Our curriculum is built on joy, curiosity, and purpose. Organised into four interconnected strands—STEM, Creative Communication, Humanities, and Personal & Physical Development—our learning approach blends structured progression with freedom to explore. We balance foundational knowledge and skills with conceptual thinking and creativity, empowering children to follow their curiosity and co-construct learning through COOL Time.
Our Curriculum Design: Progression with Purpose
Our curriculum is carefully crafted to be progressive, coherent and purposeful. Learning builds on what has come before and prepares for what comes next, ensuring children gain the tools, knowledge and mindset they need to thrive in a complex world.
We want learning to make sense, to feel connected, meaningful and challenging. That’s why our curriculum is carefully sequenced, flexibly delivered, and rich in opportunity.
What Do We Mean by ‘Progressive and Coherent’?
A progressive curriculum means:
- Clear learning pathways from EYFS to Year 6
- Knowledge and skills that build in complexity and depth
- Subjects revisited over time to strengthen understanding
- Space for children to connect ideas, reflect, and apply their learning
This careful design is what makes learning at Nanstallon both challenging and joyful.
Core and Broader Curriculum
We intentionally blend:
| Core Curriculum | Broader Curriculum (including COOL Time) |
| Statutory expectations from the National Curriculum | Child-led, co-constructed and independent enquiry |
| Adult-led and scaffolded learning | Outdoor learning, project work, personal creativity |
| Structured progression in key knowledge and skills | Purposeful exploration led by interest and imagination |
Together, they provide every child with both security and autonomy in their learning.
Foundational and Conceptual Learning
We distinguish between:
- Foundational Knowledge – facts and skills needing secure, fluent recall
- Foundational Processes – steps that must be followed precisely (e.g. maths methods, writing grammar)
- Conceptual Knowledge – evolving ideas and big-picture understanding
- Conceptual Processes – varied, higher-order approaches to building ideas (e.g. hypothesising, composing, debating)
This lens helps us choose the learning approach—from adult-led to fully child-led.
Learning Approaches at Nanstallon
We use five broad approaches, chosen intentionally based on the learning need:
- Adult-led – For secure, accurate learning of key facts and processes
- Adult-initiated – Where the teacher introduces learning and narrows the focus
- Co-constructed – Learning is designed with the pupil, based on shared decisions
- Child-initiated – Pupils take the lead on what and how they learn
- Child-led – Pupils follow their curiosity and manage their own learning journey
As children grow in independence, they also develop the QI Skills, especially Will, Wobble, Why and Me, as that help them reflect, persist and adapt.
Our Commitment – Responsive, Reflective, Research-Informed
Our curriculum is shaped by:
- Educational research and evidence
- Professional reflection and pupil feedback
- The voice of our community and the values we share
- Our commitment to developing the whole child, through both the QI Skills and COOL Time
We are building a curriculum not just for today, but for life, where children grow as thinkers, creators, citizens and human beings.