Our Curriculum Vision

The children of Peterhouse Church of England Primary Academy face a greater number of barriers to their learning than many of their peers nationally, and due to this they find that their opportunities in life are limited. Driven by the Academy’s Christian vision and in order meet the academic and spiritual needs of all, the Peterhouse curriculum has been designed to offer chances, widen horizons and break down barriers to learning. A curriculum that by design makes the Academy a place where all can flourish, regardless of background or ability.

The curriculum drives all that the Academy offers, ensuring that children develop the skills and knowledge needed to become the best version of themselves and to find fulfilment in their school life. The curriculum is more than the academic content delivered in lessons; it is every lived experience given to a Peterhouse child during their time in our family.

The Peterhouse curriculum is based on a deficit model of learning, with a view that although barriers to learning cannot be removed, a well-planned and considered diet of learning experiences can fill gaps and enrich lives. In essence, the Peterhouse Curriculum is the rock on which the school is built.

Barriers to Learning

We have researched the particular barriers to learning faced by the children of Peterhouse Church of England Primary Academy. All stake holders have been asked their views, including children, parents, governors and staff. These views have been looked at alongside local and national data, and established views on pedagogy and child development. Our research has led to the creation of seven overarching barriers.

1. Safety
2. Emotional
3. Motivational
4. Cognitive
5. Social and cultural
6. Environmental
7. Language

Safety Barriers

A larger than average proportion of children at Peterhouse find themselves struggling with personal, financial or emotional security. Many of our families are classed as disadvantaged and struggle to provide for their children in the way that they would like to.

Emotional Barriers

Our children and families tell us that issues around self-esteem and peer pressure are increasingly prevalent in today’s world. We have an increase in children suffering from mental health issues and a growing fear of failure.

Motivational Barriers

Through no fault of their own, a growing proportion of children struggle to see the benefit of a good education and are not self-motivated to discover the best version of themselves.

Cognitive Barriers

The percentage of children suffering from cognitive barriers to learning at Peterhouse is above that seen nationally. Children on the SEND register, those with a negative mind-set or those whole struggle to harness a level of creativity or curiosity for learning.

Social and Cultural Barriers

Mainly due to the deprivation faced by many families, a Peterhouse child is more likely to have experienced less in life than their peers. They are likely to have had limited access to art and culture and have a narrower understanding of the world.

Environmental Barriers

Some children can struggle to access their learning due to the school environment - this can include children with and without disabilities. Sometimes children can find the actions of others around them distracting and this can slow their progress.

Language Barriers

It is known that the linguistic development of children in deprived areas is underdeveloped compared to their peers. Staff at Peterhouse have often found that a narrow understanding of vocabulary can hold children back in their learning.

Our Curriculum Aims

At Peterhouse, we believe that each subject should have its own distinct aims that can be used to drive the development in that area of the curriculum forward over time. However, we recognise a need for all of the subjects within the Peterhouse curriculum to sit within a broad framework. This framework is what pulls the curriculum strands together and turns a series of lessons into a journey.

The broad aims of the Peterhouse curriculum are:

• To provide opportunities for every child to gain the basic English and Maths skills required for the next stage of their learning journey.
• To overcome, or compensate for, children’s barriers to learning through considered curriculum and pedagogical choices.
• To provide a wealth of enrichment opportunities that take children beyond their everyday experiences.
• To create high quality, engaging and enriching learning journeys that enthuse children to learn and encourage them to become lifelong learners.
• To provide a high level of pastoral support and care for every child, all of the time.
• To ensure that children understand what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how it links to other lessons, sequences or subject areas.
• To encourage a positive mental attitude that allows children to see beyond the barriers.