The Bespoke Curriculum

Units of planning and Learning Journeys
The curriculum at Blue Gate Fields Junior School is designed to address the knowledge, vocabulary and experience gap that many of our pupils, disadvantaged or not, face. It has been created to improve life chances; to reflect modern, diverse Britain and to offer access to the best and most current thinking.

The curriculum is not static, it will evolve over time as both our pupils and teachers develop and grow. However, it will remain ever true to our vision of ambitious, high quality teaching and learning with the whole child at its centre.

At Blue Gate Fields Junior School, mutual respect underpins all that we do so that we can equip children with the skills to be kind, responsible and caring global citizens. With a deep understanding of the experiences of our pupils, we provide a curriculum that endeavours to overcome any barriers that they may face.  To achieve this, staff are continually supported to deliver ambitious, high quality teaching and learning which follows a distinctive and consistent approach within the school. Our curriculum is based on the National Curriculum, which is tailored to the needs of all children, designed to enhance cultural capital and to equip our learners with the skills and knowledge needed for secondary school and beyond. It is a language rich curriculum, developed collaboratively by teachers, with the support of experts.

Developments in our teaching and learning practice are underpinned by sound educational research, in order to offer the best and most current thinking. The curriculum is continually trialed and reviewed for impact through a process of collaboration with staff so that all teaching staff are involved and take responsibility for the continued improvement and evolution of teaching and learning in our school.
Subject Leads, in collaboration with teaching teams, and informed by expert understanding,  create units of work which are sequenced components planned to fit within the bigger picture of the whole school curriculum map. ​The knowledge contained within the planning is transferrable and supports pupils as they progress from Key Stage 1, throughout Key Stage 2 and on to Key Stage 3 and beyond. 

The Medium Term Plans are designed to build upon prior knowledge and understanding to create effective, organised and growing schemas which make memory links within the subject area and across disciplines. It is detailed guidance for teaching and learning within each lesson.

Learning Journeys unpick the key components of learning contained in the Medium Term Plans; they clearly show progression in knowledge and determine a pathway through the content. The Learning Journeys can be a series of key questions to be answered in the lessons, or a form of 'backward planning' to enable learners to reach a learning goal, for instance  a writing outcome. Learning Journeys are then used to make judgements about learning outcomes - these assessments are made by the teachers, but also the pupils in evaluating their own successes.

Learning Journeys are visible in classrooms where they are referred to regularly, for example in Literacy when they may be used daily; they can also be seen in pupil books and are used as lessons happen. 

​Learning Journeys are an example of growing good practice in the school.

Examples of Units of planning and associated Learning Journeys

Learning Journeys for staff CDP

Learning Journeys for staff CPD are in development. This is an example of a CPD Learning Journey for staff understanding of the History curriculum and our current whole school inquiry project.