Rookery School

Curriculum

Our broad and ambitious curriculum inspires children to read, experience, communicate and achieve, building the knowledge, confidence and curiosity they need to flourish.

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Read

We inspire confident, enthusiastic readers, developing knowledge, imagination and a lifelong love of reading that opens doors to learning.

Experience

We bring learning to life through meaningful experiences that spark curiosity, broaden horizons and help children understand the world around them.

Communicate

We empower children to find their voice, express ideas confidently, listen thoughtfully and communicate with respect and understanding.

Achieve

We encourage every child to aim high, embrace challenge and develop the knowledge, confidence and resilience to fulfil their potential.

The children at Rookery are at the heart of this community. We recognise that each and every one of them is unique with their own ideas, talents, needs and aspirations. Working together in harmony with parents who share with us this responsibility of educating our children. We prepare them for a world beyond our school.

Curriculum Intent - Why we teach what we teach

At Rookery School we provide a bespoke curriculum that is both broad and balanced. It is inspirational, relevant and meaningful. Directly responding to the needs of the individuals within our learning community. Empowering them with the experience, knowledge and skills to succeed academically and flourish socially, emotionally, morally and culturally.

We believe our curriculum to be a reflection of all that we do and everything we stand for – the entire learning experience, incorporating formal learning, practical experience, events, routines and enrichment activities that take place outside the classroom. Also permeating our curriculum are the core values of the school – Respect, Responsibility and Resilience – together with the British Values of Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect, Democracy and the Rule of Law.

Our Curriculum

Art

Art and Design at Rookery enables pupils to observe, explore, experiment and communicate ideas visually. Through drawing, painting, sculpture, craft and digital or contemporary approaches, pupils build technical skill, knowledge of artists and confidence in developing an individual creative response.

British Values

Rookery actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values are embedded through curriculum learning, school culture, pupil leadership and everyday relationships.

Collective Worship

Collective Worship at Rookery provides a regular shared opportunity for reflection, celebration and consideration of values, beliefs and experiences. It supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and strengthens a sense of belonging within a diverse school community.

Computing

Computing at Rookery develops confident, creative and responsible users of technology. Pupils build knowledge across computer science, information technology and digital literacy, learning how digital systems work, how to create with technology and how to use online environments safely and thoughtfully.

Design Technology

Design and Technology at Rookery challenges pupils to identify needs, generate ideas, make purposeful products and evaluate how well they work. Pupils combine creativity with technical knowledge, practical skill and responsible decision-making across structures, mechanisms, textiles, food and electrical systems.

Early Years

Early Years at Rookery provides a nurturing, ambitious and play-rich foundation for learning. Children develop communication, personal and social skills, early reading, writing and mathematics through a carefully planned balance of direct teaching, purposeful interaction, exploration and sustained play indoors and outdoors.

English

English at Rookery places reading at the heart of the curriculum. Through high-quality texts, systematic early reading, purposeful writing, rich vocabulary and confident spoken language, pupils develop the literacy knowledge and communication skills they need to succeed across the curriculum and beyond school.

Enrichment

Enrichment is an important part of life at Rookery, extending learning beyond the classroom and giving every child opportunities to discover new interests, develop talents and experience the wider world. Through visits, visitors, performances, clubs, events and practical experiences, we aim to broaden horizons and create memorable opportunities that complement our curriculum.

History/Geography

History and Geography at Rookery help pupils understand people, place, time and change. Through local, national and global study, pupils develop chronological, geographical and enquiry knowledge and learn to connect the story of the past with the physical and human world they inhabit today.

Maths

Mathematics at Rookery is designed to build confident, resilient and fluent mathematicians. Pupils develop secure number sense, conceptual understanding, reasoning and problem-solving through carefully sequenced teaching that moves from concrete experiences to pictorial representations and abstract mathematical thinking.

MFL

French at Rookery gives Key Stage 2 pupils an enjoyable and structured introduction to another language and culture. Pupils build confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing while developing vocabulary, grammatical awareness and transferable language-learning strategies for the transition to secondary school.

Music

Music at Rookery gives pupils the knowledge, skills and confidence to perform, compose, listen and respond. Through singing, instruments, musical vocabulary and a broad range of repertoire, pupils experience music as a creative, collaborative and culturally rich part of school life.

PE

Physical Education at Rookery develops competence, confidence and enjoyment in physical activity. Pupils build fundamental movement skills, learn to participate safely and fairly, experience competition and develop an understanding of health, fitness and the positive role that physical activity can play throughout life.

Phonics

Phonics and early reading are a central priority at Rookery. Through a systematic Read Write Inc programme, pupils learn the sound-letter correspondences, blending, word reading, spelling and fluency they need to become confident readers and gain full access to the wider curriculum.

RE

Religious Education at Rookery helps pupils develop informed, respectful understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews. Through thoughtful enquiry, discussion and reflection, pupils learn about beliefs, practices, communities and big questions while developing the language and confidence to engage with difference.

Science

Science at Rookery develops secure knowledge of the natural and physical world alongside the disciplinary knowledge needed to work scientifically. Pupils build ideas cumulatively, revisit important concepts and learn to ask questions, investigate, reason from evidence and explain scientific phenomena with increasing precision.

Curriculum Implementation – How we teach what we teach

We have adopted a themed approach to delivering the curriculum at Rookery. It is designed to create opportunities for children to see connections between subjects and to show progress within each subject across each year. Dividing the curriculum into three main themes – Humanities (History, Geography and RE) , Creative Arts (Art, Music Drama, Dance) and Science/Tech (Science, DT , ICT).

The children visit each theme twice across a year. The main driver of each theme is a high-quality text (linked directly with the theme), allowing children to be immersed in the relevant vocabulary right from the beginning of their learning journey.

Curriculum Impact – the purpose of the curriculum

That by having access to a wide and varied curriculum we enable our pupils to excel as individuals and be the best they can be. We simply want our children to have it all.

For our families to work in partnership with us to ensure their child’s journey through Rookery is a positive one that prepares them to contribute positively to the world in which they live.

That our children are mentally and emotionally happy and resilient learners who believe that with hard work and determination there are no limits

That they will have the knowledge, skills understanding and vocabulary that empowers them in the 21st Century.

That as they grow mentally, physically and emotionally they always demonstrate kindness, compassion and empathy.
Appreciating the importance of connection, community and giving back to society

Our children achieve well – making good progress from their starting point. Achieving at least the expected standard across the entire curriculum by the end of Key Stage 2.

Working Together to Help Every Child Thrive

Strong partnerships between home and school are at the heart of everything we do. By working together, we create the best possible opportunities for every child to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.