Curriculum

At Dixons Silver Springs Primary, we adopt the National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as the starting point for our curriculum planning for two reasons. The first is because this provides the age-related standards against which all early years and primary school aged children are measured and we want our children to be able to stand on a level playing field with their peers. The second is because it enables us to satisfy the requirement of 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 children at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. 

In addition to this, we deliver the Coram Life Education SCARF programme and No Outsiders aims.

In establishing our curriculum sequences, we have also considered common barriers and assets within in the local community, which steer us to add weight to and prioritise certain subjects, aspects and concepts of the taught curriculum, as well as place emphasis on these in the wider curriculum. In reviewing our plans, we have studied evidence from cognitive science and educational research as well as considering the views of our children, our parents and other stakeholders, through our Big Curriculum Conversation.

As a result, we have developed a curriculum that is unique to our school and that reflects not only our children’s particular needs but also our ambition for our children’s futures, our core values and strengths, and goes on to identify the means by which we will achieve these.

Children in our Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) can expect a warm and welcoming environment. Our team of highly skilled and experienced practitioners work hard to ensure your child is safe, happy and makes as much progress as possible, consolidating their learning through play.

As its name suggests, the first two years of their education at Silver Springs builds the foundations for all their future learning and is vitally important in preparing them for their future successes. As well as the teacher-led focused learning activities each day there are so many exciting ways to learn both inside and out.

Where children shine

Our curriculum builds in opportunities for extended study and for pupils with a particular interest or skill to contribute as lead learners. We will celebrate when our pupils excel in a particular area of the curriculum and share this widely to inspire others to do the same.

Subjects

English and maths are given the highest priority as they are essential components for high academic performance and long-lasting achievement. They are also fundamental to the delivery of the rest of the curriculum. We place a strong emphasis in all subjects on developing personally and accepting and understanding others as these are the qualities that will ensure that our pupils go on to live successful and fulfilled lives.

Pupils are taught the full range of English skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening, encompassing the key stages of the National Curriculum.

We recognise maths as a creative subject which looks for patterns, makes connections and finds new ways to look at the world; our children will be taught to relate this to practical and ‘real life’ contexts. All adults in school have a positive attitude towards maths and champion the subject within the wider community.

If you have any questions about the curriculum at Dixons Silver Springs Primary, please contact us.

Please note that parents have a right to withdraw their child from part or all of Religious Education (RE) and parents have the right to request withdrawal of their child from sex education (but not from relationships or health education, nor from statutory science). 

Please contact the academy via email should you wish to discuss this or if you wish to find out more information about the curriculum for any of our subjects.