Curriculum Intent
“Our curriculum should whisper to our children, ‘You belong. You did not come from nowhere. All of this came before you, and one day, you might add to it.’ ” Ben Newmark
At CCH, our curriculum is rooted in our school vision and values. Our Christian distinctiveness and ambition for all members of our school community is woven through our core belief that every child is unique and deserves to be nurtured and that they should experience a rich, and purposeful curriculum that enables them to grow in knowledge about themselves, one another and the world. Our curriculum- both taught, learned and experienced- enables children to flourish as confident, knowledgeable human beings equipped to make a difference.
Rooted in our vision, the curriculum is transported via our four drivers. These drivers underpin and inform the overall shape and content of our curriculum, ensuring that what we teach is explicitly linked to the needs of our children, families and community. Our drivers were identified through extensive consultation with all stakeholders through discussion about what children at CCH know and how they are; what they should know and how they should be; and what we aspire for them to know and hope them to be.
Our Drivers
Community
Current reality
Children at CCH live in an area which is broadly generational and sparse in terms of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity. However, Hanham is on the border of Bristol- one of the most diverse cities in the United Kingdom and close to the historic city of Bath.
There is a limited sense of school and team identity and the school’s role within the community is not as developed as it should be.
Curriculum intent
Children at CCH need to understand the story of their local area and community and how this has been shaped by the wider history of the United Kingdom. Children will build upon their knowledge of Hanham and Bristol before learning about the U.K and the wider world. Children will understand the cultural diversity of the city of Bristol and how this is reflected nationally and internationally.
Children will acquire essential historical and geographical knowledge to build a sense of identify and learn from the past in order to make sense of their place and role within modern society. The curriculum will enable children to learn from, and with, their local, national and global community. Supported by the other drivers, children at CCH will play an active role within their local area as the school grows into a key pillar of the Hanham community.
The CCH curriculum, in its widest sense, will support children and all members of the school to build a sense of team and family. The school’s core vision of nurturing every individual will be reflected throughout the curriculum with a particular emphasis upon tolerance, understanding and inclusion- the taught and experienced curriculum will enable all children to feel valued as unique individuals who are part of a school community.
Spirituality
Current reality
Christ Church is a Church of England School in a multi-faith society.
There is a clear remit for the school to support the social, emotional and mental health needs of its community
Curriculum intent
Children at CCH need to feel connected as part of a wider community. A key partner is our local church. Children will experience a range of Christian traditions and knowledge about the Christian faith in order to understand the role of church in the lives of this community and the wider world. They will be able to use this knowledge to learn about other faiths, appreciating the similarities and differences between people of faith. As reflective and thoughtful humans, children at CCH will be empowered to question and consider their own beliefs and views in the context of today’s world, developing as reflective and spiritual beings.
The school needs to nurture a loving and safe environment in which all children feel they belong and can thrive within. The CCH curriculum will allow time to pause, reflect and wonder- this will not be limited to religion or worship but will be woven throughout the curriculum to enable children to develop resilience and responsibility, reaching to achieve our dreams.
Art and Culture
Current reality
The CCH curriculum, at the time of last inspection, was limited in scope and ambition. Opportunities for children to represent their school in competitions or community events was limited especially in sport. Curriculum enrichment and breadth was limited. As a result, children have not always had the opportunity to find their strengths and talents and have, therefore, not flourished.
Curriculum intent
Children at CCH need to experience a rich and purposeful curriculum which extends beyond the classroom in order to provide children with learning opportunities help them to acquire new knowledge and skills. The wider school curriculum needs to enable all pupils, regardless of need or background, the opportunity to see that learning extends beyond the classroom. All pupils should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and represent their school in competition.
The CCH curriculum needs to enable children to grow and flourish through the nurturing of individual and collective talents such as in the creative arts. Children at CCH deserve the right to perform and showcase learning from across the curriculum as well as have a platform to share their unique gifts and talents from outside of school.
Oracy
Current reality
Children are beginning school with less secure skills in speech and language. At the point of the last inspection, children were typically passive in their learning with limited opportunities for talk and collaboration.
Curriculum intent
Children at CCH need to be excellent communicators in order to flourish in the modern world. Children should be empowered to find their voice- to question, debate, reflect and give their opinion freely. The CCH curriculum needs to provide a range of opportunities, both informally and formally, for children to master the skills of speech. As they move through the school, knowledge of the different forms of spoken language and how to adapt and select words depending on our audience will be acquired so that all children can speak with confidence and precision.
Curriculum Implementation
Our CCH Curriculum is implemented as below:
English and maths are taught separately each morning. Where there are clear and purposeful links to the foundation subjects, these will be made in order to deepen children’s understanding and enable them to make stronger connections to other areas of learning.
RE, PE, PSHE, Computing and Spanish are currently taught discretely but there will be opportunities to revisit, use and apply some of this knowledge through other subjects.
History, Geography, Science, Art, Design and Music are taught through our new and bespoke CCH Connected Curriculum.
