'What we call civilization – the accumulation of knowledge which has come from our forefathers - is the fruit of thousands of years of human thought and toil. It is by right the common heritage of all.'
Robert Tressell - ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist’
As a Church of England school, we aspire to enable all children to reach their God-given potential. The school’s Christian values – Hope, Community, Respect and Love – are exemplified throughout our curriculum. Like Tressell, the inequity and iniquity of our society frustrates us and we aim to equip every single child in our care with a diverse, rich and inspirational curriculum to ignite lifelong learning and access their right to their common heritage. Our curriculum planning sees no barriers and has actively sought to overcome the artificial, painful barriers within society. In particular, the reach and breadth of the curriculum has explicitly sought to find positive representation of all people for all children. We want our pupils, whatever their faith, colour or heritage, to find positive examples of people who look like them in their everyday learning. We have taken diversity to our core, we have planned for equity for all and we have placed inclusion high on our agenda. We are proud of our curriculum which is not only suitable for the school leavers of the future but is also one underpinned by Respect and Love for all. We are confident that our children will leave us feeling Hope for their future as a result of their learning and empowered to see their place in the global Community that we have embraced.
Our aim is to provide a ‘knowledge - rich curriculum’: one that allows all pupils to access their right to learn ‘the best that has been thought and said’ (Matthew Arnold ‘Culture and Anarchy’, 1869). The cultural capital that our pupils will accumulate is, therefore, the essential knowledge that all children need in order to develop into educated citizens. The origins of this knowledge span the globe, allowing pupils access to a wide range of spiritual, cultural, historical and real-world perspectives. We live out our core value of Community in facilitating this access as we teach our children to take their place of responsibility in the local, national and global communities.
Within our curriculum, rich knowledge allows students to learn more and make links between what is known. Learning through a knowledge-rich curriculum means that every time a topic or content is revisited, it allows the pupil to understand to a deeper level. Progress is made by knowing more and remembering more – allowing children to be able to tackle more challenging topics through having the opportunity to readily retrieve information and apply it to unfamiliar contexts. We give our learners agency.
Alongside this, our curriculum will provide our pupils with a ‘language-rich’ environment, consistently requiring them to develop a wide vocabulary which will empower all students to achieve highly. Opportunities to practise and use that vocabulary both orally and through writing form a central tenet across our curriculum; we are a vocabulary-led school. The use of ‘Knowledge Organisers’ across the school allows us to make clear to students which facts, vocabulary and concepts they are expected to learn so that they can be successful in the unit they are studying and in future learning throughout their school journey.
RE/TE
RE and TE at St Osmund’s has tolerance and empathy at its heart, empowering pupils to confidently express their own beliefs and viewpoints whilst appreciating those of others. Pupils are inspired to challenge and debate in a respectful manner. Achievement is measured, not only by pupils’ understanding of the religions and concepts studied, but also their ability to raise and respond to questions on ethics, meaning and purpose.
Our Christian values of Faith, Hope and Love are taught explicitly through our Understanding Christianity curriculum but also implicitly through our approach to learning about and from the experiences of people of many faiths and none. Personal spirituality is central to the work we do, allowing all pupils to experience moments of awe, wonder and reflection, regardless of personal faith.
English
Our English curriculum uses a wide range of texts designed to inspire children by drawing on our country’s rich cultural literature-based heritage alongside diverse, contemporary texts. We build resilience by challenging responses and empower all pupils to be able to tackle future curriculum requirements. We encourage all to read for pleasure, expanding their vocabularies and acquiring deep knowledge across a range of genres.
Maths
We aim for every child to develop a sound understanding of maths, equipping them with the skills of calculation, reasoning and problem solving that they need in life beyond school. Mastery of maths is achieved through exploration, clarification, practise and application. We aim to empower pupils to demonstrate a deep, conceptual understanding of all topics, aiming for knowledge that can be recalled, transferred and applied in different contexts.
Science
St Osmund’s intent is to develop children's scientific knowledge and understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science, for now and the future. We believe that science fosters a healthy curiosity about our universe and promotes respect for the living and non-living. Science encompasses the acquisition of knowledge, concepts, skills and positive attitudes. Our science curriculum ensures these are built-on and developed throughout their school career so that all students can use equipment, conduct experiments, build arguments and explain concepts confidently.
Geography
Geography in St Osmund’s will inspire our pupils with a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We aim to empower children with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of and love for our planet. Geography helps pupils to understand the impact that people have on the sustainability of the Earth. During lessons on the rain forest, children are asked to consider how continuing deforestation and palm oil plantations conflict with the Christian value of love. They are empowered to respond, expressing their ideas orally and through writing. Issues such as climate change help pupils understand the responsibility they have as global citizens and stewards of the Earth, and that decisions need to be made to give us hope for the future.
History
The teaching of history across St Osmund’s helps children develop their enquiring minds to piece together Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It aims to inspire pupils’ curiosity by empowering them to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement. At Key Stage 2, during lessons on children’s lives during the industrial revolution, pupils look at how significant people have been inspirational in changing the lives of others through their love, having faith in their own actions and empowering others to be treated fairly. These concepts are revisited and built on in Key Stage 3 where, during lessons on the slave trade, WW1 and the treatment of children and women in the Industrial Revolution, pupils develop an empathy reflecting the Christian value of love.
Music
The teaching of music across St Osmund’s challenges pupils to experience a diversity of musical genres and inspires them to perform and create music in a variety of both formal and informal settings. In the classroom, end of topic performances and recordings challenge pupils to find an inner strength, build relationships, develop trust and demonstrate care for each other through teamwork.
French
The teaching of French and Spanish at St Osmund’s opens the eyes of pupils to the cultural differences between the UK and other countries fostering pupils’ curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world. Studying a foreign language inspires pupils to reflect the differences between people growing up and living aboard and thus promotes tolerance, understanding and love for people different to themselves. Pupils are encouraged to learn a language for practical purposes and the trip to France in Year 8 empowers the pupils to use the language they have learnt in real situations. Learning French and Spanish at St Osmund’s provides a solid foundation of language learning skills that equip them well for their transition to Upper Schools.
PE
The PE department share the vision of engaging pupils in a lifelong love of physical activity, promoting sport for all and inclusion. The department aspires to promote a healthy lifestyle that pupils continue to develop through their future years.
Art
At St Osmund’s we believe that art enriches personal experience and improves mental well-being. It contributes to the material and spiritual soul of the individual, enabling all pupils to develop a sense of identity. The study of art contributes to rich cultural capital through knowledge gained studying the work of inspiring and significant artists. We aim for all pupils to develop emotional responses to art, and we believe that our curriculum provides all children with a visual language for communication, empowering more knowledgeable, flexible, open minded and creative people.
DT
Our DT curriculum includes the use of a broad range of knowledge, skills, and understanding, and prompts engagement in a wide variety of activities. Pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Through evaluation of past and present Design and Technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
Computing
All pupils have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all aspects of computing. We believe ‘computational thinking’ is a skill children must be taught if they are to be able to participate effectively and safely in this digital world. A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and our curriculum provides insights into both natural and artificial systems.
Drama
Our drama curriculum shadows the themes and texts of the English curriculum and enriches pupils’ understanding of and response to these texts. We target oracy and creative response, unlocking barriers for some children and liberating a form of response for all. We actively promote performance, self-confidence and elocution. We embrace the chances to teach soft skills such as team work, compromise and tolerance.
PSHE
Our Personal, Social and Health Education (incorporating citizenship at KS3) teaches and promotes British Values for the benefit of personal development, along with Diversity being taught most purposefully. We also teach conflict resolution and self-regulation; some of this curriculum is student-led by need and interest. The statutory elements of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) are taught within the PSHE curriculum and we were an early adopter of the 2020 RSE curriculum.
