Our Curriculum 

Curriculum Statement

 At Aspley Guise, our core aims are align with the name of our school. 

Aspley- Aiming High. 

We want a high quality, ambitious and progressive curriculum  across the school and in all lessons to enable all our children, particularly disadvantaged students and those with SEND, to achieve and excel. The curriculum is planned and sequenced to ensure knowledge is acquired and skills developed. 

Guise- Growing Together

We recognise the importance of community, be that between individuals, small groups, classes and beyond into the wider world. We want our children to learn to get along well with others and recognise that there is a beautiful world out there with beautiful people in it. This starts with individual relationships in the classroom and extends to supporting our local, national and international communities.

Village- Values

We want our children to grown up with a strong moral code, based on an understanding of respect and tolerance for everyone. Ultimately, as adults, we'd want our children to grown up with a strong ethical/moral compass that will guide them through life. 

School- Safe and Well

Despite living in a beautiful world, we also want our children to understand that there are dangers out there as well. We want them to understand the difference between safe and unsafe and when it's ok to take risks. We want our children to be healthy- both mentally and physically- and to enjoy life in the actual and virtual worlds. 

Underpinning these four key ideas, we hold to the principles that teaching and learning must be:

• Progressive and sequenced
• Broad and balanced 
• Knowledge rich
• Aspirant and ambitious
• Adaptive and accessible for all

Safe and Well: The Human Givens

Underpinning all of this is our commitment to developing the Human Givens as part of our school life. 

The school’s strapline is “Growing Together, Aiming High”  came about after consultation with staff, pupils, parents and governors. As the consultation process was unfolding, what became clear was the importance of community in everything we do. The principles being identified resonated with Griffin and Tyrell (2004) who identified the “Human Givens”, emotional human needs that if met, allowed the individual to flourish.

Security

In line with the principles of safeguarding, it is our duty to ensure that everyone in the school is safe. But it’s more than that; it’s about children knowing that they are safe. To that end, our staff work very hard to establish excellent relationships with our pupils. Each classroom feels like a home. Children know that they are valued and that we’re all learning - getting things right and wrong- without judgement.

Attention (to give and receive it)

Everyone should have times when they are the focus of another’s attention. In the classroom teachers work to ensure children are given time- mostly connected to ensuring learning is progressing, but also sometimes just to show they are valued.

On Friday in sharing assemblies, pupils are given praise for their individual efforts in working towards our school values, for growing their brains and for individual achievements.

Sense of autonomy and control

We all like to be able to “get on.” To that end, teachers take time to ensure learning is differentiated and that the whole community of learners can engage with the learning process at their own level. A range of differentiated activities are provided and learners can choose the activity that best suits them. Children (like adults) don’t always choose wisely; when that happens the teacher will discuss the child’s learning with them and the reasons for their choice.

Feeling part of a wider community

Everyone- children, staff, parents and governors, are a part of the Aspley Guise family. Children are obviously in their own class. However, everyone has their own house. We have four houses, named after the saints of the United Kingdom. All staff and pupils have their own house badges and wear them with pride. The house cup is awarded each week. We have regular house competitions. 

As a village school, we are also an important part of the wider local community. To that end we are involved in local community projects. E.g. local scarecrow festival, planting bulbs for the parish council, singing at the church fete and village hall for the elderly.

Beyond this, we recognise that we are a part of a worldwide community. To that end we regularly support national charity events. Our curriculum also recognises that we are custodians of our planet. To that end we are working towards developing our Eco-school status.

Privacy

In a busy school, this is a little difficult to achieve. However, every child has their own tray to store their personal items, their own peg in which to store their P.E. bag and outdoor garments. We have breakout spaces around the school where, if appropriate, children can work quietly supervised by an adult. We also have beautiful grounds where, if needed, children can go to have quiet time.

Sense of status

Children are all valued members of their house and class. In line with the behaviour policy, children are praised for their efforts in the classroom. Moreover, over the course of the year, every child will have the opportunity to be praised in the school’s Celebration Assembly.

In the classroom, over time all children will have assigned roles to fulfil. This may be something as simple as taking the register or being the light monitor. As children get older, these responsibilities develop- we have school council members, sports leaders and our older pupils support the reading of our younger children.

Meaning and purpose

We all need to have a meaning and purpose to what we do. If not, we cease to see a reason for doing it. In our work with the community, we seek to help others. In our work in the classroom, it is because there is a product to create (and often to share with others). E.g. in English, we’re writing a story to share with others. In Art, we’re creating a new display. In computing, we’re writing a game to play.

There is much content in our Curriculum section about what we do. However, if you have further questions about our curriculum offer, please contact your child's class teacher or get in touch with the school office.