Discovery promote a curriculum that intends to ensure children are well prepared for life and are secondary ready.
The aim at Discovery is to provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society. There is a high focus on developing children’s moral, spiritual, social and cultural understanding. Discovery promote a curriculum that intends to ensure that children are well prepared for life in modern Britain and that they are secondary ready.
Discovery provide aims to for highly inclusive environments where learners enjoy their education. Pupils at all levels are helped to achieve their potential. Those who are most able are challenged, encouraging to expand their skills and knowledge through varied curriculum opportunities. Those who find learning more difficult are encouraged and given targeted support to embed skills, to develop at their own pace and to learn in a style that best suits their individual needs.
‘The purpose of the national curriculum is to set out the principles, aims and the content of the subjects to be studied by pupils across their time in primary and secondary schooling. It is a way of ensuring that all pupils encounter, engage with and study to varying degrees of depth, the content and material which are considered important for a rounded education. It sets out the stall for the range of goodies to which all young people in maintained schools in England are entitled.’
Mary Myatt.
Discovery focus on curriculum development is always carefully designed to ensure coverage and progression. It provides pupils with memorable experiences, in addition to diverse and rich opportunities from which children can learn and develop a range of transferable knowledge and skills. A primary focus of our curriculum is to raise aspirations, engender a sense of personal pride in achievement, provide a purpose and relevance for learning and ultimately to help every student to find strengths and interests.
Sport has a high profile within the trust, and pupils are introduced to a huge variety of competitive tournaments. These also give pupils the opportunity to participate with pupils from a variety of schools across Leicestershire. Traditional sports such as netball and football are complimented by cricket, golf, running, athletics, tag rugby, dance, gymnastics and seasonal swimming tournaments. Giving sport a focus across North Lancing has engaged many children including children with SEN.
The Trust also excels in the arts – providing quality opportunities for students to share their creative talents. There are annual art events, such as a Trust Art gallery set up in the heart of Leicester city, Dance competitions and more recently the Trust has become a partner with the RSC.
Discovery all provide the full core offer of extended school provision. To promote physical health and wellbeing, a range of clubs give learners an opportunity to access a wide variety of experiences after school hours and during lunch times which enhance the curriculum.
Subject leaders play an important part in the success of the curriculum by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation and review. The curriculum design ensures that the needs of individual and small groups of children can be met within the environment of high – quality teaching, supported by targeted, proven interventions where appropriate.
In this way it can be seen to impact in a very positive way on pupil outcomes. Enjoyment of the curriculum promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour. Children feel safe to try new things.
High quality visits and visitors within the trust are also well designed to enhance the curriculum, these experiences broaden children’s horizons and aspirations. Schools are encouraged to broaden children’s horizons through the use of partnership working and links with organisations across the world, such as ASHA, the trust’s charity which it supports. The Discovery curriculum core offer (see appendix 1) will help schools ensure all children in the trust experience a broad range of challenges, experiences, locations, inspirations within their school’s curriculum.
Discovery Trusts curriculum intent promotes the need for all our schools to provide pupils with the skills and knowledge to equip them ready for the 21st Century. This is particularly so with regards to the development and use of ICT skills. The trust will support all schools in the development of their resources including the skills needed by all teachers to equip children with these skills. Providing schools with access to high quality innovative resources and continuous professional development.
We recognise that each school is set within its own community, we therefore recognise the importance for each school to have autonomy and the freedom to provide a curriculum that meets the needs of his community, whilst also providing all children with the skills and knowledge that all children are entitled to learn.
