The Bluebell Way

At Swingate Primary School, our curriculum is driven by our mission:

"We all flourish from a wealth of learning experiences that positively impact on academic, physical and emotional success."

As part of the Bluebell Multi-Academy Trust, we are committed to providing a broad, ambitious and inclusive curriculum that prepares children for success in an ever-changing world. We believe that learning extends beyond the classroom and that children flourish when they are exposed to a rich range of experiences that develop their knowledge, skills, character and understanding of the world around them.

Our Curriculum Vision

Everything we do is designed to promote:

Academic Success

We want all children to achieve highly from their individual starting points. Through an ambitious curriculum and high-quality teaching, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to succeed in education and beyond.

We promote academic success by:

• Delivering a broad and balanced curriculum
• Building on children's prior knowledge and experiences
• Celebrating progress and achievement for every child
• Developing positive attitudes towards learning
• Encouraging independence, curiosity and aspiration

Physical Success

We want children to develop healthy lifestyles and understand the importance of physical and mental wellbeing.

We promote physical success through:

• High-quality PE lessons
• Sports clubs and competitions
• Active playtimes and lunchtimes
• Sports leadership opportunities
• Links with local secondary schools
• Encouraging children to be active, engaged learners

Emotional Success

We want children to be confident, resilient and emotionally intelligent individuals who are able to build positive relationships and contribute positively to society.

We promote emotional success through:

• A strong PSHE curriculum
• High expectations for behaviour and respect
• Celebrating diversity and inclusion
• Developing empathy and understanding
• Supporting positive relationships and wellbeing
• Encouraging children to become independent and collaborative learners

Beyond the Classroom

Our curriculum is enriched through:

• Assemblies and collective worship
• Educational visits and residential experiences
• Theme days and enrichment events
• Extra-curricular clubs
• Pupil leadership opportunities
• Community engagement projects
• Playtimes and social learning opportunities
• Homework that reinforces key knowledge and skills

Our Character Values

Alongside academic learning, we develop four core character values that underpin life at Swingate:

Bravery

We encourage children to take risks, face challenges and become aspirational learners.

Resilience

We help children persevere when learning is difficult and learn from setbacks.

Empathy

We teach children to understand, respect and value others and to challenge discrimination and prejudice.

Responsibility

We encourage children to take ownership of their learning, behaviour and contribution to the community.

How We Measure Success

We know our curriculum is successful when children:

Academically

• Make strong progress from their starting points
• Demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning
• Apply knowledge and skills across different subjects
• Are motivated to achieve their best

Physically

• Understand how to maintain healthy lifestyles
• Participate confidently in physical activity
• Recognise the importance of physical and mental wellbeing

Emotionally

• Show respect and appreciation for diversity
• Build positive relationships
• Demonstrate resilience and confidence
• Support themselves and others to flourish

How Our Curriculum Is Structured

Learning at Swingate is built around carefully sequenced knowledge and skills that enable children to make connections between what they already know and new learning.

Across the wider curriculum, we use subject-specific concepts to help children develop deep understanding over time. These concepts provide clear progression from EYFS to Year 6, helping children retain knowledge, make links between ideas and develop long-term understanding.

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that every child leaves Swingate as a confident, knowledgeable and well-rounded learner, ready for the next stage of their education and future life beyond school.

Progression in Concepts​	Power	Equality	Technology	Chronology
EYFS​	I understand what rules are and why we have them.	I understand that everyone is different.	I know how to use a range of simple technological devices.	I can use words like first, next, then and last.
Year 1​	I understand what power is.	I understand what equality means.	I understand what technology is.	I understand what past and present is.
Year 2​	I understand that some people have more power than others.	I understand that some groups historically have not been seen as equal.	I understand how technology can solve problems.	I understand that people and places change over time.
Year 3​	I understand that different people can have power in different ways. (Leadership)	I understand that different groups believe in different levels of equality. (Comparison to modern)	I understand that technological advances can be in different forms. (i.e. technology, structural etc.	I understand that events are grouped into time periods. (ie AD, BC, millennium)
Year 4​	I understand that groups can dominate another.	I understand that some people were seen as unequal by birth historically.	I understand that technology can change over time.	I understand that time periods can be sequenced and happened in a particular order.
Year 5​	I understand that religion can be used to justify power.	I understand that groups that have been viewed as unequal have been subject to genocides on a state level.	I understand that technology can give groups a distinct advantage over others. (radar, guns against Mayans)	I understand that events link to each other and that past events impact on what is happens next.
Year 6​	I understand that various different forms of powers can conflict, resulting in wide scale upheaval.	I understand that historical inequalities can have an impact on people living today.	I understand that technology has changed how people live today, socially and physically.	I can compare events that happened at different periods of time and consider how they have led to the modern world.

How Learning is Organised at Swingate

At Swingate, learning is carefully planned so that children build their knowledge, skills and understanding year by year.

We want children to make meaningful connections between their learning and remember what they have been taught. To achieve this, our curriculum is designed so that important ideas are revisited and developed as children move through the school.

Children learn through a range of exciting topics, questions and real-life experiences that help bring learning to life. As they progress through the school, they build on what they already know, deepening their understanding and confidence across different subjects.

Each topic is carefully planned to ensure that children gain the key knowledge, vocabulary and skills they need before moving on to new learning. This helps them to remember more, understand more and apply their learning in different situations.

What does this look like?

For example, children learn about change over time throughout their journey at Swingate. In Reception, they may talk about how they have grown since they were babies. In Key Stage 1, they might compare schools from the past with schools today. Later, in Key Stage 2, they explore how life changed during periods such as the Romans, Vikings or World War II.

By revisiting important ideas in different ways and at increasing levels of depth, children develop a stronger understanding and are better able to remember and apply their learning.

By making links between subjects and revisiting important learning over time, we help children develop secure knowledge, strong learning habits and a genuine curiosity about the world around them.

Our aim is for every child to leave Swingate as a confident, knowledgeable and well-rounded learner, ready for the next stage of their education and beyond.

Year Group	Composite 1	Composite 2	Composite 3	Concept	Concept	Concept	Concept
Year R	Celebrations, Dinosaurs and Changes			POWER	EQUALITY	TECHNOLOGY	CHRONOLOGY
Year 1	What is History?	Toys	Explorers
Year 2	Great Fire of London	Victorians	Fight for your rights
Year 3	Ancient Egypt	Ancient Greece	Roman Empire
Year 4	Stone, Bronze and Iron Age	Vikings and Anglo-Saxons	Normans
Year 5	WW2	Tudors	Shang Dynasty
Year 6	WW1	WW1	Local Area

How Learning is Planned

At Swingate, every lesson is carefully planned around three simple questions that help children understand what they are learning and why:

I Can...

The skills children will develop and practise.

I Know...

The knowledge and understanding children will gain.

I Use...

The important vocabulary and subject-specific language children will learn and apply.

For example, when studying Ancient Egypt, children learn key historical knowledge about the civilisation, develop historical enquiry skills and use appropriate historical vocabulary to explain and discuss their learning.

By focusing on knowledge, skills and vocabulary together, we help children develop a deeper understanding that they can remember and apply in future learning.

Learning with Purpose

Many learning units are built around an overarching question that encourages curiosity and critical thinking.

For example:

"How has World War I influenced the modern world?"

Throughout the unit, children build their knowledge and skills so that they can answer this question with increasing depth and confidence.

This approach encourages children to think like historians, geographers, scientists and artists rather than simply learning facts about a topic.

"Dig Deeper, Linger Longer"

At Swingate, we believe that meaningful learning takes time.

Rather than rushing through lots of content, we encourage children to dig deeper and linger longer, allowing them to make connections, ask questions and develop a secure understanding of important ideas.

This helps children to remember more, understand more and become confident learners.

How We Assess Learning

Assessment is an ongoing part of everyday teaching and learning.

Teachers continually check children's understanding during lessons and use this information to adapt teaching, address misconceptions and provide support where needed.

In English and Mathematics, children complete a mixture of classroom assessments and termly assessments which help teachers monitor progress and achievement.

Writing is assessed using a range of writing opportunities across different genres throughout the year.

In the wider curriculum, teachers assess children's understanding through what they know, what they can do and how well they can apply their learning. At the end of a unit, children are often asked to answer the key question that has guided their learning, enabling teachers to assess both knowledge and understanding.

Through regular assessment and feedback, we ensure that every child is supported to make strong progress and achieve their full potential.