Teaching & Learning Prospectus Our inspire curriculum at blackwood primary school

"United we Empower, Nurture and Challenge."

"Wrth uno mae'n ein arfogi i feithrin a herio"

Blackwood Primary School - Ysgol Gynradd Coed Duon

Apollo Way, Blackwood, NP12 1WA

Telephone: 01495 224111

Email: blackwoodprimary@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk

Our Inspire Curriculum Vision

Our curriculum infographic is designed to present our curriculum in an easy-to-read format. The rainbow features key words that support the delivery of the curriculum, while the flower outlines the WHAT and WHY of our educational approach. This visual representation helps clarify our objectives and the values that underpin our teaching, making it accessible for everyone in our school community.

At Blackwood Primary School we are committed to ensuring all our pupils have a broad and balanced curriculum with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and experiences through our INSPIRE curriculum outlined in Curriculum for Wales 2022. We use a robust, evidence-based process to help pupils realise the four purposes. They are the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of the curriculum to support our children and young people to become:

Our whole school curriculum design is built around three lenses of progression. These lenses provide a focus for pupils learning at appropriate stages in their age and development. Younger pupils start their learning journey with a focus upon themselves and their immediate needs and daily experiences. As we move through the lenses, the focus shifts to developing pupils skills, knowledge and experiences at a local to national level, enabling older pupils to effectively link learning to more Global issues. Our cluster level driver concepts are then woven into each year groups specific inquiry question/theme for their learning each term. The focus of each year groups inquiry and big question is different within each year groups, with these also changing on a two yearly cycle (Y1-Y6) to ensure breadth and depth of learning as each individual progresses throughout the school.

Our INSPIRE principles emphasise the key aspects of teaching and learning at Blackwood Primary School. We prioritise establishing a safe, supportive, and secure environment where trust and positive relationships can flourish, enabling both pupils and staff to thrive.

Staff collaborate closely with learners using the “Flower” model to develop Authentic Learning Goals, enabling our pupils to truly 'blossom.' We share planned curriculum skills with pupils, inviting their input to generate ideas and determine the contexts for the skills they will develop. This approach fosters a sense of empowerment and fulfilment, encouraging full engagement with the learning experiences. The Authentic Learning Goal remains central to our focus, interconnected with the Four Purposes, the expectations outlined in the Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs), and the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF), as well as the Digital Competence Framework (DCF). Metacognition underpins all aspects of the children’s learning, allowing both learners and staff to be innovative while ensuring comprehensive coverage and skill progression within each AoLE and across the curriculum.

Metacognition at Blackwood Primary

Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes. It encompasses two key components: knowledge about cognition, which includes knowing how to approach learning tasks, and regulation of cognition, which involves managing and adjusting one’s strategies to enhance learning efficacy and problem-solving skills.

In addition to helping pupils realise the Four Purposes, we aim to empower them to become ambitious, resilient, and capable learners who actively seek out challenges and persist in overcoming obstacles in their everyday lives. These qualities are essential at Blackwood Primary School (BPS) as they help our pupils understand not only their achievements but also how to reach even greater heights by effectively applying these characteristics.

Supporting Pupil Progress: Assessment & Provision

At Blackwood Primary, supporting pupil progression is a top priority. We employ various assessment methods to ensure that every child reaches their full potential.

We value ongoing feedback as highly as formal assessments. We use observations, assessment for learning strategies, and both oral and written feedback, including self and peer assessments, particularly during well-structured Making a Difference (MAD) sessions. These methods help communicate next steps for learning to both staff and pupils. Our approach also includes reflections on learning characteristics, with regular reflection logs maintained to facilitate discussions about daily assessments. Teachers leverage these assessments to guide instruction and promote student progress. Additionally, parents are kept informed of their child's development through termly consultations, annual reports, and input into pupils' One Page Profiles, which collectively support a collaborative approach to learning.

At Blackwood Primary school we have continually developed and refined our assessment processes with our pupils' progress at the heart of everything we do. Our annual assessment cycles ensure that we gain a clear understanding of where every individual is now, where they have come from, and how they are continuing to make progress in their learning. Our cycles take place termly and the processes enable staff to frequently identify which pupils are making expected progress, along with those who may need additional support, adapting our provision continually to suit the needs of all pupils and 'not leave anyone behind in their learning'.

It also enables pupils to understand where they are in their own learning, giving them opportunities to be involved in target setting while reflecting upon the progress they have made, taking responsibility for their own development. Detailed records and tracking of each learner take place, with all staff having a shared understanding on the impact consistent and accurate assessment will have on pupil progress. Our formative and summative assessments allow us to celebrate and identify our pupil's strengths while also enabling staff and pupils to identify:

Authentic Learning & Provision

Independent learning at Blackwood Primary is centred around the concept of "learning to learn." We view mistakes and misconceptions as valuable opportunities—embracing what we call “The Power of Yet.” This philosophy empowers pupils to take charge of their own learning, gradually reducing support through our enabling environments and skills ladder scaffolds. Our goal is for all pupils to reflect on their knowledge and understanding, actively taking ownership of their personal targets and planning their own paths for progress.

The continuous modelling of effective practices by enabling adults in the classroom is fundamental to our teaching approach. Authentic learning is not merely about working alone; it involves ongoing guidance from adults, providing a critical framework that enables learners to explore and deepen their thinking.