The Sidlesham Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

At Sidlesham, our curriculum is carefully designed to provide rich, broad and balanced learning experiences for all children across our mixed-age structure, starting from the Early Years Foundation Stage and building through to the end of Key Stage 2.

Our curriculum is securely underpinned by:

• The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and

• The National Curriculum (2014) for Key Stages 1 and 2.

We are committed to ensuring that children leave us with:

• Secure substantive knowledge (the core facts, concepts and ideas within each subject)

• Strong disciplinary knowledge (understanding how knowledge is used, investigated and applied)

Our curriculum is built upon the following principles:

• Coherent sequencing across mixed-age cycles

• Clear progression in knowledge, skills and understanding

• Purposeful revisiting of key concepts across subjects and year groups

• Strong subject identity, while enabling meaningful cross-curricular links

• Systematic development of vocabulary across all subjects

Curriculum maps identify the key substantive knowledge themes for each subject to give coherence and ensure pupils encounter, revisit and deepen their understanding over time.

Our curriculum intent is fully supported by long-term and medium-term plans, which underpin delivery and ensure our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and carefully sequenced for all learners.

Curriculum Implementation

At Sidlesham, our curriculum is securely based on the statutory National Curriculum (2014) for Key Stages 1 and 2 and the EYFS Statutory Framework. Each subject has been carefully designed to reflect our school’s values, learning behaviours and local context, while celebrating diversity and ensuring breadth, balance and ambition for all pupils.

Curriculum Structure:

• In EYFS, the curriculum operates on a one-year cycle, providing children with rich opportunities to build the foundational knowledge, skills and behaviours that prepare them for Key Stage 1.

• In KS1 and KS2, our mixed-age classes follow a carefully mapped three-year rolling programme. This ensures that all children experience full coverage of the National Curriculum content, regardless of the class structure or year group they are in.

• Subject content has been deliberately chosen to ensure pupils develop both substantive knowledge (core facts, concepts and vocabulary) and disciplinary knowledge (how knowledge is used, applied and investigated within each subject).

Delivery Model:

• Some subjects are taught discretely to maintain subject integrity and depth.

• Where appropriate, meaningful cross-curricular links are made to enhance learning and enable children to make connections across subjects and themes.

• Vocabulary development is explicitly planned and embedded across all subjects to ensure language acquisition supports knowledge and understanding.

Wider Curriculum and Enrichment:

• We enrich our curriculum with a wide variety of clubs, visits, visitors and experiences, offering opportunities for all children to apply their learning beyond the classroom.

• Themed weeks and days allow the whole school community to work together across age groups, strengthening our school values and developing collaborative learning behaviours.

• We celebrate local, national and global events to give children a broader understanding of the world around them and their place within it.

Our curriculum is continually reviewed, refined and developed by staff, ensuring it remains ambitious, well-sequenced and carefully matched to the needs of all learners in our school.

Curriculum Impact

At Sidlesham, we continually evaluate the impact of our curriculum to ensure that all children are acquiring the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to be successful learners.

Monitoring Curriculum Impact:

• Subject leaders monitor the effectiveness of their subjects through:

  • Curriculum planning reviews

  • Learning walks

  • Book looks and work scrutiny

  • Pupil voice discussions

  • Staff professional dialogue

• Skills and knowledge progression documents underpin these reviews, allowing subject leaders to check that curriculum content is being delivered as planned and that pupils are building knowledge securely over time.

Monitoring Pupil Progress:

• Class teachers regularly assess pupil understanding within subjects and adapt teaching to address gaps or misconceptions.

• Children not making expected progress are identified quickly and supported through targeted teaching and intervention.

• Pupil progress meetings take place regularly to review attainment and ensure children remain on track.

Staff Development:

• Regular curriculum staff meetings and subject leader development meetings ensure that teachers have a secure understanding of subject content, progression and pedagogy.

• Staff work collaboratively to share good practice and continually refine curriculum delivery.

Our ultimate measure of impact is that:

• Pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

• They are confident, curious learners with a secure body of knowledge across all curriculum areas.

• They develop personal values, resilience and learning behaviours which prepare them for life beyond primary school.