Tenacres First School
Tenacres First School

Curriculum Introduction

Our Vision

At Tenacres, our vision for the Curriculum is:

Tenacres Curriculum Vision

Curriculum Intent

At Tenacres First School the inclusive curriculum is designed to: recognise children’s prior learning, provide first hand learning experiences, allow the children to develop interpersonal skills, build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers.

Every child is recognised as a unique individual. We celebrate and welcome differences within our school community. The ability to learn is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, concepts and values with a vision to prepare them for life beyond Tenacres. We constantly provide enrichment opportunities to engage learning. We believe that childhood should be a happy, investigative and enquiring time in our lives, where there are no limits to curiosity and there is a thirst for new experiences and knowledge. We use our Tenacres’ ‘Aims and Values’ to promote positive attitudes to learning which reflect the values and skills needed to promote responsibility for learning and future success.

Our aim is for our children to leave Tenacres with a sense of belonging to a community and have the confidence and skills to make decisions, self-evaluate, make connections and become lifelong learners.

Our Approach to Teaching and Learning

At Tenacres First School we recognise the paramount importance of strong teaching and learning across the school. Our approach to this reflects broad, research-informed guidelines to support effective teaching, recognising that good teaching is not formulaic.

We understand that no two lessons are the same, and our model acknowledges the flexibility and adaptability required to meet the needs of different subjects, classes, and pupils. Different lessons will reflect different aspects of this model at different times, depending on the context and purpose of the learning.

Key Principles of Our Teaching Model:

  1. Engagement and Purpose: Lessons often begin with activities to reflect on previous learning designed to capture interest and set the context for learning. Clear goals and success criteria are shared to ensure pupils understand the purpose of their learning.
  2. Adapting for Diverse Needs: In every class, there is a wide range of abilities and learning needs. We plan for this by adapting resources, scaffolding tasks, and offering additional support or challenge to ensure all pupils can access and engage with their learning.
  3. Explicit Teaching and Guided Practice: New concepts are introduced step-by-step, with clear explanations, modeling, and worked examples. Teachers encourage discussion, collaboration, and shared practice before moving pupils towards independent tasks.
  4. Assessment and Reflection: Effective learning is underpinned by regular checks for understanding, self- and peer-assessment, and opportunities for pupils to reflect on their progress. This allows us to identify gaps and plan next steps to reinforce or extend learning.
  5. Challenge and Progression: We provide opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding by applying their knowledge in different contexts, tackling more complex tasks, or presenting their learning in varied ways.
  6. Flexible and Research-Informed: Our approaches set out broad principles of effective teaching, it is not prescriptive. Lessons are designed to suit the subject matter and the unique dynamics of the class, ensuring that teaching remains responsive and impactful.

This approach reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive, engaging, and purposeful learning environment where every pupil can thrive. For further information about our teaching strategies, please get in touch with us.

Curriculum Overview

Our whole school overview can be read below:

Find out more about the topics studied over the year in the National Curriculum Overviews, below:

You can also read about the new national curriculum for Primary Schools in the document below: