Our Curriculum
Curriculum Intent:
At Marshfield Primary our school curriculum is built around the National Curriculum, key skills and, most importantly, the needs of our learners and school values.
We believe that every child has the right to an inspiring, engaging and meaningful curriculum that enables them not only to reach the highest academic standards, but also enables them to thrive as citizens in tomorrow’s world.
Curriculum Implementation:
The Marshfield Curriculum follows of a series of cycles, each comprising of six, term-long topics. Units from different core and foundation subjects have been meticulously aligned to create meaningful topics which enable children to make links between subject areas and, hence, deepen their understanding of a theme. Similarly, topics revisit and expand upon past learning through key stages one and two so that skills and knowledge build upon past experience.
Fruit Bats and Pangolins (years one and two) follow a two-year curriculum cycle;
Snow Leopards (year three) follows a one-year repeating curriculum programme;
Orangutans and Sea Turtles (years four, five and six) follow a three-year curriculum cycle.
Reception year children in Fruits Bats class complete the final year of the early years foundation stage.
English, mathematics, phonics/spelling and guided reading lessons take place daily in all five classes. Topic lessons (comprising a combination of history, geography, science, art and/or DT) may take place weekly or twice-weekly, depending on the focus of the topic. Computing, PSHE, RE, Spanish (KS2) and music are taught weekly, and PE twice weekly. Additional opportunities such as a visit to Lifeskills during year six, Bikeability road safety training and First Aid are an integral part of our provision.
Our curriculum is further enhanced through the following three key drivers:
Sustainability: Our mission at Marshfield Primary School is to place sustainability at the heart of our curriculum. We want every child, from a young age, to develop an understanding of both the wonder and fragility of our planet, and of the responsibilities we all have in preserving it for future generations. These issues are explored in particular depth through geography, science and PSHE, as well as texts in our English curriculum. The school’s solar panels and wind turbine are clear symbols of how we strive to immerse learners in an environment which is an eco-friendly as possible.
Diversity and Difference: Everyone is made to feel welcome and valued at Marshfield, regardless of their personal identities. Despite our small, rural setting, we aim to bring the world to Marshfield through our wide-ranging, ambitious curriculum cycles which cover important 21st century topics including migration, prejudice and democracy. We want to ensure that all children have the confidence to be their true selves, enhancing their mental well-being and enabling them to focus on their learning.
Creativity: Marshfield is a creative centre of excellence and the school has been awarded Arts Council England’s Gold Artsmark Award in recognition of the school’s dedication to arts and cultural education that pushes well beyond the requirements of the national curriculum. As well as focussed art and design and music lessons, children are exposed to a plethora of extra-curricular activities including opportunities to both perform themselves and enjoy the performances of professionals, both in and outside of school.
