Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

Our school motto of “Believe it, achieve it” embodies our whole-school approach to an exciting, creative and inclusive curriculum that values learning both within and beyond the classroom.

Our children deserve the very best every single day and are supported to believe in their own capacity to achieve whatever they need to, enabling them to be the best they can be both personally and academically. Learning beyond the classroom is an integral part of this approach, providing meaningful, real-life contexts that enrich and deepen learning.

Through our curriculum, we want to develop children who are

“Mount Pleasant People” 

• have the skills, knowledge and understanding required to access all areas of learning effectively, consistently and for life. 

• develop an understanding of excellence, a desire for knowledge, an enquiring mind and a genuine enjoyment of learning through meaningful first-hand experiences.

•  

  are well prepared to be active and responsible citizens by engaging meaningfully with their local community and the wider world.

• have a strong sense of self that supports positive mental health and wellbeing, strengthened through meaningful experiential learning.

Curriculum Implementation

At Mount Pleasant, we aim to create a curriculum which helps children to develop a thirst for and love of learning, and which inspires them to work hard and be successful. 

Our curriculum is driven by our school values and they are threaded through everything we do every day. These are: 

We teach core knowledge and skills through a progressive curriculum based upon the EYFS and National Curriculum and delivered based on research-informed practice, including Rosenshine’s Principles, Teacher Walkthrus, EEF research and Blooms Taxonomy. 

We use the 'Cornerstones Curriculum' to support the planning and delivery of outstanding learning opportunities for our children. The Cornerstones Curriculum is a creative and thematic approach to learning that is mapped to the National Curriculum Framework to ensure comprehensive coverage of national expectations. It is based on a child-centred pedagogy and is delivered through imaginative and knowledge-rich projects. We call these our 'Learning Adventures.' 

We strongly believe that our children deserve a curriculum enriched with opportunities to grow holistically through welcoming visitors into school and exploring the world beyond the classroom through visits and experiences. British values are embedded alongside our school values, providing meaningful opportunities for children to celebrate differences and similarities, recognise strengths and successes, and develop a deep appreciation of cultural diversity.

Our children should expect the highest quality first teaching and learning using a variety of approaches such as modelling, scaffolding, collaboration, CPA and adaptation of learning to ensure inclusivity. They linger longer and link learning to develop deeper knowledge and skill sets and use metacognition to learn how to learn, alongside restorative practice to develop the best relationships as they grow. 

To enrich their journey through our school, our pupils will be taught by PE, Speech and Language and music specialists and staff who are positively invested in their curriculum areas. 

Nursery and Reception work together as an Early Years Unit at times which enables the children to develop more adult/child relationships; build more powerful communication skills; take part in a wider range of learning experiences and enables a more positive transition as they move into their next stage of learning. 

Years 1 to 6 are organised as independent year groups of up to 50.  The staffing structure allows for both generous teaching ratios and for the diverse range of individual needs of all pupils to be met.  There is flexibility in organisation of the grouping and teaching of each year group, to allow for maximum impact on teaching and learning. In particular, our children also benefit from working with members of staff who specialise in leading English or mathematics and so they have even greater potential to be well-taught and challenged to make good progress. 

Our children will have opportunities to be supported through approaches and interventions such as: 

• Trauma informed practice

• Precision teaching

• Zones of regulation

• Phase Trust

• Sycamore Partnership

• Little Wandle Phonics Catch-Up

• Enable

• WellComm

• Educational Psychologist involvement

Added to this, we are proud for our children to go out into the wider world to show their school values, knowledge and skills and they do so through community links with the PCSOs, the local Chapel, swimming, Forest School, Saltmine Theatre group, library visits, Russells Hall Hospital, RBActive Gym and Child Friendly Dudley to name a few. 

 Curriculum Impact

Standards

Our children are ready to transition to each stage of their educational lives and make expected or better progress as they move through school.  

Personal Development 

Our school values are evident in all that our Mount Pleasant children do and our children will have learned to make positive choices for their own and others’ safety. 

Wellbeing 

Our children enjoy school and learning because their mental wellbeing and health are at the forefront and so as learners and as members of our community they are confident, positive and forward-thinking.