Curriculum Intent

At Mapledene, our curriculum is meticulously planned and constantly evolving to respond to the changes in the world outside and to the needs of our children. We recognise the importance of the required skills and knowledge set out in the National Curriculum as building blocks to provide a coherent, carefully-sequenced learning journey. However, we have enriched the curriculum  further to ensure that it is bespoke to the needs of our children and their futures. We have drawn on the latest educational research, our knowledge of our local community, and our recognition of the future needs of both the workplace and the planet to develop our four curriculum drivers:

Our curriculum drivers shape each area of study, recognising that every child begins their learning journey from a different starting point. We place a strong emphasis on the development of children’s oracy, recognising spoken language as the foundation for thinking, learning and communication across the curriculum. Pupils are explicitly taught to articulate ideas clearly, listen actively, and engage in high-quality dialogue, enabling them to deepen understanding and build confidence in expressing themselves in all subjects.

To engage and prepare pupils, each topic starts with a ‘hook’ — an event or experience that builds background knowledge and sparks motivation, from large-scale activities. These experiences also provide rich opportunities for purposeful talk, encouraging children to question, discuss and reason together. While the hook alone may not secure long-term learning, it provides the foundation and catalyst for knowledge to grow. Learning is then revisited through a carefully planned spiral curriculum to move knowledge into long-term memory, with oracy embedded throughout to support retrieval, explanation and consolidation of understanding. Each topic ends with a purposeful outcome, such as a parent/carer event or children applying their knowledge in a real-world context, where children are supported to communicate their learning clearly and confidently.

Reading is central to both personal and academic success. From the very start, we nurture a love of reading, knowing it transforms life chances and enables access to the wider world. At Mapledene, reading is taught systematically, beginning with strong spoken language skills that underpin comprehension, vocabulary development and fluency. Oracy is prioritised alongside reading, ensuring children can discuss texts, justify opinions and engage in meaningful dialogue about what they read. Above all, we inspire children to see reading as exciting and intrinsically enjoyable.

At Mapledene, we believe every child can achieve, regardless of individual needs, gender, religion, ethnicity or background. Our inclusive curriculum reflects our diverse community, promotes positive images of all cultures, and is adapted where necessary to ensure accessibility for all. Staff recognise and value the different life experiences children bring and are committed to developing both their cultural capital and oracy skills so they can confidently express themselves and thrive alongside their peers.

We foster a Growth Mindset, encouraging every child to aim high and pursue their aspirations. Safety is at the heart of all we do – ensuring pupils are healthy, mentally well and equipped with the skills to protect themselves and others. Through daily opportunities, we instil a culture of commitment, where children and staff dedicate themselves to learning, growing and achieving together. A strong focus on oracy supports this culture, enabling pupils to reflect, collaborate and communicate effectively as they develop into confident, articulate learners.

Our curriculum actively embeds our school values of Safety, Commitment, Aspirations.