Curriculum

Salcombe's Curriculum Vision

At Team Salcombe we strive to deliver a bespoke curriculum that inspires our children. Through a range of learning experiences, our curriculum centers on the children’s needs and interests.

We aim to fulfil this by:

• engaging the children in specific skills and learned knowledge that is then applied to a varied range of contexts.
• having a curriculum that is designed specifically with the coastal location of Salcombe at the heart of the planning.
• all of the staff knowing every child throughout the school and having a ‘deliberate botheredness’ all day, every day!
• encouraging the development of important real life attributes (driven by)through our key skills.
• celebrating the success of all children in a variety of different ways, but also teaching the children that failure can be  good. (making mistakes can be positive)
• giving all children an equitable chance to reach their full potential, regardless of their backgrounds.
• developing links so that the school is the hub of the local community.
• to uphold our Christian values of respect, kindness, forgiveness, trust, love and celebration in everything that we do.
• creating a strong support network between the children, staff, parents and the local community making one ‘Team Salcombe’.
• to have well-being and mental health at the heart of everything that we do!

At Salcombe Primary School we are very proud of our approach to learning, which aims to develop confident and responsible learners. We define the curriculum as everything that impacts on the learning of our pupils. Alongside modern British values Salcombe's curriculum is built around our school values of independence, team work and determination.

There is no sense of a tension between high standards and exciting learning. Pupils have the opportunity to learn in a range of different ways – but all teaching and learning is of a high quality and is planned and managed so pupils are challenged and supported.

Pupils are engaged in learning that develops and stretches them and excites their imagination. Pupils enjoy learning different things and learning in different ways. They learn through play, out-of-doors, in traditional class settings from teachers, in small groups, through art, music and sport, from each other, before and after school, both formally and informally.

Our Foundation Stage class follow a distinctive Early Years Curriculum. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is divided into seven areas of learning; Personal Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language, Physical Development, Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design. Each area of learning is planned so that children have continuous access both inside and out. Specific skills involving reading, writing and maths are taught through daily, whole class, as well as small group, activities and children’s progress is monitored both through observation during adult led and child-initiated activities.

The National Curriculum applies to pupils of compulsory school age and is taught from Year 1. It consists of core subjects: English, Mathematics and Science as well as Religious Education. We are always looking to develop teaching and learning at Salcombe and set ourselves high standards. Mathematics is taught through a mastery approach, which is built upon a belief that all pupils can achieve in maths and learning is planned to take small conceptual steps, with tasks designed to promote thinking, reasoning and problem-solving. 

Salcombe prides itself on its broad and balanced curriculum and strives for excellence in all areas. Foundation subjects including Art and Design, Computing, Design and Technology, Geography, History, Music and PE are also taught on a regular basis, with a specialist teacher employed to teach PE across all year groups. As part of our school philosophy, we run a programme of Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE), which includes Sex Education and Drugs Education. Parents may withdraw their children from some elements Sex Education if they wish. In addition, children are given the opportunity to learn a Modern Foreign Language. 

Learning is planned through different 'Learning Experiences' to give learning a greater purpose; to support making links across the curriculum and to ensure learning is enhanced through visits within and beyond the local area, visiting experts etc. We believe that children learn best when they have a purpose for learning. 

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, the learning in each subject is provided for all pupils in the school, including those with special educational needs.

For further information, please see our SEND information, The First Federation SEND policy and the First Federation Equality policy.

Please talk to your child’s teacher or contact the school office if you would like to find out more about our curriculum.

Phonics

At Salcombe Primary School we follow the Read, Write, Inc programme. Children are grouped in EYFS, Year 1 and 2 according to their ability levels. These groups are fluid and flexible according to children’s progress and need. Children’s progress is tracked regularly and lessons are personalised to meet the needs of all learners.

Reading Schemes

At Salcombe Primary School reading books are banded according to their content. We use the Read, Write, Inc reading scheme (which aligns to the phonics programme) and Accelerated Reader. Pupils are taught reading skills during Guided Reading lessons, phonics lessons and through cross-curricular activities. 

How we teach the curriculum at Salcombe

You may be interested in the documents below which tell you about the skills and the knowledge that the children will learn at our school.