Rationale
Why have we chosen the Dimensions Curriculum?
As outlined in our intent statement we aim to offer a curriculum that looks to raise our pupils’ aspirations by providing them with a wide range of experiences. We want learning to be exciting, engaging and inspiring for pupils. We also want to open the doors of opportunity to each pupil, helping them to recognise the potential they have to make a positive contribution within their own community and on a wider global scale. With this in mind, we have implemented a curriculum that is both challenging and experiential, enabling pupils learning to be holistic which, in turn, will lead them to becoming well rounded and happy individuals.
We have chosen Dimensions ‘Learning Means the World’ curriculum as the main vehicle for achieving our outlined intent with a view to providing an ambitious contemporary relatable curriculum offer. The dimensions curriculum enables us to meet the national curriculum requirements for Art, Design Technology, History, Geography, Science, Computing and Music.
The Dimensions curriculum is underpinned by four highly relevant world issues, known as the four Cs. These are compatible with our overall school Curriculum Intent and were a key reason for our adoption of the Dimensions curriculum:
Communication
We believe that being able to effectively communicate thoughts and ideas is vital to learning and life and is the key to success. On entry, our pupils have very low levels of speech and language. We want to help our pupils know what appropriate speech is and to be aware of all different forms of communication.
It is important that our children have a voice and that it is acknowledged and valued. Communication underpins everything we do in school not just with the pupils but in the way in which we reach out to help and support their families.
Culture
As a school that predominantly represents a white British demographic, we want our pupils to understand the wider world and their place in it. We want to challenge mindsets and help them to become more outward facing. In our school there is a lack of social mobility and lack of opportunities outside of school. It is important to prepare and equipped our young people for future experiences by helping them appreciate and understand cultural similarities and differences. We actively an explicitly promote cross cultural respect, tolerance and understanding. We are also passionate about our community and building strong relationships.
Conflict
All pupils will undoubtedly encounter conflict in life. Conflict resolution is important in terms of well being and being able to deal positively with confrontation on a personal level will stand pupils in good stead for adult life and help them to lead happier lives. We believe it is important to teach pupils how to conduct themselves around school and remind them of their responsibility when wearing a school uniform out in the surrounding area. Our focus is very much on rewarding the good behaviour and we have systems in place to support this
We want them to understand the different drivers and markers for conflict and learn about current conflict, not just the World Wars. Having a developed understanding of sources of conflict and recognising the impact that conflict can have on relationships on a personal, local, national and international scale, will, we believe, make a difference in their own choices.
Effective communication is vital to working positively through conflict and we want to help our pupils to learn how to disagree well.
Conservation
We want our curriculum to look at the wider world as our children grow up, we believe it is important they see and understand the issues in the world and how they can play their part in it.
We see working with the children and the community to maintain the school grounds and our local area as important and we use the natural environment as part of Forest School education.
In addition to the above, we encourage our pupils to have high aspirations by teaching them about human creativity and achievement through additional Competency Units about famous figures that focus on Creativity, Commitment, Courage and Community.
Through our use of the Dimensions: Learning Means the World Curriculum, Our children are split into 3 age groups. These groups are Pathfinders (KS1), Adventurers (LKS2) and Navigators (UKS2). Each of the thematic units taught in each age group aim to develop different traits and skills in the children as they progress through their learning pathway. These are as follows:
