Our Learning & Curriculum

Hand in Hand we Learn

We are critical thinkers

Driven by curiosity, we develop our understanding through collaboration, skilfully exploring and reflecting upon new concepts.

We are enthusiastic learners

We readily take on challenges with resilience, as we become resourceful, creative life-long learners.

We are responsible citizens

We are well-informed and make positive contributions to our communities.

Curriculum Intent

At Longford Primary Academy our curriculum opens our children’s eyes to the world around them, extends opportunity and raises aspirations to enable our children to become independent, forward thinking and confident learners who are adaptable to modern advances with the ability to shape their own futures.

Our curriculum is focused on the sequential development of children’s knowledge and skills across all primary subjects with the aim of ensuring pupils are ready for the next stage of their learning. Effective teaching of basic core skills embedded into broad and exciting topics provide children with the opportunities to develop and apply their skills critically and creatively and connect their learning in meaningful ways. Topics are framed around key philosophical concepts and stimulated by a text, as we encourage our children to become avid readers. They are further supported through experiences and visits creating authentic and memorable moments for all.

Through a mastery approach, our children confidently embed new concepts into long-term memory, demonstrating a greater depth of understanding and proficiency. We aim to build resilience and encourage a positive mind-set amongst our children so they may develop a love for learning and readily take on challenge.

We encourage parents to be as involved in their child's learning as possible, through shared reading and homework projects related to topic areas covered throughout the school year.

EYFS

The Intent of our curriculum is to ensure that each pupils’ wellbeing is at the heart of our curriculum where we enable and motivate children to confidently take risks, explore, create and feel immersed in play whilst feeling valued and listened to. We make use of high-quality texts, a rich language environment and the children’s interests to centre our teaching and learning as much possible as we recognise that high quality engagement leads to high levels of attainment with high levels of wellbeing.

At Longford Primary Academy, we greatly value the importance of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). We aim to provide the highest quality care and education for all our children thereby giving them a strong foundation for their future learning. We create a safe, stimulating and happy environment with motivating and enjoyable learning experiences that enable children to become confident, creative and caring individuals. We value the individual child and work alongside parents and others to meet their needs and help every child to reach their full potential.

At Longford Primary Academy we ensure that our environment and delivery of the curriculum incorporates the three characteristics of effective teaching and learning:

Playing & exploring
Active learning
Creating & thinking critically

We greatly value the importance of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in providing a secure foundation for every child’s future learning and development.

Our curriculum follows the learning and development requirements as set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2021) where we cover the seven areas of learning and the educational programmes as set out for each area.

The Prime Areas (where we build the foundations for a thirst for learning, forming relationships and thriving)

Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development

The Specific Areas (where the prime areas are strengthened and applied):

Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding of the World
Expressive Arts and Design

Phonics

At Longford Primary Academy we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. This is why we teach reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching phonics in Nursery/Reception and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.

As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. At Longford Primary Academy we also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.

Please click here for the Little Wandle parent page for further information and resources, including how to videos to support your children phonics and reading at home.

Please see Phonics & Early Reading Policy

Key Stages 1 & 2