At Springfield Academy, we believe that our children need a curriculum that promotes ambition and aspiration, through purposeful and rich experiences that broadens their perspectives on life.  We know that our children need a curriculum that embeds knowledge, expands vocabulary and captures their imagination.  We ensure that our curriculum provides the vital inspiration and challenge to give our children the confidence to choose and own their future. If you want any further information on the curriculum contact the school here.

“The power of imagination is the ultimate creative power. While knowledge defines what we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create…”

                                                                    Einstein

We are excited about the changes we have made to our curriculum topics and proud of the achievements and progress our children are making.

Paired year groups follow a two year topic cycle to facilitate collaborative planning, coverage and continuity between subjects. 

Our TOPIC OVERVIEW shows coverage of the curriculum subjects that are covered and the content that will be taught in each topic.

Please open the PDF to view:

Whilst paired classes follow the same themes within each topic, the knowledge and skills taught cover the objectives specific to each of the year groups.

Class teachers plan using Springfield's subject knowledge road maps. These ensure that within our topics, year group specific subject knowledge is revisited or pre-taught so that all knowledge is covered and builds from year to year.

Our subject knowledge road maps can be found on each of our curriculum subject pages.

Our curriculum is designed to allow the children of Springfield to live the school motto:

‘Enjoy. Believe. Achieve’.

Enjoy

At Springfield, the children access the National Curriculum through our topics. The topic choices we have made are rooted in what we believe will excite and engage the children. We know that they will learn best through enjoyment and by experiencing what we want them to record and write about, so we provide practical engagement experiences to take them beyond the classroom through role play, VR kits, drama, re-enactments, visits and audio immersive resources, giving them opportunities to learn knowledge about their topics by being somewhere (or someone) else. Our children's Learning Journeys reflect the learning which follows these practical engagement experiences. Our website class pages show the enjoyment in learning and the wide variety of practical engagement opportunities our children experience throughout their topics.

Believe

As one of our core school values is Aspiration, we want our children to know as much as possible about the world around them both here in Bulwell and also beyond, so that they can make more informed choices about their own future. Embedding knowledge and developing their understanding of the different subjects they learn through the topics is therefore a key component in developing our children’s confidence and self-belief. We give out knowledge organisers each half term and ensure that the children know what subject it is that they are learning. Links are made to previously learnt knowledge and is embedded through recapping and recall activities in independent tasks. We teach primarily through small mixed ability groups (an approach we call Core Skills), which enables adults to deliver our curriculum in a way that allows more close contact with the children, making assessment for learning and feedback quicker and more individualised. Curriculum knowledge is recorded in our Learning Journeys, on our class pages and around our school on displays using writing, pictures, photographs and video evidence.

Achieve

In order for our children to achieve their best in life, evidence points to the positive relationship between reading frequency, reading enjoyment and attainment. This is why we have worked hard to make Springfield a ‘reading school’ and why our curriculum focusses on building vocabulary. By committing to teaching every child to read and providing every opportunity to read through the topics and subjects we teach, emphasis is placed on the vocabulary the children will need in order for them to have a deeper understanding of subject content and broaden their life chances.  

We also know that if children feel that they aren’t represented in the curriculum, this can result in lower engagement, participation and ultimately achievement. By ensuring that children have access to diversity in our curriculum through our ‘Just Like Me’ initiative, we teach them how to use their strengths and points of view to contribute positively in today’s world. Through assemblies, newsletters and our class pages on the website, we celebrate the children’s achievements and successes throughout each half-term. 

What’s the impact of our curriculum?

We have a curriculum that enables the children to explore the breadth and depth of the national curriculum.

There is an increased engagement in learning.

The children are beginning to see links between different aspects of their learning.

The children understand the purpose and value of their learning and see its relevance to their past, present and future.

The children are experiencing the challenge and enjoyment of learning.

We have a curriculum that helps children to develop and demonstrate their creativity and develop new skills through a variety of interesting contexts.

The children are learning within a coherent and progressive framework.

To summarise, at Springfield it is through vocabulary, experiences and knowledge that

together we can…Enjoy. Believe. Achieve.