The curriculum at Chalfont St Peter C of E Academy is ambitious, enriching and designed to raise achievement, inspire a love of learning and prepare our pupils for their future.
At Chalfont St Peter C of E Academy (CSPA), our vision and values underpin our curriculum design and approach to teaching and learning. We strive to embed our CSPA and British values into the children’s four-year journey so they develop as happy, resilient and motivated learners. Our sense of community creates a strong foundation for positive, successful learning and a school where staff, governors, parents and pupils work together and take great pride in our school.
Teachers passionately teach our curriculum with the children’s personal development and academic progress as paramount. We plan inspiring learning experiences which encourage those awe and wonder moments, igniting curiosity and a love of learning. Our curriculum is carefully planned to stimulate the children’s creativity and reflect their cultural capital.
Our curriculum is relevant, broad and balanced, promoting all pupils’ emotional, social, spiritual and academic needs. It is sequential and progressive. Cross-curricular links help children to make connections, revisit knowledge and build on prior learning. Children have the time for reflection and there is a strong emphasis on not only building on the knowledge, understanding and skills within each topic but also why the chosen learning programme is important to the here and now.
The CSPA curriculum consistently highlights the impact of a growth mindset opposed to a fixed mindset and encourages our children’s capacity to learn. Teachers teach skills for effective communication and children rapidly learn the benefits of working collaboratively. Our children also learn how to develop their independence to show enterprise, leadership and ingenuity. Teachers create safe learning atmospheres where pupils are happy to take risks and view mistakes as opportunities to learn. The CSPA curriculum design encourages pupils to acknowledge and demonstrate learning behaviours using our CSPA Rainbow to support their learning approach. They grow in confidence, knowing their strengths, talents and areas for development. Our curriculum is fully inclusive and accepting of difference, developing both the children’s personal morals and levels of respect. Children are given endless opportunities to master their full potential.
Our teachers have strong subject knowledge and CSPA provides training opportunities, professional development and actively encourages the sharing of best practice. Subject leadership teams and partnerships provide effective support for colleagues with an annual schedule of work for monitoring, evaluating and reviewing their subjects.
Teachers use both formative and summative assessment effectively to inform their planning and teaching. Differentiated learning ensures that children are both challenged and supported. Teachers plan thoughtfully including enhanced entry and exit activities for new topics. The level of pace is carefully considered and adapted as needed.
Our curriculum and teaching approach allows our children to learn in different ways in an environment that remains stimulating and inviting. Where needed, our curriculum allows for additional interventions to be made ensuring that all children make steps of progress.
Enrichment opportunities are plentiful and feature in the everyday curriculum as well as in our extensive extra-curricular programme, WOW days, school trips (residential and day trips), specialist visitors to school and year group/whole school experiences.
Our curriculum design responds to pupil voice groups to ensure whole school ownership for learning opportunities and development.
CSPA children achieve well by developing knowledge and skills as they progress through the school. This is reflected in the results that are achieved at the end of Key Stage 2 where achievement is consistently above national and Buckinghamshire averages. Pupils make progress from their own starting points.
Teachers and leaders use the schools assessment information to support judgements on the impact our curriculum is having. Teachers provide effective and timely feedback both verbally and in writing to highlight strengths and how to develop further ‘Book Looks’ demonstrate the successful curriculum journey pupils make and pupil interviews reinforce the children’s knowledge, understanding and positive attitude.
CSPA pupils fully recognise and understand their own learning behaviours and what constitutes an effective learner. As a result pupils know how to use their learning and how to apply it in different contexts. Learning environments are industrious, exciting and there is a real ‘buzz’ in every classroom.
At the end of their four-year journey, CSPA pupils move on to their next stage of education fully prepared, confident and equipped to tackle any future experiences and challenges.
Should you require any further information about the curriculum please speak to your child's class teacher.