Curriculum Intent

At Icknield Primary School, our curriculum is designed to provide children with a broad, balanced and purposeful education that builds on prior learning and prepares them for what comes next. We want children to develop a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, while also having opportunities to explore, question, make connections and develop their understanding of the world around them. Learning is carefully sequenced so that children revisit, deepen and apply their knowledge and skills as they progress through the school, with increasing levels of challenge and independence.

Our curriculum is delivered through a balanced and carefully considered timetable, providing children with regular opportunities to develop, practise and apply what they have learned. Teachers consider what children already know and understand when planning new learning, they ensure that key knowledge and skills are introduced at an appropriate point and built upon over time. Through ongoing reflection and review, subject leaders and staff work collaboratively to evaluate how learning progresses from one year group to the next and identify opportunities for meaningful connections across subjects. These links help our children to recognise that learning is not isolated, but contributes to a wider understanding of themselves and the world around them.

We recognise that children learn in different ways and may require different levels of support or challenge. Our curriculum is therefore enhanced through appropriate adaptations, targeted interventions and additional opportunities for practice, consolidation and development where needed. We aim to provide an environment in which all children can participate, achieve and develop a positive attitude towards learning.

The impact of our curriculum is that children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to take their next steps in learning. As they build on prior knowledge and make connections between ideas, children become increasingly confident in applying what they know, solving problems and approaching new learning with greater independence. We want children to be able to remember and use what they have learned, rather than simply acquire knowledge for a particular lesson or unit.

Ultimately, we want children to leave each stage of their education with strong foundations for what comes next, alongside the curiosity, confidence and independence to continue learning. Our curriculum aims to develop children as successful learners who are able to reflect on their experiences, recognise their own progress and embrace new opportunities. Most importantly, we want our children to have the knowledge, skills and wider experiences they need to thrive in life beyond primary school.