Curriculum Design

The Nanstallon model for subject progression has 4 key elements:

  1. End Points – what we are building towards as a school and in each subject discipline that we teach, so it is clear what our pupils need to know and be able to do at each stage in order to reach them. How each subject aligns to the 7 QI non-cognitive skills.
  2. Big Ideas – defining what the big ideas of each curriculum subject is. These are the anchors and key concepts of exploration of child-centred project learning.
  3. Progression – the cumulative progression of skills, knowledge and understanding that children assimilate and accommodate. In other words:
    • learning new things that relates to and enriches what children already know
    • the accommodation of new learning in a different more challenging context so that children’s understanding becomes increasingly solid and nuanced
  4. Matching outcomes to projects – the curriculum is designed so that key knowledge, skills and understanding are planned and taught in a progression considering the many cross curricular and subject links

Adults make sure that the work is interesting and captivating. Pupils are encouraged to think for themselves, develop their own interests and be responsible for their own work. They work well in class and when learning outside. They become particularly confident using information and communication technology (ICT) to record their work. (Ofsted, 2021)

A curriculum rooted in the locality of Nanstallon, Bodmin in Cornwall

We are a small school in rural Cornwall. The curriculum is delivered through ‘child centred projects’ based on a particular focus. The Nanstallon curriculum promotes and nurtures:

  • Personal Empowerment and Independence
  • A sense of Belonging
  • Collective Responsibility
  • Mastery of Primary Skills, Knowledge and Understanding

Child centred projects integrate subject progression ensuring coverage over time.

In Practice:
  1. Cross-curricular projects are planned on a 3-year rolling programme;
  2. These are subject or book based topics in order for SPEAKING AND LISTENING opportunities to be carefully planned for;
  3. A comprehensive LIFE SKILLS FRAMEWORK enables pupils to access real life and meaningful opportunities that augment the statutory curriculum.
  4. The core subject of SCIENCE is planned into each project unit or is taught as discreet project unit with opportunities to ‘work scientifically’;
  5. A whole school approach towards the teaching and learning of BASIC CORE SKILLS and the opportunities to APPLY these across the CURRICULUM to prepare children for the next stage of their education;
  6. Child-centred projects embrace and integrate the ARTS to develop more complete children who have curious minds and think critically;
  7. The 7 QI SKILLS, Sensory Integration Social, Moral, Cultural, Spiritual development and PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT are threads that weave throughout the curriculum;
  8. Each child-centred project ensures immersive and experiential learning of a wide breadth of skills and knowledge;
  9. These build on the FOUNDATIONS of our school MOTTO and VALUES.

Our Learning Environment is always developing and evolving

Transforming our Learning Provision