Organisation of the curriculum

We believe that, in line with the most current research in the field of Education, the importance of knowledge and a wide vocabulary can increase life chances of all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. Combining this with our REACH values (Respect, Enthusiasm, positive Attitude, Caring, Helpful) we have designed our curriculum at Wood End Academy around the principles of endeavouring to make learning fun and memorable for all pupils to give them the best chance of success in their future.

The curriculum at Wood End Academy is organised into a blend of discrete subjects and cross-curricular themes - these are categorised into core subjects (English and Maths), discrete subjects (computing, PE, RE, PSHE, Music, French) and Learning Journeys (cross curricular themes teaching History, Geography, Science, Art and Design and Design Technology)

English is taught every day through reading and writing and speaking and listening

1. There is a daily reading lesson where the children are taught how to enjoy and comprehend the written word and have the opportunity to develop their expression and fluency through reading aloud to the class. Children also listen to the class teacher reading every day purely for pleasure and enjoyment. We choose quality texts to share with the children to foster a love of reading and stretch them beyond that which they can read independently. We place emphasis on developing a rich vocabulary and spend time pre-teaching new and challenging vocabulary prior to reading new material as well as displaying new words encountered throughout the curriculum. 
2. There is a daily writing lesson which includes a structured approach to writing in specific genres. Children start by having a go at writing in a particular genre. They then spend time exploring ‘what a good one looks like’ (WAGOLL) and are taught to identify the features of the specific genre. Children will then undertake ‘shared writing’ with the teacher, who models the process of how to compose and edit writing. Finally, they will produce their own examples, spend time editing and finally assess how much they have improved in their writing since their first attempt. This process will usually take 2-3 weeks and result in 4-5 high quality pieces of writing each term. We follow a sequential scheme for grammar, punctuation and spelling, with a weekly grammar lesson and weekly spelling patterns and tests.
3. We provide plenty of opportunity for the children to use drama in their learning to build confidence, comprehension and self- expression. In order to develop memory and encourage clear speaking and effective listening, emphasis is put on dialogical learning: questioning, conversation and discussion is encouraged so children gain confidence in being able to articulate their learning and recalling what they have learned.

Maths is taught through daily lessons of 1 hour. We have adopted a ‘mastery’ approach in maths, which reflects the latest research and encourages children to learn at a fast pace. Mastering maths means pupils acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. The phrase ‘teaching for mastery’ describes the elements of classroom practice and school organisation that combine to give pupils the best chances of mastering maths. Achieving mastery means acquiring a solid enough understanding of the maths that’s been taught to enable pupils to move on to more advanced material. All pupils are encouraged by the belief that by working hard at maths they can succeed.  Pupils are taught through whole-class interactive teaching, where the focus is on all pupils working together on the same lesson content at the same time, as happens in Shanghai and several other regions that teach maths successfully. This ensures that all can master concepts before moving to the next part of the curriculum sequence, allowing no pupil to be left behind.  If a pupil fails to grasp a concept or procedure, this is identified quickly and early intervention ensures the pupil is ready to move forward with the whole class in the next lesson. Lesson design identifies the new mathematics that is to be taught, the key points, the difficult points and a carefully sequenced journey through the learning. We use Power Maths Scheme, as recommended by The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics to support the teaching of Maths at our school.

Learning journeys incorporate Science, History, Geography, Art and DT. We also seek opportunities through the termly learning journeys to consolidate and make links with discrete subjects. Themes are chosen to reflect and promote local, national and global culture and events. Learning is designed around high quality core texts in order to stimulate and motivate learners while teachers develop a ‘journey’ of learning that the children can use to relate their learning across a range of subject disciplines.

Learning journeys begin with a ‘stunning start’ - an immersive and exciting introduction designed to hook the children in and start them thinking about the possibilities for learning that lie ahead. Over the course of a term, enquiry based learning opportunities, which are designed to develop independence and promote memorable learning, are woven together with knowledge input. Children record their learning in ‘Learning Journals’ through written work, photographs and art. Over the course of the year, learning journeys will ensure a balance between Science, history and geography based topics. 

Discrete Subjects are those that are unique in their approach and have specific guidance for their implementation (computing, religious education, French, music, PSHE and PE) We follow the Ealing scheme of work for RE, PSHE and Music, Real PE scheme of work for PE and school developed schemes for Computing and French.

Visits, workshops, clubs and assemblies form an important part of our curriculum. Valuable general knowledge helps to develop a wider, richer vocabulary. These important enrichment opportunities can help to diminish the difference created by privilege. We proudly run our Children’s University scheme where all children are given a passport to learning and are celebrated for gaining depth of knowledge and understanding through taking part in learning enrichment opportunities both in and out of school. Our annual Graduation Ceremony is testament to the great passion and commitment of our school community to the value of and aspiration for lifelong learning.