At Hodge Clough Primary School, our bespoke and enriched curriculum is designed to: recognise children’s prior learning, provide motivating first-hand learning experiences whilst encouraging children to build resilience, ambition and a life-long love of learning within an ever-changing world. We recognise that all children are unique and value their achievements, encouraging them to develop the perseverance to become creative and independent thinkers. We aim to create a positive, supportive environment for learning. We want all of our children to develop warm relationships with staff and other pupils, alongside providing them with routines, rules and structure to support their learning journey.

Our curriculum is tailored to our children’s needs. We do this by choosing each term’s topics based on our children’s interests, skills and needs. We tailor resources to our children’s experiences, in order to nurture and support the range of abilities in each class, but also to provide challenge. We help each child to achieve his/ her/ their potential in all areas of learning- intellectual, emotional, physical, social, moral, spiritual and cultural.

Our curriculum has been designed to enable children to succeed through co-operative and collaborative learning principles. In light of this, the Prime Areas of learning—Personal, Social, and Emotional Development—as well as Communication and Language are given a lot of attention. At Hodge Clough Primary School, we understand that oral communication skills are essential for success in school, in life, and in the pursuit of future career. Oracy helps youngsters think and understand, which in turn fosters resilience, self-assurance, and empathy, all of which are essential to a child's wellbeing. The children are supported as they link learning to play and exploration from the very beginning through our enabling environments and warm, skilled adult interactions. We support children to articulate their thinking processes: demonstrate quality thinking and application of knowledge and skills. 

We aim to offer a stimulating curriculum that maximises the chances for rich connections and learning opportunities across subjects, while also celebrating the individuality of each child by allowing them ample time for play and prolonged thought. Through continuous provision, whole class and group learning, interventions, objective-led activities and sustained shared thinking, we encourage children to develop positive models of enquiry, reflection, challenge and innovation. Additionally, we endeavour to provide a wide range of valuable, memorable experiences that engage and delight. We want to give our children experiences to aspire to.
 
 
Our EYFS Aims

* To create a positive, supportive environment for learning

As a school, we pride ourselves on our warm, supportive relationships with our children and our families based on mutual-respect. We aim to support our children with their routines, rules and relationships, whilst promoting positive peer friendships.

*To give children valuable, memorable experiences that engage and delight

We try to provide exciting experiences to engage and enrich our pupils’ lives. Each year, we enjoy educational and optional trips as well as welcoming visitors to school for workshops or pantomimes. We aim to delight and ignite our children’s imaginations!

*Appropriate themes, chosen to suit our current cohort, following their interests but also to target their strengths and any gaps in learning.

Our topics are tailored to our children’s needs and are designed to align with the interests of our current cohort.

*Adults in the role of informed, thoughtful and intentional contributors in children’s playful learning

Sustained shared thinking, pertinent and focused questioning, and thought-provoking comments on children's play, all support deeper thinking skills.

*Skill development tailored to individuals

In all areas of learning, we strive to offer challenge. Children may frequently choose familiar equipment out of instinct to attain their intended results. We seek to stretch their skill development by offering a range of challenges through resource alternatives in all areas of the provision. The use of ‘skill cards’ as building blocks for skill development from nursery through reception, as well as attentive adult questioning, provide further support children's growth and development.