The curriculum at Greenleas is firmly rooted in the National Curriculum 2014. This forms the cornerstone of learning for our children along with planned daily, weekly and termly experiences which combine to comprise our Creative Curriculum promoting Excellence, Enrichment and Enjoyment. It is a balanced and broadly based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of children at the school and of society, and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Our children are valued as individuals and are supported to become positive and contributing future citizens through PSHE lessons and our Values Education program which is threaded through all subjects.
The curriculum at Greenleas carefully plans and sequences the introduction of new knowledge and the consolidation of prior understanding. This is derived from our understanding of Relational Learning, and is what underpins our mastery teaching approach which leads to embedded learning, or changes in long term memory. Children connect new knowledge with existing knowledge and revisit the key skills which form the essence of each subject through a rich variety of contexts as prescribed by each topic where they also practise and refine their developing skills. These are timed across the school year and a child’s school career to maximise opportunities to revisit skills and knowledge sequentially.
Learning in Subjects and Key Stages follows the programmes of study in the National Curriculum, delivered via half-termly topics which are woven into all subjects except mathematics. In this way, children acquire the knowledge and facts they need for History for example, and consolidate their understanding by writing about it in English, whilst simultaneously improving and developing their English skills.
We support children with additional needs to access the curriculum through differentiated learning tasks designed specifically for them. We offer targeted interventions using proven approaches which are short but frequent. Our pastoral team offers nurture and emotional interventions.
Teaching at Greenleas is never less than good, and over time produces outstanding achievement. It is monitored regularly through lesson evaluations, learning walks, book looks and pupil progress meetings, with input from governors and the School ‘s Improvement Advisor. Both sites follow parallel timetables to ensure parity of entitlement for all children with regular reviews.
Assessment is carried out by teachers to inform them of the children’s gaps in learning, and this feeds into the next lesson so that the pace of learning is determined by the children’s confidence in each area. Parents receive reports twice per year, and are invited in to Parent Consultations one per term. Further information evenings and open classrooms are hosted across the academic year.
Greenleas is proud of its excellent achievement record. Results shown are for Summer 2019:
79% of our pupils achieved the nationally expected level of achievement at the end of Reception compared with a national outcome of 72%
89% of our pupils passed the Phonics check in Year 1 compared to 82% nationally.
In Year 2 Reading 83% of our children are working at national expectation (75% national) 48% of our children are working at Greater Depths (26% national)
In Year 2 Writing 74% of our children are working at national expectation (70% national) 34% of our children are working at Greater Depths (16% national)
In Year 2 Maths 77% are working at national expectation (77% national) 38% of our children are working at Greater Depths (22% national)