Curriculum

Curriculum Vision Statement

At Dean Valley Community Primary School, we believe every child deserves a rich, ambitious and inclusive curriculum that enables them to achieve academically, develop as individuals and contribute positively to society. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils, regardless of starting point, gain the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to flourish both now and in the future.

We follow the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and the National Curriculum. Our curriculum has been carefully designed and sequenced to ensure that knowledge and skills build progressively over time. Learning is deliberately connected across year groups and subjects so that pupils revisit, strengthen and apply prior learning, enabling them to develop secure understanding and make meaningful links across the curriculum.

For foundation subjects, we use Kapow Primary as our core curriculum scheme. Kapow provides a coherent, knowledge-rich curriculum that supports progression in substantive knowledge, disciplinary understanding and subject-specific vocabulary. Curriculum provision is further strengthened through selected units from Oak National Academy, which provide additional high-quality resources and learning experiences where appropriate. For Religious Education, we follow the Cheshire East Agreed Syllabus, enabling pupils to develop an understanding of a range of faiths, beliefs and worldviews while promoting respect, tolerance and reflection. Subject leaders regularly review, adapt and refine curriculum content to ensure it remains relevant, ambitious and responsive to the needs of our pupils.

Reading lies at the heart of our curriculum. We are committed to developing fluent, confident readers who can access the full curriculum and develop a lifelong love of reading. Writing and mathematics are carefully planned to ensure pupils acquire the essential knowledge and skills needed for future success, whilst opportunities to apply learning across the wider curriculum are embedded throughout school life.

Our curriculum is enriched through a broad range of educational visits, visitors, outdoor learning opportunities, performances, sporting competitions, clubs and cultural experiences. These opportunities broaden pupils' horizons, develop cultural capital and ensure learning extends beyond the classroom.

As a proud UNICEF Rights Respecting School, children's rights are embedded throughout school life and curriculum learning. Pupils are encouraged to understand their rights and responsibilities, show empathy for others and become active, informed citizens. Our commitment to inclusion, equality and respect is reflected throughout the curriculum and supports pupils in understanding both their local community and the diverse world in which they live.

Our BRIGHT Values underpin daily life at Dean Valley and are woven throughout curriculum experiences. Through these values, we support pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning, resilience, independence, responsibility and respect for others. We aim to nurture confident learners who demonstrate kindness, integrity and perseverance in all aspects of school life.

In the Early Years, our curriculum reflects the principles of strong foundations for learning. We recognise that secure relationships, effective communication, high-quality interactions and purposeful play are fundamental to children's development. Learning experiences are carefully planned around children's interests, developmental needs and prior experiences, ensuring every child feels safe, valued and able to succeed. Through exploration, play-based learning and skilled adult support, children develop the Characteristics of Effective Learning, including curiosity, resilience, creativity and independence, while building strong foundations in communication and language, personal development, literacy and mathematics.

By the time children leave Dean Valley Community Primary School, they will have acquired a secure body of knowledge across the curriculum, developed the skills and habits needed for lifelong learning and gained the confidence to take their next steps successfully. They will understand their place within their local community and the wider world, value diversity, uphold the rights of others and be well prepared for life in modern Britain. Through our ambitious curriculum and strong values, we aspire for every child to leave Dean Valley as a thoughtful, responsible and successful learner, ready for the opportunities and challenges of the future.

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