The Curriculum at Dean Gibson
At Dean Gibson we aim for our curriculum to be more than a course of study. Rather we aspire to design learning suffused in experience, rich in content and inviting response and engagement. As a Catholic school, RE is at the heart of our curriculum, and our mission is to develop the physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual gifts of every child.
Our offer is supported by the United Learning Curriculum. It is not narrowed to core subjects but is varied and encourages curiosity through the learning of substantive and disciplinary knowledge and critical thinking. We want learning to be stimulating, memorable and awakening powers of investigation in children through the skills of enquiry. We use cross curricular learning wherever possible to motivate children and inspire them to use their core skills of reading, writing and maths to explore the wider world around them. Trips to the theatre, science workshops and a whole school History theme day are just some of the enrichments we offer.
Child led planning is key to this in the Early Years. Wherever possible our timetable is flexible, allowing us to be reactive to what children need to learn at any particular moment. Our curriculum is planned to bring out the best in children and keep them healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged.
Learning through play
Play is an essential part of your child’s development. That’s why we’ve made it an integral part of our Early Years Foundation Stage. We want your child to develop many skills through the power of play including language, emotions, creativity and social skills.
We want to nurture young imaginations and impart a spirit of adventure. Our curriculum dedicates time to learning through play, leading to lots of problem solving, working with others, sharing and much more!