Curriculum

The Harmony Model Curriculum

As part of a multi-academy trust, we benefit from the shared expertise, experiences and collaboration of our colleagues across the organisation. 'The Harmony Model Curriculum' has been written, regularly evaluated, reviewed and adapted by our experienced practitioners over recent years. It provides an evidence-based approach, structure and guidance which academies implement whilst considering the individual context of their setting. Teachers and subject leaders are supported with high-quality CPD to ensure they have the skills and knowledge they need to deliver an exciting and meaningful curriculum for the children.

For more details on The Harmony Model Curriculum, visit our Harmony Trust website here.

The Richmond Inspire Curriculum

At Richmond Academy, we personalise The Harmony Model Curriculum with our INSPIRE ethos. We aim to provide an excellent education for all our children and every activity a child takes part in in our academy is part of this curriculum. The total learning experience is designed to maximise achievement within the National Curriculum and develop skills, attitudes and attainment that helps children to achieve their full potential in the widest sense.

Intent, Implementation and Impact

An except from our Teaching and Learning Handbook demonstrates our approach to curriculum planning:

Cross-Curriculum Links and Mapping

We understand that our children learn best when they are fully immersed in a subject, therefore our Long Term Plans are in line with the National Curriculum and are devised to incorporate cross-curricular links – where and when appropriate – and to integrate the principles of the INSPIRE curriculum. Many of our children speak English as an additional language and benefit from being able to learn and use vocabulary in as many contexts as possible.

Teachers include their intent and their plan for implementation at this stage of our curriculum development after reviewing its impact over the previous year.

An example curriculum map for each year group can be found at the bottom of this page. An example curriculum map for Year 4 below:

Teachers are given the freedom to adapt their class timetables in the afternoon to ‘block’ lessons and to ensure quality outcomes.

Curriculum Enhancements

Opportunities are taken to extend the curriculum through the use of educational visits out of school, to involve parents, visitors, artists, crafts-people, actors, musicians etc. and through the use of the school grounds, the locality and the wider environment.

Termly Curriculum Weeks enhance the INSPIRE vision of the school, promoting a WOW factor and to foster a love of learning. High quality displays are generated after Curriculum Weeks in order to celebrate the children’s learning and achievements.

Our class pages are also regularly updated with news from the classrooms.

The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum requires that children will be taught the following subjects.

Core Subjects

Click on the icons for an overview of each subject.

Phonics and Reading

Writing (inc.Spelling)

Maths

Science

Computing

R.E.

RE statement : Parents have the right to partially or wholly withdraw their child from RE lessons but must arrange a meeting with the Academy Principal to discuss this first.

Foundation Subjects

We teach each of the National Curriculum subjects through one of our INSPIRE topics or themes. The themes reflect the children's interests and aim to inspire the children to learn.