Our Curriculum
Our Curriculum
Here at Hurst Green Infant School and Nursery we provide a creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the new 2014 Primary National Curriculum and the new EYFS Framework 2021 to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations. Our new curriculum will be delivered through carefully selected topics which will provide a rich menu of exciting and motivating learning activities that make creative links between all aspects of our children’s learning.
We believe children learn better when they are encouraged to use their imagination and apply their learning to engaging contexts. Our curriculum provides lots of learning challenges throughout the academic year that will require children to solve problems, apply themselves creatively and express their knowledge, skills and understanding effectively across the curriculum.
As a staff team we have worked hard to ensure that there is clearly defined progressive skills and knowledge framework that outlines the end of year expectations in all subjects.
How it Works?
Children will progress through four stages of learning in each topic – Engage, Enable, Empower and Express.
Engage
At the "Engage" stage, children:
- Gain memorable first-hand experiences, such as going on a visit or inviting a special visitor into school.
- Enjoy ‘WOW’ experiences – a ‘stunning start’
- Get an exciting introduction to a topic or theme.
- Begin researching and setting enquiry questions
- Get lots of opportunities to make observations.
- Develop spoken language skills.
- Take part in sensory activities
- Have lots of fun to fully 'engage' with their new topic.
Enable
At the "Enable" stage, children:
- Improve their knowledge and understanding of the topic.
- Develop and practise their new skills.
- Compose, make, do, build, investigate, explore, write for different purposes and read across the curriculum.
- Research their own questions and those set by others.
- Follow new pathways of enquiry based on their interests.
- Complete homework activities that support their learning
Empower
At the "Empower" stage, children:
- Apply skills, knowledge and understanding in real-life contexts.
- Solve real or imagined problems using everything they’ve learnt.
- Get inspired by imaginative and creative opportunities.
- Revisit anything not fully grasped at the ‘Enable’ stage.
Express
At the "Express" stage, children:
- Become the performers, experts and informers.
- Share their achievements with parents, classmates and the community.
- Evaluate finished products and processes.
- Link what they have learnt to where they started.
- Celebrate their achievements. (Fabulous Finish)