Our Curriculum

Our Curriculum Vision

At Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Oakengates Nursery Federation, we want every child to have the best possible start in life. Our curriculum is the foundation of this vision – it reflects everything we want our children to experience, learn and be able to do during their time with us.

Our Core Beliefs

We believe in:

• Placing the child at the centre of all our practice

• Valuing a child’s connections with family, community, culture, and the natural world

• Nurturing the whole child – supporting physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development

• Promoting education for sustainable development

• Ensuring inclusion, in line with the SEND Code of Practice

A Carefully Planned Journey

We have designed a coherently planned, well-sequenced curriculum for children aged 0–7. This ensures they gain the right knowledge and skills at the right time, allowing them to build on prior learning and make meaningful progress.

Our curriculum sets out ambitious end goals for children to reach by the end of the Early Years and Key Stage 1. Every aspect has been thoughtfully considered to support continuous development – so children know more, understand more, and can do more.

Inspiring a Love of Learning

We want our curriculum to inspire and motivate every child, encouraging deep engagement and excellent progress. At the heart of our approach is the belief that:

"A happy childhood is the right of every child."

Through play, exploration, and real-life experiences, we nurture children's natural curiosity and develop their understanding of the diverse and fascinating world around them.

Language at the Heart

Spoken language is a key focus throughout our curriculum. The quality and richness of the language children hear and use plays a vital role in their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

We actively support children to:

• Expand their vocabulary

• Reason and justify their thinking

• Express their ideas clearly and confidently

Thinking, Questioning, Growing

We give children time and space to:

• Develop their ideas

• Ask questions

• Solve problems

• Take risks in their learning

This approach helps children grow in confidence, resilience, and independence, while developing strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Building Strong Communicators

We see our children as being at the very beginning of their lifelong learning journey. Our curriculum empowers them to:

• Communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly

• Make links between concepts

• Develop strategies for learning and doing

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) Development

SMSC development is embedded across our curriculum. Children learn to:

• Behave kindly and cooperatively

• Respect each other’s differences

• Make friends and understand people and families beyond their own experience

• Stay safe and feel safe

We use a whole-school approach called Jigsaw to support this. It helps children develop the personal qualities and attributes they need to thrive as individuals, family members, and members of society.

Assessment that Informs Learning

Children’s learning does not always follow a straight line. For this reason, accurate and proportionate assessment is vital. We use ongoing assessment to understand:

• What children know and can do

• What they need to learn next

This allows us to adapt our teaching so every child is supported and challenged appropriately.