Our Learning

At Star Primary School, our curriculum is based on our central value to uphold children’s rights at all times. We aim to deliver this by our belief in these guiding principles:

	Research driven: We use lesson study approaches to research educational pedagogy and develop ourselves as lifelong learners and reflective practitioners.
	Inclusive: We believe that every child must access a curriculum that enables them to succeed and grow to their full potential, whatever that may be.
	Growth Mindsets: We are a Thinking School. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy and Thinking Frames, our learning is based on an understanding of expressing how we think and develop our ideas.
	Happy-centred and holistic: We focus on giving children key life skills in order to be resilient, cope with life’s challenges and solve problems for themselves.
	Topic Based: We use stimulating and relevant topics each half term to promote joined up thinking, use a common language and help draw comparisons and link their learning across different subjects.
	Successful: We strive to prepare all pupils for lifelong effectiveness and success: for all pupils to feel triumphant in their achievements.

	Intention
	Our curriculum upholds the central value that children’s rights are at the heart of what we teach and everything we do. We want our pupils to question the world in which they are living and strive to make it a better place. Our pupils leave Star Primary with values that enable them to make a positive and vital contribution to society. When we ask them about their dreams and aspirations, we want them to reflect that being a good person with a strong moral compass is the most important gift you can give yourself.
	Implementation
	We constantly review our topics to ensure that current and topical issues are covered. We design each unit holistically to ensure an integrated approach across subject areas, carefully aligning them with the National Curriculum. Post Holders guarantee the curriculum offer is reflected in all subjects. We endeavour to develop mastery in mathematics through Maths No Problem. We use the Happy Centred scheme of work to underpin staff and pupil wellbeing. Other subject areas are bespoke and designed around the engaging and pupil-centred topics covered. We deliver an extensive enrichment curriculum: residential programmes to the Lake District, York as well as camping. Music and PE opportunities are rich and children with children performing at inspirational venues. A high emphasis is placed on oracy through Drama and Speechmaking. Alongside the core curriculum offer, we deliver a bespoke life-skills curriculum for SEND pupils. EYFS is focused on outdoor, child initiated activities in a stimulating environment based on research around “In the Moment Planning.” Our extra-curricular provision ensures all pupil interests are catered for – offering in excess of thirty different clubs to choose from.
	Impact
	Star pupils love coming to school and will happily talk to visitors about their learning. They are passionate about children’s rights and demonstrate these in all that they do. Our pupils engage with all lessons and there is an overwhelming culture of respect within the school. Parents are very supportive of the school and support our pupils, particularly with home learning projects. As a result of our enriched curriculum offer, outcomes for pupils are consistently above national averages by the time Star pupils leave the school in Year Six.

Our Subjects