Our Curriculum

About our curriculum

In our academy our curriculum is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure it meets the needs of our current cohorts, the organisation of our classes and, most importantly, the local issues that may arise in our community or in the wider world.
We know, and are confident, that our curriculum is right for our children because:

• it is based on our structured Aspirations framework which encourages all pupils, parents and staff to have aspirational dreams for their futures and have high expectations of themselves;
• it gives plenty of opportunities for the children to think for themselves, solve problems and be challenged; we use the challenge and engagement tool, based on Blooms Taxonomy, to ensure we are extending the pupils thinking in all subjects.
• it teaches them how to keep safe in school, their homes and in the community as well as protecting themselves from potential harm; we focus on the uses and dangers of the canal in Banbury town and ensure swimming/water safety is a key focus for all of our pupils.
• They are taught how to use the internet to explore independently but know how to be responsible when socialising through APPs and computer games; we focus on age appropriate games, communicating via social media sites and inviting strangers into groups. We hold internet safety workshops, weekly lessons inform parent of new APPs when they are developed via text message or the newsletter.
• It focuses on how they behave outside of school; how to live with integrity and to understand that they have sense of social responsibility within the community they live; we focus on safety in the local area in the evenings and anti-social behaviour.
• They are taught the difference between right and wrong and to ensure they have the confidence to live by their moral purpose and not be led by others who choose to live differently;
• it encourages and teaches the pupils how to ask relevant and responsible questions that enables them to have a voice and articulate their ideas with confidence;
• it focuses on the cause and consequences of their actions with the support of PCSOs, the school nurse and links to the local mosque; we discuss issues that are in the news and discuss various human behaviours that cause people to react in particular ways.
• It teaches them the importance of contributing to society both economically and socially, both now and in their futures, as well as questioning them about how they should live their lives;
• it teaches the children how to keep themselves healthy with a huge focus on oral health, exercise, healthy eating and mental well-being. Oral health is a regional issue so we have an annual tooth defenders day and a local dentist visits on our annual healthy schools fayre.
• it gives them a variety of life opportunities and experiences that make them smile, laugh and push them out of the comfort zone in order to grow in confidence. Examples of these life experiences are a trip to the beach, the theatre, Futures Institute Banbury, residential visits and the Greatworth Hall Farm experience.