National Curriculum

at Westfield School

School Requirements

The requirement for every school to deliver a broad balanced and relevant curriculum is paramount to our daily practice at Westfield. However, the duty of all maintained schools in England to follow the National Curriculum (as demonstrated by the table below) brings with it some interesting combinations of priorities for us as a teaching team,

All schools are also required to teach religious education at all key stages. Secondary schools must provide sex and relationship education

All schools must also make procision for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education, (PSHE)

Targets

The requirement to follow the content of the National Curriculum leads to a heightened emphasis on accurate and effective assessment of attainment and ability on entry to our school, and the subsequent setting of realistic, challenging targets for each individual.

Our use of National Curriculum content is as a vehicle for the identification and development of appropriate key skills for each pupil, initially in the areas of functional communication, language and literacy, mathematical understanding, as well as the ability to develop social understanding and independence. These targets are then worked towards through a combination of all National Curriculum subjects in a way that makes sense to each individual.

Due to the differing needs and abilities of every pupil at Westfield, and the fact they do not necessarily develop at the same rate, or sequence as features in a progressive nationally delivered document, our focus adheres to the principles described in the introductory paragraphs of the National Curriculum , which state that:

“Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The school curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that each school plans for its pupils. The national curriculum forms one part of the school curriculum.”

National Curriculum Subjects

These subjects are combined, and delivered through a whole school themed approach which assists with the embedding of skills and knowledge

English

Maths

Science

Music

History

Computing

Food Technology

PSHE/SRE

Geography

Art & Design

Work Related Learning

Citizenship