Learning & Development

The Wider Curriculum

The curriculum, in its widest sense, firmly underpins the school’s Mission Statement, Aims and school motto ‘Believe, Achieve, Succeed’. At Red Lane, the curriculum is rooted in the needs and context of our community and learners. We provide an enriching and exciting curriculum the foundations of which are rooted in quality first hand experiences, designed to develop vocabulary and cultural capital whilst ensuring that knowledge is durable and transferrable allowing pupils to make connections, develop and apply skills and reason. 

Each and every pupil has access to a rich, broad and balanced curriculum that is differentiated to ensure that all individual needs are met. The school curriculum has regard to supporting individuals in terms of ability, gifts, talents and any additional needs they may have. As a result of this, we are committed to knowing all pupils as individuals paying, regard to their abilities, talents and needs as well as what motivates them in their learning. We understand that pupils learn in different ways and are committed to always exploring teaching and learning strategies and using these within lessons. This commitment alongside the curriculum structure at Red Lane ensures all pupil needs are met.

 

The school curriculum design is focused on the knowledge, skills and understanding of our pupils and their needs in order that all children achieve well. Our school curriculum provides for academic achievement but places the role of developing spiritual, moral, cultural and social development at the heart of all we do with the ultimate aim of ensuring all pupils leave Red Lane with the confidence, knowledge and skills to become successful and independent lifelong learners who can make a positive contribution to our diverse and democratic society.

The subjects studied at Red Lane are:

  • Maths

  • English (Speaking and listening, phonics, handwriting, spelling and grammar, reading and writing)

  • PSHCE

  • Science

  • Computing

  • Religious Education

  • Art

  • Design Technology

  • Spanish

  • History

  • Geography

  • PE

  • Music

Details of our Maths, English and PSHCE curriculum can be found on the relevant pages. Our Yearly Learning Overviews for other subjects can be found below.

In order to meet individual needs and foster a love of learning, the school has adopted a ‘Learning Challenge’ approach for many curriculum areas such as Art, DT, History, Geography, Science and RE. The Learning Challenge concept is built around the principle of greater learner involvement in their work. It requires deep thinking and connection of knowledge and encourages learners to work using a question as a stimulus.  In designing the curriculum teachers and pupils use a prime learning challenge, expressed as a question, as the starting point. Using the information gained from pre-learning tasks and the school’s context, a series of subsidiary challenges are then planned. Each subsidiary learning challenge is also expressed as a question. This approach is adopted at Red Lane in order to provide connections between knowledge and in order to engage pupils in participation allowing them to develop their communication skills through presentation and discussion.

At Red Lane we recognise that the use of ICT plays an increasing role in today’s learning society. We empower both staff and pupils with knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes for such a world and as such the teaching of computing and the use of ICT tools plays an essential part of learning and teaching within school. With this in mind, we are committed to promoting awareness of E-safety throughout the curriculum to pupils of all ages.

All pupils are ensured quality access to the whole curriculum so that they learn effectively, make progress and attain. The school curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils experience all subjects in all year groups. Although meaningful links are made between concepts and units of work, each subject is taught discreetly in order that pupils fully develop their appreciation and knowledge of that subject and can then use this to make insightful applications and connections to other aspects of learning thus demonstrating their secure grasp of content and concepts.

 

Throughout the year a number of special events and showcase events take place to enhance and celebrate aspects of the curriculum. These include theme weeks such as Book week and Friendship week as well as school trips and visitors to school. Each class celebrate their curriculum learning through one of their class assemblies which are attended by parents. They also carry out a showcase event such as an exhibition of their work as well as presentations about their learning to other year groups. At the end of each academic year curriculum events are celebrated in our annual Presentation Afternoon and Evening.

Learning takes place in a nurturing and engaging environment which is supported by a variety of experiences, including the school environment, specialist teachers, as well as educational visits and visitors.  The school uses a wide variety of outside agencies to further enrich the curriculum and meet pupils’ needs, e.g. Alpha Music, a PE specialist, drama and dance specialists and karate instructors.

Throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, pupils have one afternoon of enrichment activities to complement their class studies. This allows pupils at Red Lane to try new activities and discover new talents. Enrichment includes a variety of activities such as art, baking, pet club, karate, dance, drama and sport.

The school also employs a school counsellor and a wellbeing coach to offer sessions and support to individuals with a focus on personal and social skills and emotional and behavioural difficulty. These sessions provide techniques and tools for pupils in social situations which in turn helps them access the curriculum more readily. These specialist interventions are also complemented and supported by interventions that are provided in school through ‘The Hub’.

A range of extra-curricular clubs and activities are offered each half term. All teaching staff offer clubs at different points in the year as do some teaching assistants. Some clubs are also delivered by specialist instructors or teachers such as a Music teacher and PE coach.

The Head of School holds responsibility for the curriculum as a whole. Subject leaders monitor and evaluate their subjects in order to ensure consistent implementation and effectiveness with regard to the whole school curriculum aims and agreed policies.

Remote learning can be accessed via our remote learning tab. 
You will be directed to this area if required.