Curriculum for Excellence
From pre-school to the end of S3 (3-15) young people will experience a broad general education which is designed to enable each child or young person to be…
The broad general education will include all of the Experiences and Outcomes across all curriculum areas up to and including the third level. Throughout all learning, prime importance is given to literacy, numeracy and thinking skills; skills for learning, life and work; an understanding of society, the world and Scotland's place in it, and an active and healthy lifestyle. A range of teaching methods and contexts for learning is used, including active and enterprising learning, which encourage young people to become enquiring; learning across the curriculum which helps young people make links between subjects, and learning outside classrooms in the outdoors and in the community, which gives opportunities for learners to deepen their learning in real-life contexts. Most learners will progress into the fourth level in many aspects of their learning before the end of S3, laying strong foundations for more specialised learning. The Design of our Curriculum |
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At the heart of everything we do at Earlston and Gordon Primary School is the Curriculum. Before we can think about high quality learning, teaching and assessment, we ensure that all staff have a solid understanding of the curriculum within our schools.A curriculum specific for Earlston and Gordon Primary Schools has been created using Building the Curriculum 1-4, providing a balance of learning across the four contexts:
We recognise the importance the schools plays in having a central role in the local community: embracing our rural location, local heritage, local businesses and wider partnerships with clubs and organisations within the villages.
Where possible, we involve the community in our learning contexts, class and school performances, church services, school action groups and engagement activities which provide relevance to the learning within the curriculum.
- Discrete learning in the eight curricular areas
- Interdisciplinary learning
- Learning experiences within the life and work of the school
- Opportunities for personal achievement
We recognise the importance the schools plays in having a central role in the local community: embracing our rural location, local heritage, local businesses and wider partnerships with clubs and organisations within the villages.
Where possible, we involve the community in our learning contexts, class and school performances, church services, school action groups and engagement activities which provide relevance to the learning within the curriculum.
Our 7 Design Principles
Within Earlston Primary School, practitioners work in partnership to ensure that the curriculum reflects the 7 Design Principles by:
What do the principles mean for our children?
Challenge and Enjoyment
Children should find their learning challenging, engaging and motivating. The curriculum should encourage high aspirations and ambitions for all. At every stage, children should experience an appropriate level of challenge, to enable each individual to achieve his or her potential. They should be active in their learning and have opportunities to develop and demonstrate their creativity. There should be support to enable children to sustain their efforts.
Breadth
All children should have the opportunities for a broad range of experiences. Their learning should be planned and organised so that children will learn and develop through a variety of contexts within the classroom and other aspects of school life.
Progression
Children should experience continuous progression in their learning throughout the school session, as well as from one year to the next. Each stage should build upon earlier knowledge and achievements. Children should be able to progress at a rate which is meets their individual needs and aptitudes.
Depth
There should be opportunities for children to develop their full capacity for different types of thinking and learning, exploring and achieving more advanced levels of understanding.
Coherence
Children’s learning activities should combine to form a coherent experience. There should be clear links between different aspects of learning. Such links should be discussed with children in order to bring different strands of learning together.
Relevance
Children should understand the purpose of their learning and related activities. They should see the value of what they are learning and its relevance to their lives, present and future.
Personalisation and choice
The learning planned for children should respond to their individual needs and support particular aptitudes and talents. It should provide opportunities for exercising responsible personal choice. Once children have achieved suitable levels of attainment across a wide range of areas of learning, the choice should become as open as possible.
The impact of our curriculum can be seen in the confidence, capabilities and success of our pupils and exemplified in our values of: Inspiring, Creativity, Nurturing and Community. The pupils are proud of their school, their community and their progress and look forward to future learning opportunities.
- taking account of cross cutting themes and interdisciplinary learning to ensure challenge and enjoyment.
- providing all learners with breadth, depth and progression at all stages.
- ensuring relevance and coherence to wider life.
- providing opportunities for pupils to exercise personalisation and choice.
- ensuring there is continuity and progression between stages and at key transitions.
What do the principles mean for our children?
Challenge and Enjoyment
Children should find their learning challenging, engaging and motivating. The curriculum should encourage high aspirations and ambitions for all. At every stage, children should experience an appropriate level of challenge, to enable each individual to achieve his or her potential. They should be active in their learning and have opportunities to develop and demonstrate their creativity. There should be support to enable children to sustain their efforts.
Breadth
All children should have the opportunities for a broad range of experiences. Their learning should be planned and organised so that children will learn and develop through a variety of contexts within the classroom and other aspects of school life.
Progression
Children should experience continuous progression in their learning throughout the school session, as well as from one year to the next. Each stage should build upon earlier knowledge and achievements. Children should be able to progress at a rate which is meets their individual needs and aptitudes.
Depth
There should be opportunities for children to develop their full capacity for different types of thinking and learning, exploring and achieving more advanced levels of understanding.
Coherence
Children’s learning activities should combine to form a coherent experience. There should be clear links between different aspects of learning. Such links should be discussed with children in order to bring different strands of learning together.
Relevance
Children should understand the purpose of their learning and related activities. They should see the value of what they are learning and its relevance to their lives, present and future.
Personalisation and choice
The learning planned for children should respond to their individual needs and support particular aptitudes and talents. It should provide opportunities for exercising responsible personal choice. Once children have achieved suitable levels of attainment across a wide range of areas of learning, the choice should become as open as possible.
The impact of our curriculum can be seen in the confidence, capabilities and success of our pupils and exemplified in our values of: Inspiring, Creativity, Nurturing and Community. The pupils are proud of their school, their community and their progress and look forward to future learning opportunities.