Intent- our aims of education and overarching curriculum design here at St. John’s- Why we do what we do!

Our curriculum is built to ensure our children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare them for the next phase in learning as well as life and work in the 21st Century. We want each and every one of our children to live happy, healthy and productive lives and have hopes and dreams for their future. We are committed to providing an ambitious curriculum which inspires and engages, sparking a passion towards learning. We want to create drive and determination in our children encouraging them to make a difference in our world whilst developing their spiritually and faith.

Our overarching curriculum design focuses on positive attitudes towards learning, it is dynamic and engaging promoting the ethos of the school alongside progressive development of subject knowledge and understanding.

Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, within this, the promotion of fundamental British values, are at the heart of our school's work. Our core values, developed by our school community, promote a school ethos which embraces everyone in our school family. Our Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education, Relationship and Health Education and Religious Studies curriculum allows children to understand and build strong relationships, respect different cultures and beliefs and celebrate diversity. It is vital we create and build a strong community where everyone is valued. We are a team and therefore look after each other – whether that be within our school community or in a much wider context as a global citizen. Promoting a good attitude towards learning whilst developing perseverance and embracing challenge compliments our broad and balanced curriculum. We want our children to have high aspirations of themselves, extending their opportunities whilst opening their eyes to the world beyond their immediate environment. We place high priority in developing resilience to equip children for the ‘ow’s’ in life when children can be faced with difficult situations. We recognise the importance of staff and pupil welfare and well-being and promote positive emotional health whilst supporting children to express their feelings appropriately.

We want all our children to achieve and have academic success, no matter what their background, to enable them to confidently gain places in higher education and have the academic knowledge and rigor along with sound communication and grammar skills, to compete with others and secure high skilled jobs.  All children need to develop cultural capital (essential knowledge that children need to be educated citizens) to enable them to have deep knowledge and experience the best of what has been thought and said. We continue to celebrate our children’s ‘wow’s’ too- sharing in their successes and encouraging them to feel proud of themselves and each other. 

As well as nurturing our children we want them to feel content, happy and stimulated by the environment around them. We value the original part of our school building which dates back to 1841 just as much as the new areas which provided additional learning spaces and HUB areas. We want our children to understand the history of our school, how it has developed and what part we play in making sure it is looked after for future generations. The displays around school value children’s work, support learning as well as stimulate thinking, questioning and positivity. We take pride in our school taking care of it, maintaining it and looking for ways to improve it to enhance learning.

Children leave St. John’s with a sense of belonging and are proud that they have developed the confidence and skills needed to be learners for life. They have high standards of themselves, a willingness to try new things and aspirations of achieving something great in the next stages of their education. We want our children to be encouraged by our school motto and remember it as they journey through life.