Kinsale Infant Curriculum Statement

‘Are you ready to Learn?’

At Kinsale Infant School, we have designed a fully comprehensive curriculum to meet the requirements of the latest National Curriculum review. We teach a creative curriculum that is tailored to meet individual needs and aspirations, which ensure all children are engaged and motivated to learn. We believe in developing the whole child and that they should be involved in shaping their own learning as much as possible.

All year groups plan around a topic that is linked to the children’s interests, incorporating the majority of subjects in to this, ensuring there is a strong focus on English and Maths. We encourage all children to be independent, reflective learners; keen to move their learning forward. Behaviours for Learning are the key to success. Children are able to develop a Growth Mindset to help support the effectiveness of their learning through our Joy of Not Knowing (JONK) initiative. It supports children in developing Global and fundamental British Values. The aim of our curriculum is to develop a love of learning for all in our care.

Growth Mindset 

Here at Kinsale Infant School we are proud to be able to build in the idea of ‘Growth Mindset’ philosophy throughout the school. We have taken the principles of JONK (Joy Of Not Knowing), that Marcelo Staricoff has researched and developed. We hope by consistently using this approach across the school it will enable the children to become more independent learners, who will have the resilience to think creatively.  

Learning Leaders 

Each KS1 classroom vote for their 2 class Learning Leaders at the beginning of the school year. We then welcome Reception to the role in January.  

Our current learning leaders are: 

Grasshoppers: Beau 

Butterflies: Elliott 

Ladybirds: Oliver and Norah 

Dragonflies: Chester and Amira 

Beetles: William and Ruby 

Learning Leaders meet once a month with Miss Galley to discuss and plan ideas to help support all children’s learning experiences at Kinsale Infant School. Once a term our Learning Leaders go on a learning walk to see how JONK is being ‘used’ in our learning environments by both staff and children. Learning leaders have a particular focus each term for what they need to make sure they can see being used in the classroom environment. Some of the focuses are vocabulary, displays and stickers are all being used.  

In Foundation Stage, we follow the Early Years Curriculum; measuring progress through the Development Matters Framework. We plan and deliver learning opportunities based on the children’s interests, which cover the Prime and Specific areas of learning and development.

In addition, 3 other aspects run through all areas of learning in the Early Years:

• Playing and Exploring
• Active Learning
• Creating and thinking critically

In Key Stage one, we follow the National Curriculum 2014, and integrate learning in all subject areas through the three year group topics taught over the year.

The topic for the Autumn term is linked to the idea ‘Explore’ and is geography and design technology themed. The topic for the Spring term is linked to the idea ‘Discover’ and is History themed. The topic for the Summer term is linked to the idea ‘Create’ and is arts themed