the best possible start in life. Our curriculum reflects our shared vision, values and aspirations for every child, shaping what we want children to know, understand, experience and be able to do during their time with us.

Rooted in our ethos of Love, Laugh, Learn, our curriculum is designed to help every child achieve, belong and thrive. We want children to feel happy, safe and valued, develop a lifelong love of learning and grow into confident, curious, independent and resilient individuals.

Our curriculum is underpinned by our five core values: Equity, Excellence, Hard Work, Kindness and Honesty. These values shape our relationships, expectations, teaching and learning, ensuring that every child is supported and challenged to achieve their very best.

Our Core Beliefs

We believe that every child is unique, capable and deserving of an ambitious, inclusive and nurturing education.

Our curriculum is founded on a commitment to:

• Putting children first, recognising their individuality, interests, strengths and needs.

• Achieving equity and excellence, removing barriers and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.

• Valuing families and communities, recognising the importance of children's experiences, cultures, languages and relationships.

• Developing the whole child, supporting intellectual, physical, emotional, social and personal development.

• Promoting kindness, honesty and respect, helping children understand their responsibilities towards themselves and others.

• Encouraging curiosity and creativity, providing rich experiences that inspire children to explore, question and discover.

• Caring for our world, developing an understanding of sustainability and responsibility for the environment.

• Celebrating effort and achievement, encouraging children to work hard, persevere and take pride in their learning.

Above all, we believe that a happy childhood is the right of every child, and that positive relationships, a sense of belonging and high expectations provide the foundations for successful learning.

A Carefully Planned Learning Journey

Our curriculum provides a coherent, ambitious and carefully sequenced learning journey from birth to seven, recognising the distinctive stages of development across our nursery provision, Reception and Key Stage 1.

We have identified the essential knowledge, skills, vocabulary and experiences that children need to develop as they progress through our federation.

Our curriculum:

• Builds on children's starting points, experiences and prior knowledge.

• Identifies clear end points and progressively builds knowledge and skills.

• Provides a broad and balanced range of meaningful learning experiences.

• Makes connections between different areas of learning.

• Balances purposeful play, exploration, practical experiences and explicit teaching, appropriate to children's age and stage of development.

• Prioritises strong foundations in communication, language, literacy and mathematics.

• Prepares children for successful transitions, including moving between nursery rooms, into Reception and onwards to junior school.

We recognise that children develop at different rates and in different ways. Our approach is responsive and inclusive, ensuring that children receive the support, challenge and opportunities they need to make progress.

Our ambition is for every child to know more, understand more, remember more and be able to do more as they move through their learning journey.

Inspiring a Love of Learning

We want every child to love learning, embrace new experiences and develop confidence in their abilities.

Our curriculum provides opportunities for children to investigate, explore, create, imagine and make sense of the world around them.

Through stimulating environments, purposeful play, high-quality interactions and carefully planned teaching, we encourage children to develop independence, curiosity and a willingness to try new things.

We want our children to experience the joy of discovery, celebrate their achievements and understand that learning involves effort, practice and sometimes making mistakes.

Our commitment to excellence and hard work means that we encourage every child to aim high, take pride in their achievements and recognise the value of perseverance.

Communication and Language at the Heart

Communication, language and vocabulary development are at the heart of our curriculum.

We recognise that strong foundations in spoken language are essential for children's learning, relationships, emotional development and future success.

Across our federation, we prioritise opportunities for children to:

• Develop a rich, increasingly precise and ambitious vocabulary.

• Listen attentively and communicate their ideas, needs and feelings.

• Engage in meaningful conversations with adults and other children.

• Ask questions, explain their thinking and develop reasoning skills.

• Retell experiences, stories and events using increasingly sophisticated language.

• Develop the confidence to express opinions and contribute to discussions.

• Use language to build relationships, solve problems and make sense of their learning.

Through language-rich environments, high-quality adult interactions, storytelling, explicit vocabulary teaching and carefully planned opportunities for talk, we support every child to become a confident and effective communicator.

We recognise the importance of identifying speech, language and communication needs early and providing timely, targeted support to reduce barriers to learning.

Developing Our Learning Powers

We want children to become confident, independent, reflective and resilient learners who are willing to embrace challenges and take responsibility for their learning.

Our four Learning Powers are woven throughout our curriculum and daily experiences.

These Learning Powers support our values of Hard Work and Excellence, helping children understand that success comes through curiosity, effort, teamwork, reflection and determination.

Every Child, Every Opportunity

Equity is central to our curriculum.

We believe every child should feel a strong sense of belonging and have meaningful opportunities to participate, achieve and thrive.

Our curriculum is ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), children learning English as an additional language (EAL), disadvantaged children and those who may experience other barriers to learning.

We are committed to:

• Identifying children's needs and potential barriers at the earliest opportunity.

• Providing high-quality, adaptive teaching and inclusive learning environments.

• Using targeted support and intervention where appropriate.

• Valuing and celebrating children's home languages, cultures and experiences.

• Working in partnership with parents, carers and other professionals.

• Ensuring equitable access to enrichment, wider opportunities and the full curriculum.

• Supporting children to develop independence, confidence and a positive sense of identity.

Equity does not mean that every child receives the same support; it means ensuring that every child receives what they need to succeed.

We hold high expectations for all children, recognising and celebrating the different ways in which they learn, develop and achieve.

Growing Together – Personal Development and Wellbeing

We want children to love and respect themselves, each other and the world around them.

Positive relationships, emotional security and a strong sense of belonging are fundamental to our approach.

Our personal development offer is woven throughout the curriculum, school culture, relationships and wider experiences. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is an important part of this provision.

Through our curriculum and daily interactions, we support children to:

• Develop positive relationships and friendships.

• Demonstrate kindness, honesty and respect towards others.

• Understand, recognise and manage their feelings.

• Develop confidence, independence and a positive sense of self.

• Appreciate differences and respect the diversity of families, cultures and communities.

• Understand fairness, responsibility and the importance of making positive choices.

• Work cooperatively, listen to others and contribute to their community.

• Recognise trusted adults and learn how to keep themselves and others safe.

• Develop healthy habits and an understanding of physical and emotional wellbeing.

Our three shared behaviour expectations bring our values to life in language that young children can understand:

We are kind. We are honest. We work hard.

Through our relationships, PSHE curriculum, including Jigsaw, and wider wellbeing provision, we help children develop the emotional understanding, confidence and social skills they need to flourish.

Enrichment, Experiences and Opportunities

We believe that a rich and meaningful education extends beyond the classroom.

Our curriculum provides opportunities for children to experience new places, people, activities and ideas, broadening their understanding of the world and helping them discover new interests and talents.

We value:

• Educational visits, visitors and first-hand experiences.

• Outdoor learning and opportunities to explore the natural environment.

• Creative arts, music, physical education and cultural experiences.

• Reading for pleasure, storytelling and opportunities to develop imagination.

• Opportunities to contribute to school life, including pupil voice and leadership.

• Environmental responsibility, sustainability and community involvement.

• Experiences that promote independence, confidence, cooperation and resilience.

We are committed to ensuring that children's backgrounds or circumstances do not limit their opportunities. We carefully consider how our enrichment offer supports children who may otherwise experience barriers to participation.

Our wider opportunities are designed to enhance children's learning, strengthen their personal development and prepare them for the next stage of their education and beyond.

Assessment That Makes a Difference

We recognise that children's learning and development do not always follow a straight line.

Our approach to assessment is purposeful, proportionate and responsive, supporting practitioners and teachers to understand what children know, understand and can do.

Through ongoing observation, discussion, questioning and assessment, we identify children's strengths, achievements, misconceptions and next steps.

Assessment enables us to:

• Build a clear picture of children's individual starting points.

• Identify gaps in knowledge, understanding and development.

• Adapt teaching and learning experiences to meet children's needs.

• Provide timely support and appropriate challenge.

• Monitor progress, particularly for children who may face barriers to learning.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum and teaching.

We use assessment to inform our professional judgements, rather than allowing assessment processes to dominate children's learning experiences.

Our aim is to ensure that every child makes the strongest possible progress from their individual starting points.

Ready for the Next Chapter

Our curriculum is designed to give children the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experiences they need for successful future learning and life.

We want children to leave our federation with secure foundations in communication, language, early literacy, mathematics, personal development and independence.

Above all, we want them to leave feeling happy, confident, valued and proud of who they are.

We want our children to become:

• Confident communicators who listen carefully, express their ideas and use language effectively.

• Curious and resourceful thinkers who question, explore, investigate and solve problems.

• Kind and honest citizens who respect differences, value fairness and care for others.

• Resilient and determined learners who embrace challenges, work hard and strive for excellence.

• Reflective individuals who recognise their achievements, learn from experiences and understand how to improve.

• Cooperative team members who build positive relationships and value learning together.

• Independent and confident individuals who feel safe, have a strong sense of belonging and are ready for their next stage of education.

Our ambition is simple: to help every child achieve, belong and thrive, providing the foundations for a happy, successful and fulfilling future.

'Love, Laugh, Learn'