Our Curriculum

At Broomhill Infant School we offer an exciting, innovative, broad and balanced curriculum, which covers the Foundation Stage and KS1 of the National Curriculum. Please scroll down to the bottom of this page to access the Curriculum Rationale for Key Stage 1 and the Early Years Foundation Stage and the overviews for both.

Learning Challenge Curriculum Questions

Because the children here at Broomhill Infants have chosen the key questions for the topics, they get really excited when their questions are picked. The curriculum is mapped out over the year, for our Foundation Stage pupils and across a two-year cycle for Key Stage One (Y1 and Y2). Subject leaders map out the curriculum objectives to ensure that the curriculum is covered fully and, indeed, revisited periodically to ensure depth and breadth as well as checking retention and recall.

The substantive knowledge (the established facts) and disciplinary knowledge (the methods that establish the substantive facts) is mapped out by the subject leads, so that, by the end of Y2, the children will have all of the knowledge and skills necessary to lead them into Y3. Indeed, here at Broomhill Infants, we observe Y3 in our planning so that we can see the next steps for our pupils. Moreover, the substantive knowledge progresses across a subject and builds year on year.

The subject leaders plan logically sequenced lessons across a half term with an end point. Any teacher will be able to follow the Medium Term Plans and teach from this planning. 

Here at Broomhill Infants, the subject leaders and Forest School Practitioners plan collaboratively to ensure that they all have oversight of the themed assemblies, the school value that we are focusing on each half term, the British Value that their planning links to, any SMSC links and links to careers as well as any enrichment activities.

Our Forest School Provision is the golden thread that weaves itself through the curriculum. The Forest School Practitioners plan alongside the teachers and the teacher delivers the key knowledge within Forest School. Learning in this way means that the pupils can do more, know more and can remember more.

The learning journey that the children go on is recorded on a learning journey wall within the classrooms half termly, where the children can refer to what they need to know and remember. When a sequence of learning is complete, it is transferred to a class floor book that the children can refer back to.

Reading

We see reading as the most important skill for our children to master. Through reading they can discover, imagine and enjoy the world around them and beyond.  As well as nurturing a love of reading, we aim to equip each child to build up their reading miles with the skills and confidence to read successfully at their level. See the Little Wandle Reading and Phonics Policy in the policy tab of this website.

FOUNDATION STAGE: RECEPTION

In Reception, children engage with the areas of Learning and Development, which are: ‘Prime Areas’ and ‘Specific Areas.’ In Year 1 children begin to access the National Curriculum. The Foundation Stage curriculum is planned around:

Prime areas:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Communication and Language

 Specific areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

The Early Learning Goals establish expectations for most children to achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM KEY STAGE 1: YEARS 1 & 2

Subjects:

Phonics / Reading, English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Design & Technology, Art and design, Physical Education, Music, Religious Education; Personal,Social,Health and well-being; relationships and health education.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTING AIMS:

Physical Education is an integral part of the holistic learning process. It gives all children the opportunity to develop body awareness and control through which they can experience enjoyment and self-confidence as an individual and as part of a group. Two hours per week is allocated to physical activity for Years 1 and 2. Please see below for the timetable.

Games lessons focus on the development of individual skills along with partner and group work. Through small group activities the older children are introduced to the importance of agreed rules for co-operative and competitive games. Gymnastics, Games and Dance are taught in units of work. ‘The Arches’ School Sport Partnership support Broomhill staff in the delivery of PE sessions.

An annual whole school ‘Sports Afternoon’ event takes place in July at Sheffield University Goodwin Sports Centre to which parents and friends of the school are invited.

A range of big toys such as wheeled trucks, bikes and scooters are used by Foundation Stage in their outdoor learning environment.

Children are encouraged to bring certificates, for example for swimming, ballet, etc to our Thursday’s ‘Achievement Assembly’ so that we can celebrate their achievements outside school.

The children, who take part in many individual events, are encouraged to be self-competitive to improve on their previous best effort.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION & COLLECTIVE WORSHIP: 

The school follows the Sheffield Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (SACRE). Our aims are:

• To provide each child with the opportunity for exploration, discovery, experience and growth within the religious and spiritual dimensions of religious education
• To encourage each child to understand and value their own religious faith and traditions and develop an understanding, respect and sensitivity for those of other faiths.
• To develop understanding of the ways in which religious beliefs are expressed.

Our aims are explored in the context of three world faiths, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. We have an annual International Day celebrating a variety of faiths and cultures. Parents and the local community are invited to support this special event.

The daily assembly follows a range of religious and non-religious themes and is usually as follows:

Monday - Themed events / school values

Tuesday - Singing assembly

Wednesday - Class assembly

Thursday - Achievements assembly

Friday - Special Mentions assembly

ANNUAL ENRICHMENT EVENTS:

To deepen learning and enable knowledge to be committed to the long term memory, the school offers different experiences throughout the year, including; International Day, Black History, Harvest – links to Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project, Remembrance Service, Christmas celebrations, Chinese New Year, International Day, Visits to Seaside (Bridlington), visits to the Botanical Gardens, walk around the local area, VR experience, visits to chatsworth Farm, visits to Manor Castle, visits to the Lyceum theatre,  Summer Fairs and Open Garden as part of Broomhill Festival.

We also welcome visitors in to school to help us with our understanding as well as visits of the local area and further afield and we have a variety of clubs based on the children's interests such as yoga, martial arts, a choir, French Club, Forest School Club, sewing club, skipping club, colouring club and dance club.

SATS and Phonics Screening Check Results: