Curriculum

Our Curriculum at Sherborne Primary School: Intent, Implementation, and Impact

At Sherborne Primary School, we are proud to offer a curriculum that is ambitious, inclusive, and engaging for all learners. Built on educational research and innovative teaching practices, our curriculum is designed to inspire curiosity, foster resilience, and develop critical thinking skills. Through this approach, we ensure our pupils thrive academically, socially, and personally, preparing them for lifelong success.

Intent: Inspiring Success Through Achieving, Belonging, and Caring

Our curriculum reflects our school’s core vision of Achieving, Belonging, and Caring. We are dedicated to:

Promoting cultural capital by exposing students to diverse knowledge and perspectives

We focus on building important skills like collaboration, communication, and problem-solving to prepare children for the future:

• Achieving: STEM challenges tackle global issues and real-world problems, helping children build confidence and respect diverse contributions.
• Belonging: Group projects, like creating time capsules, promote teamwork and include perspectives from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Caring: Outdoor learning at Gore Farm encourages cooperation, mutual respect, and care, supporting British values like tolerance and individual liberty.

Ensuring Inclusivity for Every Child to Excel

We make sure all children have opportunities to succeed, no matter their background:

• Achieving: Tailored support, like phonics groups or math boosters, ensures every child has an equal chance to succeed.
• Belonging: Initiatives like Inclusion Week, interfaith dialogue, and student council activities give every child a voice and highlight the importance of diverse beliefs and backgrounds.
• Caring: Celebrating individual achievements and encouraging compassion teaches students to respect and value each other, aligned with equality for all.

Taking Ownership of Core Subjects

At Sherborne Primary School, we take pride in delivering excellence in core subjects by leveraging the specialist expertise of our teaching staff. Our team’s in-depth knowledge, combined with collaboration across the ‘Schools Achieving Success Together’ Trust (SAST), enables us to tailor a curriculum that meets the specific needs of our learners. This bespoke approach ensures that key areas such as English and Mathematics are taught with precision, creativity, and adaptability. By utilising shared resources and expertise within SAST, we continually refine and enhance our curriculum to uphold the highest standards and provide every child with the tools they need to excel in these vital subjects.

Our Cornerstones Education Curriculum for Science and Foundation Subjects

The Cornerstones Curriculum at Sherborne Primary School is designed to inspire and motivate children through engaging, carefully structured learning experiences. It provides a robust foundation for academic success by challenging students to solve problems, think creatively, and express their understanding across the curriculum. The curriculum is led by 10 central Big Ideas. They play a crucial role in ensuring that learning is meaningful, coherent, and interconnected across subjects.

The Four Cornerstones Model

We deliver our curriculum through the Cornerstones Primary Curriculum’s Four Cornerstones Model, a dynamic and progressive framework:

1. Engage: First-hand, WOW experiences ignite curiosity and excitement.
2. Develop: Children deepen their understanding, practice skills, and explore topics further.
3. Innovate: Opportunities to tackle real-world problems encourage creativity and critical thinking.
4. Express: Children showcase their learning, reflect on progress, and celebrate achievements with peers, parents, and the wider community.

This model ensures that learning is engaging, challenging, and rewarding, preparing children for success in school and beyond.

More information: Cornerstones Curriculum Overview pdf

Implementation: Bringing Learning to Life

Our curriculum is brought to life through strong leadership where Subject leaders guide teaching excellence and support resourcing for impactful lessons.

At Sherborne Primary School, we believe education extends beyond the classroom. We offer diverse enrichment opportunities that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and foster personal growth.

Educational Visits and Trips
Exciting trips to historical sites, museums, and science centers bring learning to life and deepen understanding.

Themed Weeks and Days
Events like Mental Health Workshops, World at Work Week and World Book Day encourage creativity and a love of learning.

Clubs and Extracurricular Activities
From sports and STEM to music and art, our after-school clubs help students discover new interests and develop skills.

Guest Speakers and Workshops
Specialists, authors, and professionals deliver workshops that inspire and expand horizons.

Community and Environmental Engagement
Activities like Eco Walks and our intergenerational project teach responsibility and community values.

Performances and Showcases
School productions, art exhibits, and music recitals celebrate student talents and achievements.

These experiences complement our curriculum, offering every child opportunities to thrive and succeed.

Impact: Empowering Lifelong Learners

We track student progress using a range of tools, ensuring every child receives the support they need to succeed. Regular pupil progress meetings and curriculum reviews involving parents, students, SAST and our Academy Committee help us to continuously improve.

Together, through our focus on Intent, Implementation, and Impact—and supported by the Four Cornerstones—we ensure that every child at Sherborne Primary School achieves, belongs, and cares.

Achieving – Belonging – Caring