At Robert Bloomfield Academy, our core values of community, opportunity and excellence are at the heart of everything we do.  We set high expectations to ensure that every pupil excels across all aspects of academy life.

Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress and that the curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning.

We want our pupils to leave with knowledge and skills which will not only create excellent life opportunities but will also prepare them exceptionally well for life beyond the academy.

At Robert Bloomfield Academy, pupils will,

• experience a broad, deep and knowledge rich curriculum;
• be literate and numerate;
• have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement;
• build their character;
• develop their cultural, social, moral, mental and physical development;
• secure foundations for progression.

Pupils experience a broad, deep and knowledge rich curriculum

Our academy curriculum helps pupils to achieve high standards and make excellent progress. The curriculum is broad and pupils learn essential knowledge built around a 'learning journey' and 'Big Ideas' to ensure they have a deep understanding across a range of subjects. There are many opportunities built into lessons to secure the need to recall and retrieve previous learning so that knowledge is fully embedded.

Pupils will be literate and numerate

The development of pupil language and oracy is at the forefront of our curriculum as we understand how vital it is for our pupils to build confidence in communication skills not only for their time in school but also to prepare them for working life. We ensure pupils have opportunities in all subjects to discuss, challenge and build on other points of view and to develop their formality of language to ensure they can have the confidence to speak to different audiences. Numeracy skills are embedded across the curriculum.  Pupils who arrive with below expected maths and english skills are quickly caught up through expert teaching and incisive intervention. The academy ensures that pupils are literate and numerate enabling them to flourish, thrive and access the next stage of their education, employment or training. 

Pupils will have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement

The academy is inclusive and ambitious for all. We have high expectations of all pupils and provide opportunity for pupils to learn what is expected of them morally. Our behaviour policy ensures that pupils learn that actions have consequences and they can accept and appreciate differences between people. Whilst students gain knowledge through KS2 and KS3, we also want them to become learners who are enquiring, enthusiastic, engaged and mannerly. 

Pupils will build their character

At the academy, we are totally committed to improving the life chances and aspirations of pupils. With a focus on building character and resilience, we ensure pupils have access to a wide curriculum which provides numerous opportunities in sport, creativity and performing.  An extensive enrichment programme supports the development of pupils into well rounded citizens.

Pupils will develop their cultural, moral, social, mental and physical development

At Robert Bloomfield Academy, we pride ourselves on delivering a curriculum which incorporates SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural). SMSC is championed at the academy in order to develop pupils as a whole, not just academically. To ensure that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain, pupils are able to envisage 'The Bigger Picture' and show that learning is linked to the real world and experiences. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a range of sporting, cultural and charitable activities.  Links with local and national business enrich the curriculum offer and help to contextualise learning.

Pupils will secure foundations for progression

It is our intention at the academy to ensure pupils have secure foundations for progression into further education and apprenticeships. From Year 5, pupils receive careers information with a clear focus on the Gatsby benchmarks and this is supported through drop-down days throughout the year.  Over the course of 4 years, pupils receive a rigorous and bespoke aspirations program that exposes our pupils to a huge range of voices and experiences.  

Curriculum Implementation

We believe that a carefully planned and structured curriculum is the foundation upon which excellent learning and development is built.  The curriculum is designed and implemented so that it builds on prior knowledge and prepares pupils for the next stage in their education. Lessons are engaging, inspiring and suitably differentiated so that pupils are able to achieve, or go beyond, their potential with pupils able to spend a lot of time in lessons working independently at their level of ability.

Development of language and building knowledge are integral to curriculum planning.  Subject Leaders, who are experts in their subjects, carefully construct a curriculum that promotes a deep understanding of a wide range of topics.  Teachers plan learning that use data and prior attainment information and that allows pupils to embed and recall knowledge.  This builds firm foundations for progression to the next level of their learning. 

Key Stage 2

In Year 5, our pupils start their learning journey with many of their lessons delivered by their class teacher. Their main learning base is their year 5 classroom, but they will visit all parts of the academy for specialist lessons.

Although all subjects will initially be taught as class groups, some pupils will receive smaller group work or intervention through the year as appropriate.

In Year 6, with a focus on SATs, pupils follow a similar routine, with setting in place for English and Maths classes.

Key Stage 3

As pupils move in to Year 7, greater use is made of subject specialist teaching, along with ability grouping in more subjects.

In Year 8, we enhance our specialist teaching by splitting Humanities into Geography and History classes. As part of our academy specialism, we also introduce a second language into the curriculum, with pupils able to select from Spanish, German or Italian.

 

Curriculum Impact

At Robert Bloomfield, our curriculum will:

• ensure that the sequence of learning builds on previous knowledge whilst supporting future progression.
• enable all pupils to fulfil their potential.
• meet the needs of pupils of all abilities at the academy.
• allow pupils to acquire an appreciation and respect for their own and other cultures.
• develop pupils ready for their next phase of learning and beyond.
• prepare pupils to compete in the global economy.
• help students develop lively, enquiring minds and the ability to question and argue rationally.

Curriculum Hours

Our curriculum is based around pupils receiving 25 lessons per week. There are three 1-hour lessons and two 55-minute lessons each day. We operate a two-week timetable cycle, covering fifty lessons.

 

Assessment

At the start of each year, all pupils will have a baseline target established. From that an end of year aspirational target will be derived that they are expected to strive towards. 

The academy has introduced learning journeys at KS3 across all subjects.  The learning journeys are shared with parents and pupils.  As a result, pupils are engaged in their learning and know which step they are working at and what they need to do to improve.

Regular, low stakes, testing ensure that pupils embed knowledge into their long term memory.

Pupils are assessed by a combination of peer, self and teacher assessments.  Summative assessment will take place at least once per half term.

Following each assessment, incisive intervention to fill gaps in knowledge means that pupils make rapid progress.

Parents receive reports 3 times per year.  The reports will indicate the progress that pupils have made towards their target grade and an indication of their behaviour and attitude to learning.​

Curriculum Review

Curriculum implementation will be reviewed and quality assured through line management meetings, light touch learning walks and lesson observations.

The curriculum delivered in each subject will reviewed annually by Subject Leaders to ensure the sequence of delivery allows pupils to build on their knowledge and that pupils are sufficiently stretched and challenged.

The curriculum hours and subjects offered will be analysed by the Senior Leadership Team and governors on an annual basis.

The Pupil Leadership Team will discuss curriculum content and delivery annually. This will be fed back to Senior Team and staff.

Parents and pupils will have the opportunity to review the curriculum content and delivery through parent and pupil surveys.  ​