Curriculum Principles

Elevating Expectations – Our Curriculum

Our curriculum is underpinned by a commitment to provide broad and balanced learning experiences which allow all children to engage systematically growing bodies of knowledge with opportunities for problem-solving and application. We want all children, regardless of background, experience or ability to achieve and feel academic and wider success.

Our curriculum is designed to ensure children develop holistically, including the character traits necessary to be effective learners, such as resilience. Our rationale therefore includes the balanced development of head, heart and hand.

Head

The secure and in-depth learning of subject-specific and inter-disciplinary networks of knowledge.

Heart

Character development, including resilience, respect, kindness and empathy.

Hand

The ability to solve-problems; applying knowledge through creative thinking and collaboration. Wellbeing and positive relationships as individuals and within groups will be promoted, enabling pupils to build their resilience, experience risk and adventure and develop essential skills and attributes. Pupils will have an understanding of how they learn and develop, and where the joy of learning is foremost in all aspects of the academy’s ethos.

A Sense of Place

Our curriculum is structured around the concept of ‘A Sense of Place’. This includes building children’s sense of their place within the Marleigh and wider community and an understanding of their rights and responsibilities, of global citizenship and sustainable development. It also includes an understanding of Marleigh as a new development and the stories of those who have come to live there, but also the history of the locality and legacy of the Marshall airfield, on which land the development is built.

Extra-curricular

As part of our ‘Sense of Place’ curriculum, we plan to forge exciting links with local businesses and organisations, particularly in order to bring to life the application of STEM in our surrounding area. This will include partnerships such as the Cambridge LaunchPad.
Whilst we are growing in pupil numbers, our curriculum will be enriched through opportunities for children to work closely with those from our neighbouring school, Fen Ditton Primary, which is less than 10 minutes’ walk away. This will provide opportunities for children to take part in activities requiring larger numbers, such as sporting activities, drama productions and visits, as well as providing further friendship opportunities. We will also be looking out for companies who would like to partner with us in providing a range of after-school clubs (in addition to our wraparound care offer).