Primary Semi-Formal and Formal Curriculum Overview
The Grove Primary Curriculum provides a broad and balanced curriculum, underpinned by an in depth knowledge of each individual student, and how they learn.
The intent of the Primary curriculum is to introduce our pupils to a wealth of new experiences to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
The semi-formal and formal curriculum is an adapted and modified National Curriculum which is accessible, meaningful and relevant to all students. Every lesson is planned to be challenging, enjoyable and successful for each student and there are many opportunities for practical hands-on activities and visits to places that enhance leaning and extend cultural capital, ensuring learning is fun!
The Primary Curriculum is organised into 4 Pathways:
- Informal Pathway 1
- The Semi-Formal Pathway 2
- The Semi-Formal Pathway 3
- Formal Curriculum Pathway 4
Students follow the Pathway that is appropriate for their need and level of attainment. All pathways are thermaic and delivered in a three year cycle, termly topics within each Pathway have a similar overarching theme that allows some students to work flexibly between two Pathways. (See: Primary Curriculum Map – Pathways 1, 2 and 3).
The three year cycle provides students with the opportunity to move smoothly from one Pathway to the next, consolidate and enrich skills learnt within each theme. Themes have been carefully chosen to have a particular relevance to students and to build on and extend their knowledge and skills, enabling students to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in English, Maths, Science and other curriculum areas in a purposeful and concrete way. Each theme is designed to be broad and balanced ensuring coverage of Humanities, PSHE / RSHE, The Art, Technology, Music, PE and MFL.
Students working at age related expectations follow the Pathway 4 Formal Curriculum. The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the students in our school. The aim of our Pathway 4 curriculum is for students to have the requisite skills to be successful, independent and motivated learners in readiness for their next stage of education. (See: Pathway 4 Formal Primary Curriculum Map)
At the Grove school Play takes a central part in our Curriculum, we see Play as being fundamental to the development of both the student and the adult that the student will become. Play is an essential part of learning, so we provide our students with a safe and secure environment, to explore and engage in Play and Leisure skills. These skills are delivered through our Semi-Formal Curriculum, which has been adapted from Equals, Play and Leisure SoW.
Our Life Skills Curriculum is not linear learning, rather, it is a broad framework in which each students works from. Our Life Skills Curriculum includes an abundant of opportunities to develop life skills through the experience of daily activities both in school and off site. There is a key focus to each topic or area taught that incorporates life skills across the day in addition to discrete sessions. The adapted AET progression framework provides an all-encompassing framework for each area of learning, alongside this framework, Equals SoW, My Independence has been adapted to compliment the AET Framework.
Thinking and Problem Solving is fundamental for our students, at The Grove we see the development of Thinking and Problem Solving not as an isolated scheme of work that should be taught discretely, but in everything we do and therefore everything we do should be regarded as an opportunity for thinking and problem solving. Our Semi Formal curriculum which has been adapted from Equals, My Thinking and Problem Solving SoW, is a holistic approach to learning, with a a 5 tiered approach:
- TIER 1 : Memory building
- TIER 2 : Sabotage!! Recognition of a problem
- TIER 3 : Independent solutions
- TIER 4 : Generalisation
- TIER 5 : Self-belief and confidence
Primary Topic Overview
Year One | Primary – Cycle 1 | ||
Pathway | 1(Informal) | 2 (Semi-Formal) | 3 (Semi-Formal) |
Autumn Theme | All about me | Who Am I | Living Together |
Spring Theme | Living Things | Live and Let Live | The Nature of Life |
Summer Theme | Where is Barnaby Bear | Hooray .. Let’s go on Holidays | From A to B |
Year Two | Primary – Cycle 2 | ||
Pathway | 1(Informal) | 2 (Semi-Formal) | 3 (Semi-Formal) |
Autumn Theme | Food | We are what we eat | Food Glorious Food |
Spring Theme | What is it made of? | Material World | Playing with Materials |
Summer Theme | My Play | My Play and Leisure | Health, Leisure and our body |
Year Three | Primary – Cycle 3 | ||
Pathway | 1(Informal) | 2 (Semi-Formal) | 3 (Semi-Formal) |
Autumn Theme | Nursery Rhymes and Stories | Let’s pretend stories | The stories people tell (Myths and Legends) |
Spring Theme | Looking after things | Keen to be Green | What a Wonderful World |
Summer Theme | Sand & water | The world about me – Water | Waterworld |
Formal National Curriculum Overview for KS2
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
Cycle 1 | Chocolate | Bright Sparks | Fashion | Scavengers & settlers | Material world | Active planet |
Cycle 2 | Inventions that changed the world | Land,
sea & sky |
The Tower of London | Living together | How humans work | Saving
the world |
Cycle 3 | Invaders, settlers & survivors | History AD900 | Space explorers | They see the world like this | Making new materials | The holiday show |
Cycle 4 | Out of Africa | The great, The bold and the brave | Being human (The human body) | Fascinating forces | Full power | Bake it |