Curriculum Intent Statement

Our vision is: To ensure lifelong learning for the whole community by building a better future together.

At SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School pupils’ learning is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that a curriculum has to be broad and balanced and offer pupils opportunities to grow as individuals as well as learners, in order to prepare our pupils for life beyond school in a diverse and ever changing world.

A primary focus of the curriculum at SS Simon and Jude is to raise pupils’ aspirations, create a sense of personal pride and achievement, provide a purpose and relevance for learning and ultimately help every individual pupil find their strengths and interests. This curriculum is underpinned by our Christian ethos which permeates through everything we do and a holistic set of values such as perseverance, enquiry, adaptability, resilience and compassion.

SSSJ provides all pupils with a strong foundation for learning, ensuring they are well prepared for the next stage in their journey. Throughout the curriculum, pupils acquire the necessary behaviours and habits to become effective life-long learners, developing enquiring minds and igniting their curiosity. All pupils are challenged in their school life; learning from failures and celebrating successes. Our curriculum empowers individual pupils, regardless of their starting point, to develop a passion for learning and a real thirst for knowledge.

The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced allowing all pupils to further deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding in all aspects of learning. We recognise that the key skills of reading, writing, oracy and numeracy are crucial in equipping our pupils with the necessary skills to live in modern Britain, and given our diverse school context we focus on providing a language rich curriculum. However, we understand that test outcomes are not our sole purpose. Therefore we enhance our curriculum by providing our pupils with a wide range of new and exciting learning experiences such as learning to play a musical instrument, participating in school performances, sports tournaments and a wealth of extra-curricular clubs as well as attending educational trips and inviting visitors into school. Our curriculum provision raises aspirations through providing our pupils with opportunities to deepen their understanding about where they live as well as being internationally minded which is defined as having an awareness of ourselves and others. We promote this through regular local and international fundraising events, charity work and through sponsoring children, leading to our pupils becoming courageous advocates in improving the life chances of others both within and beyond our community.

At SSSJ we firmly believe that our pupils should be given the opportunity to have a voice and to develop their leadership skills. Within school, pupils take on active leadership roles such as school council, worship committee, playmakers and school ambassadors. These elected positions allow all pupils to have a democratic vote and to contribute effectively to the leadership of the school.

Linked to the curriculum provision at SSSJ, we engage with the wider community by establishing positive relationships through our open door policy and our well respected pupil welfare leader.  Parents and carers are fundamental in their child’s development and as a school we encourage this through parent workshops, curriculum events such as entry and exit points, parent conferencing, sports days, school fairs and performances.

The curriculum provision at SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School enables all pupils to live out our school vision in all its fullness, by building a better future together.