Our Parkwood curriculum prepares each and every child for life in the modern world. We do this through a carefully considered progression of the knowledge and skills outlined in the National Curriculum. This is developed over time allowing children to know more and remember more.

At Parkwood, we want our children to embrace challenge, learning to demonstrate resilience and ambition, two of our core values. In turn, this will allow them to become the very best version of themselves.

Our teachers foster curiosity amongst our pupils, enabling them to view themselves as life-long learners, with the skills to think critically and to discuss their thoughts and ideas with respect and consideration.

Due care and attention is given to teaching of the core areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening, maths and science as these subjects provide the essential skills and knowledge needed to access the rest of the curriculum.

Our curriculum is organised into projects, driven by a foundation subject, with as many other curriculum areas woven in along the way to enrich learning and continue knowledge and skill development:

•         Terms 1 and 2: explore project (Geography, and Design and Technology drivers)
•         Terms 3 and 4: discover project (History driver)
•         Terms 5 and 6: create project (Art and Music drivers)

Of course, planning begins with the National Curriculum, however, each project is inspired by a philosophical enquiry question (for example, ‘Is it our responsibility to look after the environment?’) to spark interest and encourage children to ask more questions. Throughout each project, learning encourages children to return to this enquiry question, helping children to understand that our opinions, ideas, and thoughts change as we learn more. In this way, children begin to understand the importance of flexible thinking. Presenting children with such questions that tackle such complex issues means that children leave empowered and motivated to make a difference.

Furthermore, each project is enhanced by concepts: the lens through which learning is explored. Underpinning projects with concepts that matter most to our children (such as ‘diversity’, ‘sustainability’, or ‘adversity’) helps us to develop children’s personal learning so that they can see they are responsible for taking care of and learning about the world in which they live.

All projects are knowledge-rich, contextualised and relevant. Children work towards an authentic outcome to give learning a purpose. There will be opportunities to work alongside professionals and industry experts to encourage high aspirations for the future.

Through our curriculum, our children are transported all over the globe. On this journey, we expect our children to be kind (another core value we hold), respecting differences in beliefs and culture as they learn about the diverse world in which we live, to find out about the very best that has been said and done.