Curriculum Intent

Kisharon’s curriculum is underpinned by its Jewish ethos and our curriculum aims to reflect this ethos and each of our pupils’ personalised learning journeys. We set high expectations to ensure that every pupil excels across all aspects of school life.

Our intention is to ensure pupils make outstanding progress, regardless of their starting points, and that the curriculum is broad and balanced and both facilitates this, and removes any potential barriers to learning.  We want our students to leave with knowledge and skills which will not only create excellent life opportunities but will also inspire, challenge and safeguard all of our students, and prepare them for life in modern Britain, encouraging lifelong learning, so that all students may follow the ethos to “Educate a young person according to their own individual way” Pirkei Avot (Proverbs) 22:6

At Kisharon Noe School, we will support and teach pupils to be:

• Responsible British citizens who make a positive contribution to society
• Independent, confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
• Constructive contributors to our local, national & worldwide community
• Happy, successful learners who enjoy learning, make good progress and achieve well

In our school we are totally committed to improving the life chances and aspirations of all pupils.  With a focus on the pillars of building independence and resilience, we ensure pupils have access to a wider curriculum which provides numerous opportunities in sport, creativity, performing, world of work, volunteering and membership.  An extensive enrichment programme supports the development of pupils into well rounded citizens.

Our school is inclusive and ambitious for all. We have high expectations of all pupils and provide opportunities for pupils to learn what is expected of them morally. Our Behaviour Policy ensures that pupils learn that actions have consequences and they can accept and appreciate differences between people. Regardless of the learning pathway our pupils are on we ensure that all pupils develop high expectations of themselves and embed our key principles at the school.

It is also our intention at the school to ensure pupils have secure foundations for progression so that they are ready for the next stage of their educational journey. From Key Stage 3, pupils receive careers information with a clear focus on the Gatsby benchmarks and this is supported through our strong work experience programme.

At Kisharon, we pride ourselves on our Kodesh and spirituality curriculum. This curriculum is ‘championed’ at our school in order to develop pupils as a whole, not just academically.  To ensure that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain, our Kodesh curriculum is linked to our ‘Big Questions’ so that pupils’ spiritual learning is linked to the real world and experiences.  Pupils are encouraged to take part in a range of sporting, cultural and charitable activities.  Links with local and national business and charity enrich the curriculum and help to contextualise learning.

At Kisharon we follow three distinct curriculums.

Informal curriculum:
For students not engaged in subject-specific study, following the engagement model

Semi-formal curriculum:
English and mathematics are taught distinctly, with the remaining curriculum taught through a thematic approach

Formal curriculum:
A curriculum closely following the National Curriculum, adapted for the unique needs of our students

To read more about Kisharon’s specific curriculum intent for each curriculum area see our ‘Kisharon Intent’ document: Kisharon curriculum Intent

Our school curriculum helps pupils to achieve high standards and make excellent progress. Our curriculum is broad and balanced and pupils learn essential knowledge built around the foundation of a ‘learning journey’ to ensure they have a deep understanding across a range of subjects. There are many opportunities built into lessons to secure the need to recall and retrieve previous learning so that knowledge is fully embedded.

The development of pupil literacy including language and oracy is at the forefront of our curriculum as we understand how vital it is for our pupils to build confidence in communication skills not only for their time in school but also to prepare them for independent life. We ensure pupils have opportunities in all subjects to discuss, challenge and build on other points of view and to develop their formality of language to ensure they can have the confidence to speak to different audiences. We also support this by the teaching of Makaton as our chosen modern foreign language to further develop and support our whole school communication approach.  Literacy and Numeracy skills are embedded across the curriculum. Pupils mathematical skills are developed through expert teaching and incisive intervention, following the numicon programme.

 

Curriculum Implementation

Our school believes that a carefully planned and structured curriculum is the foundation upon which excellent learning and development is built.

The curriculum is designed and implemented in such a way that it builds on prior knowledge and prepares pupils for the next stage in their education. This ensures that lessons are engaging and suitably differentiated so that pupils spend the large majority of time in lessons developing on their ability to work independently at their level of ability. Curriculum Leaders, who are experts in their field, carefully monitor and review their curriculum areas to ensure that it promotes a deep understanding of a wide range of topics. Teachers plan learning that allows pupils to embed and recall knowledge through techniques such as interleaving of topics and spaced practice. This builds firm foundations for progression to the next level and successes.

Our curriculum is designed around the principles of the Learning Challenge curriculum and has been created with a strong sense of enquiry at its heart. The question-led units encourage pupils to be in control of their own learning, developing pupils’ abilities to retain key knowledge and skills for the long term. It uses the National Curriculum as its reference point, but also takes account of pupils’ context, including their locality.

Each half-term we pose a ‘Big Question’ which is then linked to each of the national curriculum subject areas and is designed around learning journeys which encourages pupils to focus on deeper learning to ensure real understanding of key concepts. Each subject has a planned journey with clear statements setting out what pupils need to know, understand and do to reach their aspirational target grade. The National Curriculum content is carefully tracked to ensure that pupils have covered all areas of non-statutory subjects by the end of each key stage.

		Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
		Who has changed our world?	How does the world celebrate?	Where will your next adventure take you?	How is life different to that of our ancestors?	What makes our world wonderful?	What was it like in my local area?
2021-2022		What makes a person significant?  History Focus  Significant People  Florence Nightingale  Art  Portraits	How has history changed the way we celebrate?  DT Focus  Decorations to sell  History  Celebrations	Where in the world are you?  Geography Focus  England/London  Art  Artist Study	How was life different when Queen Victoria ruled?  History Focus  Victorians  Art  Feelings Art	What is the difference between weather and climate?  Geography Focus 2 weeks- map/field work  Weather and Climate  DT Models that move	Would you like to holiday in Hendon / Golders Green during the Victorian times?  History Focus  Local Study  Hampstead over time  DT  Food Tech
2022-2023		How have significant people changed our world?  History Focus  Significant People  Explorers  DT modelling	How has history changed the way we celebrate?  DT Focus  Decorations to sell  History  Celebrations	Would you like to live in Kenya?  Geography Focus  Kenya- Safari  Art  Artist Study  William Morris	Why was the year 1666 important to London?  History Focus  Great Fire of London  Art  Scene drawing	Human or Physical: what makes a good seaside?  Geography Focus  2 weeks- map/field work  Human and Physical  DT  Vehicles with wheels	How has Hendon / Golders Green changed over the past 100 years?  History Focus  Local Study  Hampstead over time  DT  Food Tech
2023-2024		Did the Vikings change our world?  History Focus  Significant People  Vikings  DT  Modelling	How does it feel to be part of a carnival?  DT Focus  Carnival masks  Geography  Rio de Janeiro	Could you survive in a rainforest?  Geography Focus  Rainforests  Art  Artist Study	What was life like during the turn of BC to AD?  History Focus  Ancient Greeks  Art  Sketchbook work	Would you like to live near the equator?  Geography Focus  2 weeks- map/field work  Mediterranean country study  DT  Food Tech	When did Hendon / Golders Green thrive the most?  History Focus  Local Study  Agriculture industry  DT  Animals as workers
2024-2025		How did the Romans change our world?  History Focus Significant People  Romans  Art mosaics	How does it feel to be part of a carnival?  DT Focus  Carnival Masks  Geography  Rio de Janeiro	Can you travel the whole way around the world?  Geography Focus Earth Study  Art  Artist Study	Are the Pyramids of Giza an important part of world history?  History Focus  Egyptians  Art  Sketchbook work	Could you survive in the desert?  Geography Focus 2 weeks- map/field work Deserts  DT Food Tech	What effect did the growth of London have on Hendon / Golders Green? History Focus  Local Study  Industrial Revolution DT  Animals vs machines
2025-2026		How are skills from the iron/stone age still used today?  History Focus Significant People Iron Age/Stone Age Art Cave Painting	How do different countries and religions celebrate? DT Focus  Printed bags  RE  Religious Celebrations	How high can I travel on Earth? Geography Focus  Mountains  Art  Artist Study	What was life like in medieval times?  History Focus  Anglo Saxons  Art  Sketchbook work	Are rivers important for survival? Geography Focus  2 weeks- map/field work  Rivers  DT  Wooden boats	How did WW2 change everyday life in London?  History Focus  Local Study  WW2  DT  Food Tech

 

 

​At Kisharon, our curriculum will:

• help our pupils to enjoy learning
• ensure that the sequence of learning builds on previous knowledge whilst supporting future progression
• support our students to lead as independent a life as is possible
• enable all pupils to fulfil their potential
• meet the needs of pupils of all abilities at the school
• allow pupils to acquire an appreciation and respect for their own and other cultures
• prepare pupils to be a positive global citizen
• prepare pupils to make informed choices
• help students develop lively, enquiring minds and the ability to question and argue rationally

 

Assessment

All pupils are set aspirational, challenging targets that we expect them to achieve based on their personalised learning maps and EHCP targets.

The school has introduced an age and ability appropriate statement-based assessment system; this is personalised for each child, depending upon their needs and the curriculum which they are following. For some students, they are assessed on a hybrid curriculum model, where they are bridging two curriculums.

The table below states what areas we assess in each curriculum; all semi-formal students, and some formal students are also assessed on their emotional wellbeing, areas which research states are necessary for pupils to be able to access a formal learning environment.

We also assess progress against the different areas on pupils’ education and health care targets.

The learning journeys are shared with parents and pupils.  As a result, pupils are engaged in their learning and know where they are working and what they need to do to improve.

We regularly conduct low stake assessments ensuring that pupils embed knowledge into their long-term memory, through a combination of approaches. Following each assessment, incisive intervention to fill gaps in knowledge means that pupils make rapid progress.

Parents receive reports three times per year. The reports indicate the progress that pupils have made towards their target grade and an indication of their behaviour and attitude to learning.

Curriculum Review​

Curriculum implementation is reviewed and quality assured through line management, leadership quality assurance and lesson observations.

The curriculum delivered in each subject is reviewed annually to ensure the sequence of delivery allows pupils to build on their knowledge and that pupils are sufficiently stretched and challenged.

The curriculum hours and subjects offered will be analysed by the Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body on an annual basis.

Parents and pupils will have the opportunity to review the curriculum content and delivery through regular parent and pupil surveys.   ​

If parents/carers would like to find out more information about the curriculum at Kisharon Noe School, please contact Dr Emily Haddock, Headteacher – admin@kisharonschool.org.uk