Plymouth School of Creative Arts
Curriculum Policy
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
Contents
Plymouth School of Creative Arts ........................................................................................................... 1
Curriculum Policy .................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 2
2. Curriculum Policy Statement .............................................................................................................. 3
3. Curriculum Planning and Provision ..................................................................................................... 4
4. Developing the Curriculum ................................................................................................................. 6
5. Curriculum Overview .......................................................................................................................... 7
Phase 1 – Reception to Year 3 ............................................................................................................ 7
6. Extended School Day and Extended Learning..................................................................................... 9
7. Quality Assurance and Value for Money. ........................................................................................... 9
8. Monitoring and Review ..................................................................................................................... 10
1. Introduction
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
1.1 The National Curriculum for primary and secondary schools is currently under review. The
`Reform of the National Curriculum’ consultation document was sent out to stakeholders in
February 2013. It has a deadline for return of comments by April 2013. The next steps are;



Final decisions taken Summer 2013
Final publishing of changes Autumn 2013
First teaching of new National Curriculum September 2014
There is clear indication from the February 2013 Consultation of major changes to all subjects from
Key Stage 1 - 3. There is also change underway at Key Stage 4, though decisions made in early
2013, seem to indicate that GCSEs will now remain, albeit with more robustness (according the
Government policy).
1.2 At present the curriculum represents the general requirements of Section 78 of the Education
Act 2002. This states that;
‘The curriculum for a maintained school or maintained nursery school satisfies the requirements of
this section if it is a balanced and broadly based curriculum which; (a) promotes the spiritual, moral,
cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and (b) prepares
pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.’
1.3 There is a continued intention for the National Curriculum to be ‘balanced and broadly based’. As
a 4-16 Free School, Plymouth School of Creative Arts (PSCA) is not bound (unlike maintained
schools) by the National Curriculum. However, it is with this balanced and broadly based principle
aim in mind that the PSCA curriculum has been designed. This policy should be read alongside our
Education Brief developed for pre-opening inspection before September 2013.
2. Curriculum Policy Statement
2.1 In keeping with its vision, ethos and rationale PSCA will provide a broad and balanced 4–16
curriculum within an enhanced pupil learning experience designed to:

Raise aspirations

Develop life skills and improve active participation

Enable seamless progression from primary through to higher education

Improve achievement and close the attainment gap

Meet urgent needs and demands in Plymouth
2.2 The curriculum model is one in which:

The pupil is at the centre of the learning process

Practice (making, doing, purposeful activity) leads engagement in learning
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine

Reflects our focus on creativity and our specialism in the creative arts

Individual needs and aspirations are met, and obstacles to progression removed

Social learning is fostered through peer groups
2.3 This model has been developed in response to the growing body of national and international
research and reports clearly evidencing key findings that arts-based education and cultural learning:

Improves achievement in all subjects

Engages students more fully, and leads to substantially lower dropout rates

Builds confidence, versatility and resilience in young adults

Produces more active, engaged and committed citizens and employees
2.4 We intend that the curriculum will develop students’ personal skills such as those of adaptability,
initiative and teamwork and stimulate intellectual growth by offering flexible teaching and learning
strategies.
2.5 It will maximise career possibilities by ensuring a broad and balanced options systems and assist
the learning process by providing sufficient and appropriate human and material resources.
2.6 Our staff will ensure progression and coherence by regular monitoring and evaluation and
provide equality of access to all individuals, taking due account of special needs or disabilities.
2.7 Each section of the school will adopt these intentions and principles, interpreting them as
appropriate to the age range of the section.
3. Curriculum Planning and Provision
3.1 The value of arts-based learning in re-engaging pupils who, for diverse reasons, have dropped
out of education is clearly understood. Less widely recognised is the research evidence that:
 Arts and cultural learning enhances performance and achievement across all subjects
 Low participation at 16–18, while it may surface as attendance and behavioural problems at
12 or 13, has its causal origins in early years education
3.2 Learning through the creative arts can deliver re-engagement in remedial terms, but has
therefore significantly more potential in preventative terms. Such learning should not be viewed as
an ‘optional extra’, but as a formative, core element of the educational experience of our young
people.
3.3 A recent study (Newman et al, 2010) suggests that participation by young people in structured
arts activities:
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine

Improves academic attainment in secondary-aged students

Enhances early literacy skills in pre-school and primary aged children

Improves young people’s cognitive abilities

Enhances transferable skills
3.4 These findings are strengthened in more recent research, and reflect earlier studies. For example
research by Harland et al (2000) evidenced the following desirable effects of arts in secondary
schools:

Intrinsic effects: enjoyment (impacting attendance, behaviour, motivation)

Knowledge of the social and cultural domain

Arts knowledge and skills

Communication and expressive skills

Creativity and thinking skills

Personal and social development (including teamwork)

Extrinsic transfer effects (including learning in other subjects and in the world of work)
3.5 Again, the efficacy of arts and cultural learning in developing understanding, skills and attributes
in all subject areas is apparent.
3.6 The PSCA curriculum is designed to provide a more holistic education than the typical range of
primary and secondary schools that currently offer a broad range of discrete subjects, frequently
delivered in disconnected subject silos of learning, which, due to constraints of scale or ethos,
cannot be delivered with truly specialist resources.
3.7 This is not a narrow argument for increasingly early specialism, but on the contrary proposes
innovative teaching and learning that will make links between science and art, language and
performance, mathematics and design innovation, through breadth and depth of learning and
teaching.
3.8 The Governors and the Senior Leadership Team will ensure that planning for curriculum
provision has due regard for changing local and national imperatives.
3.9 They will ensure that the curriculum provision supports the principles of life-long learning and
educational opportunities beyond school for students while they are at school and when they leave
school.
3.10 The curriculum will give students the opportunity to select programmes for study from a range
of pathways that are equally valued and held in equal esteem.
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
3.11 It will ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve nationally accredited
qualifications in all courses of study and that all students have the opportunity to follow
programmes of study that can contribute towards subsequent accredited study.
3.12 The school will collaborate with other educational providers to enhance and enrich the
curriculum provision for all students and support option planning at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 that
is based on a sound, educational rationale. For instance, Key Stage 5 will be offered via Plymouth
College of Art through FE and HE progression pathways that will follow seamlessly from Key Stage 4
provision provided by PSCA.
3.13 Every student will have a personalised curriculum based on prior attainment data, student
aspirations and challenging targets. Within their individual learning programme, the students will be
offered a level of learning appropriate to their recognised needs.
3.14 Our school curriculum will be organised bearing in mind that from the student perspective, the
curriculum is the entire planned learning experience encompassing lessons, locations, events,
environment, routines, extended hours, out-of-school learning and other “hub” opportunities.
4. Developing the Curriculum
4.1 Phase Teams will develop and deliver the formal curriculum under the supervision of the
Governors and Senior Leadership Team.
4.2 A scheme of work for all subjects will be produced. This is essential in ensuring consistently high
standards in teaching and learning activities across all subjects as well as documenting the curricular
activities planned for groups of students and coverage of the National Curriculum programmes of
study and GCSE / BTEC syllabi. Schemes of work will also provide a basis for monitoring and
evaluating the curriculum. It is essential that the work that students take part in is purposeful, has
context and looks at how I am learning as well as what I am learning.
4.3 Some of the curriculum will be partly developed and delivered by people from outside the school
who have specialist skills and knowledge applicable to specific courses of study which may be
creative, vocationally or business focused.
4.4 We will make sure that there is cross curricular permeation that will develop the links between
subjects and ensure students and staff fully understand the way that the whole curriculum fits
together.
4.5 Our process for learning is underpinned by the process of making, discovering and performing
and linked to the following core principles:
a) Thinking for myself supports us to develop confidence as individuals and our diverse
community
b) Learning together in mutual partnership broadens our horizons
c) Embracing uncertainty is at the core of the creative process and essential in an everchanging world
d) Play and experimenting are essential ingredients for learning at all ages
e) Purposeful practice driven by our individual aspirations is required to develop excellence
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
4.6 Pedagogy is characterised by a thematic and / or inquiry based approach linked to the process of
making that empowers learners. Another strong theme of the curriculum is the link to design
thinking and placing the inquiry within the context of a problem and having a context and client.
4.7
Learning that is tailored to an individual’s needs, resources and aspirations is at the heart of
the learning approach.
4.8
We will access a range of resources to enhance quality including technology enhanced
learning that supports learners to curate their own learning and life. Technology will be embedded in
all aspects of school life to enable children to develop digital wisdom.
4.9
Our curriculum supports the explicit learning of effective learning habits. Stephen Covey The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) suggests that a habit (such as good teaching or good
learning) is formed when a person (teacher, student) knows what to do, knows how to do it and
knows why they are doing it.
5. Curriculum Overview
Phase 1 – Reception to Year 3
Reception and Year 1, 2 and 3 of the primary school, pupils will be immersed in a broad, engaging
and highly creative experience, which steadily develops skills, knowledge and understanding.
Fundamental to this is the development of language and literacy, numeracy, personal, social and
emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and
obviously creative development.
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
Our approach will provide a synergistic blend of established good practice. Students will learn with a
number of adults within a year group team. Team teaching will therefore be common and learning
enhanced through the input of support staff with specialisms including cooking and the arts. The
opportunity to ensure a play based approach throughout these years is fundamental. This approach
will draw upon the deep ludic potentiality of human imagination and invention – the tendency of
Huizinga’s homo ludens towards inventive learning through play – that will motivate student
engagement in learning and assist the retention and embedding of long term knowledge and
understanding. This enriched curriculum is designed to develop the pupil’s confidence, resilience
and enjoyment of learning.
Our approach is thematic, with 3 themes being developed over a year. In the early years the school
day will be made up of a blend of teaching and facilitation. There is flexibility in how weeks, terms
and the year is plannedbindeed we will look to develop a thread through the entire year. The
themes have some areas of overlap and connection across year groups. Throughout the year we will
also be utilising an overarching question – What makes our school and our community special?
Throughout the year there are threads that will keep emerging and connecting the child’s
experience. These include:
1. Special Events
2. Connection to locality including a cycle of half termly visits
3. Aspirations curriculum that helps a learner consider what I might become and how to
become the best that I can be.
Each theme will begin with a hook or entry point. This could be a day, an hour or a series of
connected events. The purpose of this is to engage and excite the learner’s curiosity, providing a
catalyst and context for the learning that follows. A series of questions will emerge from this based
on a bland of the children’s interests and adults expertise. Teachers will then develop a ‘palette’ of
possible starting points in a broad range of areas to ensure that the coverage provides a breadth and
balance but does not stifle either themselves or children in their creativity. This inquiry will result in
something that represents the new learning such as a painting, a film, a report, a model, etc. Our
approach and quality is defined by the how and why of learning rather than what is being learned.
Long Term Plan for 2013/14
Connecting Theme Reception
Year 1
Year 2
across year groups
Autumn
Term
- Who we are and Who we are and Who we are and
Ourselves
what
makes
us what
makes
us what makes us
special?
special?
special?
Spring Term - Fiction To be arranged
Based approach
To be arranged
To be arranged
Summer
Changes
Transport
Explorers
and Moving class
building.
and Moving class
building
Term
- Growth
Moving class
building
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
and
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine
Notional Time Allocations through thematic approach and some subject teaching where relevant Reception to year 3
Subject
English
Mathematics
Geography, History
Art
Science and Design
PSHE, RE, Ethics
Drama
Music
PE (including Dance)
Cookery
Total Teaching Time
Subject hours per
week
5
4
2
3
3
1
2
2
2
1
25
6. Extended School Day and Extended Learning
6.1 The school operates an extended day to enable pupils to take part in a range of activities as well
as supervised study sessions. Pupils can remain in school to take part in music, drama and sports.
There is a quiet study space set aside to support students with their homework and access to studios
so that pupils can complete work. The school day runs until 3.40pm for Reception to Year 3 and
until 4.15 for Year 4 to 11.
6.2 There will be a wide range of after-school clubs such as homework club, cookery, art clubs,
young inventors, orchestra, band practice, group singing/choir, French, Spanish, kayaking, dance,
environment club, junior games jam, young entrepreneurs etc. Students are encouraged to take
part in activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, volunteering and social enterprise, to further
raise confidence, aspiration, personal agency and citizenship.
6.3 Homework/Extended Learning: Homework is a part of the overall learning experience for pupils
of PSCA – Please also see separate Homework policy. The aim is to establish habits that promote
learning beyond the duration of the normal school day, and to provide extension, reinforcement and
practice of learning achieved in class. Within the secondary school we recognise that some pupils
may choose to benefit from the school being open beyond the formal school day and therefore may
choose to complete their extended learning at school. In response to this the Library, Study and
Classroom Areas are open beyond the formal school day to help provide facilities for further
research and study.
7. Quality Assurance and Value for Money.
7.1 The school is committed to developing approaches to quality assurance and school selfevaluation to monitor and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of curriculum provision by;

Comparing standards in the school with local and national benchmarks and with similar
schools
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine

Basing decisions on student need whilst having regard to detailed curriculum costings

Actively developing collaborative arrangements

Regularly evaluating the quality of provision within the school (see Assessment, Recording
and Reporting Policy)

Identifying what needs to be done to enable all students to achieve the highest possible
standards and make the best progress.
8. Monitoring and Review
8.1 The SLT will review this policy as determined by the Governing Body and/or (see introduction
above) when legislation and guidance changes. This will include the amendments to the National
Curriculum which will come into force in 2014.
8.2 Part of our process to monitor and review will include the use of research.
8.3 The policy’s implementation and effectiveness will be monitored by the Headteacher and the
Deputy Headteacher and be promoted and implemented throughout the school.
Date created: 18/03/2013
Created by: M. Sweeney,
Review period: Governing Body
to Determine