Education influences and reflects the values of society, and more importantly the kind of society we want to be. It is important therefore, to recognise a set of common values and purposes that underpin the curriculum at Rawmarsh Thorogate School and enable the school to achieve its aims.

Every child will have access to a rich, broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum. However, it is recognised that every child has a different knowledge base and skill set, as well as varying aptitudes and aspirations. As a result, there is a determination for every child’s needs to be assessed and their talents developed through diverse teaching strategies, ensuring a personalised approach. At Rawmarsh Thorogate School this means teachers using the flexibilities that the curriculum affords us to ensure high standards of achievement with opportunities for enrichment, enterprise and creativity.

The curriculum, whilst paying due high regard to the core subjects of English, Maths, IT, Science, and RE, is broad, exciting and challenging:

• It is used to increase the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding as they grow and become aware of the world around them.

• It engages the children’s interest, encouraging and motivating them to learn.

• It is exciting and is based on first hand experiences to re-enforce their learning and to underpin their growing knowledge, skills and understanding. This is achieved through visits, visitors and the use of new technologies such as emails, digital photographs / film etc.

• It encourages our children to be enterprising and we ensure they are given opportunities to develop core enterprise skills.

• It focuses on the skills, not just content, that the children are required to learn.

• It encourages respect and responsibility, taking pride in every part of their endeavours.

The curriculum at Rawmarsh Thorogate School follows the guidance and content laid down in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and The National Curriculum Key Stages 1 & 2. The school meets the Rotherham Agreed Syllabus for RE.

The curriculum is organised into topics (or projects) on a two year rolling cycle, which allows for and encourages team work between classes (Y1 & Y2, Y3 & Y4, Y5 & Y6). Where ever possible, the curriculum is taught in a cross curricular manner. The rationale behind this is both to utilise the time inefficiencies of teaching and applying skills (and thus learning) across more than one ‘subject’ simultaneously, as well as ensuring enjoyment via the vibrant topic content.

See How we teach Reading and How we teach Maths for further details in these areas.