Curriculum Statement

At Ickford School, our curriculum is designed to be broad, relevant, and engaging. It builds upon the knowledge, understanding, and skills of all children as they progress from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to the end of Key Stage 2.

Our provision incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and enriches them through high-quality opportunities in music, languages, physical education, outdoor learning, and nature study, alongside a wealth of school visits and co-curricular experiences. We aim to equip pupils with the skills they need to become successful, independent, and motivated learners, fostering a lifelong love of learning.

We are committed to developing depth in children’s learning. This means providing appropriate cognitive challenge, encouraging pupils to apply their knowledge and skills independently across a range of contexts, and ensuring understanding is consolidated before moving on.

Our curriculum is coherent, progressive, and carefully sequenced. It builds on the foundations laid in the EYFS and is adapted to suit the needs of our mixed-age classes, ensuring pupils develop strong subject-specific knowledge and skills that prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

Although aligned with the National Curriculum, our curriculum goes further. We seek not only to engage and inspire pupils, but also to set high expectations where attainment has no ceiling.

We enrich learning through a wide range of experiences, including class visits, residential trips in both England and France, themed Science and Art weeks, and whole-school outings. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) provides valuable support in funding trips, and we regularly welcome visitors from diverse professions and backgrounds to deliver workshops and talks.

A varied programme of extracurricular clubs and competitive sports gives children further opportunities to pursue their interests and talents.

As a non-denominational school, we teach Religious Education as a discrete subject while also embedding pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development across the curriculum. We make use of both our local and wider communities to broaden pupils’ understanding, ensuring they respect and celebrate the diversity of faiths, cultures, and ways of life beyond their immediate experience.

Above all, our curriculum is underpinned by our four core values: kindness, honesty, respect, and determination.