‘… the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said, and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement’. Ofsted Inspection Handbook
At Sir Alexander Fleming Primary and Nursery School, we have carefully tailored our curriculum to provide memorable experiences, which many children may not normally be exposed to. As well as providing these experiences, teachers use a range of teaching and learning pedagogies to cater for all learners. Our vibrant and rich curriculum is designed so that children are not only taught the knowledge appropriate to their year group, but also the skills to enable them to be successful across the curriculum. Outcomes are designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but also to develop the skills needed for future learning and beyond.
Cultural Capital at SAF
As part of the National Curriculum, children are expected to learn about a range of different faiths, cultures, morals and values to prepare them for “life in modern Britain”. We teach standalone PSHE lessons, with embedded PSHE/SMSC objectives; in addition, across the curriculum, subject areas such as RSE, Health Education and E-Safety, also help children become well-rounded British citizens and build their ‘Cultural Capital’.
We have an excellent understanding of the needs of our families. There are high levels of social deprivation in the catchment area as shown in the Indices of Deprivation 2019. The school is situated in one of the most deprived areas being ranked in the top 10% of most deprived areas nationally for Income, Employment, Education, Training and Skills and Sutton Hill is the second most deprived LSOA in the Borough which is ranked 409th nationally which places us in the top 5% of most deprived areas. In 2015, we were ranked at 575 nationally, so in 4 years there has been an increase in relative deprivation. Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School is in quintile 5, most deprived of all schools in Telford and Wrekin with 65% of families receiving free school meals, which is well above the national average. These figures are constantly changing and increasing.
We recognise our part to play in Health Education. Some of our families are in receipt of Early Help and through a supportive curriculum children learn how to communicate and help keep themselves safe. We believe that it is also important that all children learn the skills that they need to look after and be aware of the needs of others.
To develop children’s cultural capital, Telford and Wrekin have introduced a new project: 10 by 10. They have identified ten activities children should try before they are ten years old. Each 10 by 10 activity is a chance for children to discover new talents and experience the world. For more information, please visit: https://10by10.telford.gov.uk/
To find out more about how Sir Alexander Fleming Primary and Nursery School prepares children for life in modern Britain, please read our parents’ guide: Life in Modern Britain