Our Curriculum

Intent: 

• To develop character that is in keeping with the values of our mission statement 
• To foster a lifelong love of learning 
• To enable every child to fulfil their potential 

Implement: 

At Our Lady School we implement the curriculum using direct instruction as our pedagogical approach. Direct instruction has a clear, strong evidence base for effective teaching. Research in the field of cognitive psychology shows that learning is a change in long-term memory. We use the evidence-based Principles of Direct Instruction (Rosenshine, 2010) that were collated through decades of research. The principles of direct instruction are:   

• Begin lessons with a short review of relevant prior learning (retrieval practice) 
• Present new material in small steps with pupil practice after each step 
• Ask a large number of questions to all pupils 
• Check for understanding from all pupils 
• The teacher directly models the full process, including showing worked examples 
• Be adaptive and creative  
• Guide pupil practice under close supervision of the teacher with immediate feedback 
• Obtain a high success rate and prepare pupils for the next stage in their education 

Impact: 

We aim for every child to be a confident, resilient, happy and independent learner who contributes positively to the world around them. We want children to be able to take the knowledge and skills they have acquired week by week to the next phase of their education. Our engaging and empowering curriculum prepares children for today and tomorrow. We seek to provide all pupils with the capital they will need to be successful at every stage of learning and in their future.