Curriculum Overview

Our curricula are bespoke to individual academies, but are underpinned by key, consistent features defined as a trust: 

Pupils are introduced to the best that has been thought of and said as their entitlement, which creates a foundation for widening horizons and opportunities to think bigger to build the skills to achieve the very best they can. 

Pupils are given the opportunity to explore and develop their curiosity, an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and to develop a life-long love of learning. 

Pupils are prepared to accept nuance and consider, critically, and compassionately the information they consume 

Our pupils develop their knowledge and skills through deliberate practice and application in a variety of contexts. 

Our teachers use their expertise to communicate knowledge, induct pupils into subject disciplines and to facilitate pupils’ own discovery and interests. 

Our staff work together to implement and draw upon ambitious, intelligent, cross-curricular and cross-phase links. 

Our curricula celebrate the diverse backgrounds of the pupils in our care and the community we serve, and incorporate a strong anti-racist and inclusive perspective. Pressing current issues such as climate change, are addressed through responsive implementation. 

Our curriculum reflects our desire to ensure that every child receives what is their fundamental right: a brilliant education, not only a brilliant education but the right education for each individual child. 

Curriculum Intent 

Through our carefully designed curriculum, we develop creative minds and open hearts. There is a strong emphasis on academic excellence and personal development, which is woven through everything we do at The Vale Academy. 

Curriculum Implementation 

Our children study the national curriculum. The curriculum is delivered through subject-specific lessons, allowing children to understand when they are learning to be a historian, and when they are being scientists, for example. It is important to us that children understand the subject being taught so that they can understand the progress that they are making in each subject area. 

Our literacy curriculum is linked to carefully chosen texts, utilising the theme of each text as a platform to produce high-quality reading and writing. Our curriculum encourages pupils to write and read for a purpose, whilst developing a love for these disciplines. Our literacy and phonics lessons underpin the development of the literacy skills that children require for life. 

Connecting and embedding our learning across the curriculum subjects enables pupils to understand the relevance of the elements of their learning, for example graphs in mathematics are utilised when comparing the rainfall in different countries. However, we do not form links where they are unsuitable. Our focus is very much on the intention of the learning process.

The Impact 

Our pupils develop a strong understanding of the world around them and are preparing to become morally responsible young people who are curious and aspirational young adults. Pupils have the confidence to contribute their opinions and ideas, discuss, debate and act upon their beliefs. They recognise that they have responsibility for their learning journey, and that they can strive, achieve and believe. Ultimately, our curriculum results in confident, happy, lifelong learners. 

If you wish to find out more about our curriculum, please send an email to the main academy address at: vale@thesharedlearningtrust.org.uk