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18/03/24

Beech Class trip to Colchester Castle. pic.twitter.com/xENE7sLfjv

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18/03/24

Team work challenges, chariot racing in the Roman Forum, learning all about the Celts and Romans in Britain. We had a great day out at Colchester Castle. pic.twitter.com/5LsgKlxA0c

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18/03/24

Beech Class visit to Colchester Castle. The class built replica Round Houses and Roman Villas. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/jvJB8BNrga

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18/03/24

Mila shared a fantastic book all about being kind and filling up your own bucket by filing up and building up others. She also made a paper plate bag with positive affirmations for school community members. How thoughtful! We shared the story with the whole school in assembly. pic.twitter.com/PUMxfao79H

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14/03/24

Neat, clear and well thought through writing today from Zach in Aspen. He focused on using the word "and". Well done! pic.twitter.com/4fGPZz3OCh

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14/03/24

Year 6 textiles lesson in Design and Technology today. These pupils have designed and created a waistcoat fit for a king or queen. Handstitched and one of a kind! Anybody keen for a fashion show? pic.twitter.com/8VEx30QFkT

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11/03/24

KS2 Cross Country Finals at Carver Barracks. Massive well done to Cameron P in Year 4 who took the gold medal! Well done to all pupils who gave their best efforts and enjoyed the event. ! pic.twitter.com/xeLeWqQkfJ

08/03/24

On we’re celebrating Jen Pearce 🙌 Headteacher at Magna Carta Primary Academy 💙#IWD2024 pic.twitter.com/cW3kN6PK5B

08/03/24

On we’re celebrating Teresa Avey 🙌 Deputy Headteacher, EYFS Leader and Teacher, English Leader & Deputy Child Protection Officer at Magna Carta Primary 💙#IWD2024 pic.twitter.com/FcEI767TIc

08/03/24

On we’re celebrating Emma Bradley 🙌 Catering Manager at Magna Carta Primary 💙#IWD2024 pic.twitter.com/J5dIOcwikF

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07/03/24

Reading buddies at MCPA today. pic.twitter.com/ajfT2ob8qd

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07/03/24

Which book characters can you identify? pic.twitter.com/myk5pOxXmM

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07/03/24

Losing ourselves in the world of stories and books at Magna Carta.#worldbookday pic.twitter.com/gdVjbu7vlY

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07/03/24

Reading, writing, talking, performing - it's all happening at Magna Carta today! pic.twitter.com/BY0Nekglj3

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07/03/24

Thank you to all of our visiting readers today! pic.twitter.com/KWfZN1cIMl

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07/03/24

World Book Day is here! Where do you like to enjoy a book? pic.twitter.com/ZJBoGAQWxh

07/03/24

The Bare Necessities of life enjoyed by KS1 at MCPA. pic.twitter.com/pEhWDhZkrR

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07/03/24

Bishop's Stortford Woodwind visited us this week. We listened to fantastic popular children's music and learnt a lot about woodwind instruments. Thank you for visiting us! pic.twitter.com/TfVIZLS2EG

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16/02/24

Year 4 pupils made Paper Mache as the starting point of their creation of Chinese New Year lanterns 🏮🐉 pic.twitter.com/mXorC5IPYN

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13/02/24

🤸 Pupils in Willow class learnt about different balances in PE and how to safetly manouve in different ways. Although some did have to walk the plank 🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/265pA1uCCl

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Curriculum

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

The Case for Knowledge

Primary school is not just a place where basic skills are developed. It is where fundamental knowledge and vocabulary should be built up, and that will determine that pupil’s long-term ability to gain further knowledge and vocabulary. Knowledge is necessary for far more than being able to access the English Literature A Level paper. It’s crucial to society and feeling part of it.

Read this extract from A Hope in the Unseen by Ron Suskind:

‘He begins to wander, gazing at titles and authors: Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, another of Woodrow Wilson. All people from another country. Some of the names sound vaguely familiar. Most draw a blank… He looks to his left. Martin Gilbert’s new biography Churchill, A Life is piled five feet high… Oh god, he thinks. I should know who that is.’

Add to that, Virginia Woolf, Karl Marx and other intellectuals of western culture. Our pupils will not be able to take part in conversations about them if they are cut off from knowledge- a cultural capital- that others may take for granted. The national curriculum is not enough.


 

Principles of the Curriculum

 

Magna Carta’s curriculum:

 

  • Is underpinned by aims, values and purpose. These are the curriculum drivers. 
  • Draws on the knowledge children need.
  • Has a local, national and global dimension.
  • Drives what is taught and what is assessed.
  • Is filled with rich, 1st hand purposeful experiences.
  • Develops the whole person- intellectual, creative, skills, understanding, social, moral, physical and attitudes.
  • Is flexible, responsive to individual needs and interests.
  • Embeds the principle of sustainability.
  • Develops talents to the full.
  • Is broad, balanced and has clear progression in subject knowledge and skills.
  • Is designed and taught by experts.
  • Keeps an eye on the future and needs of future citizens.
  • Encourages the use of environments and expertise beyond the classroom (identify and exploit local resources).
  • Makes meaningful links between areas of knowledge across the curriculum and the major issues of our time.

     

Practicalities of the Curriculum:

 

  • The teaching and learning of core knowledge.
  • Fewer topics studied within curriculum areas.
  • Topics studied in depth.
  • A scheme of work in every subject, in every key stage.
  • Termly assessments in every subject in key stages one and two (to include learning from previous terms and years within the key stage).
  • The teaching and development of thinking skills (embedded within subjects).
  • The teaching of Classics, including Latin from Key Stage 2.
  • The teaching of Religious Education and Theology from Key Stage 1. 
  • The teaching of Biology in Key Stage 1.
  • The teaching of Biology, Chemistry and Physics from Key Stage 2.
  • Subject specialist teaching in PE and Spanish, with a view to subject specialist teaching in Music, Art and Design Technology. 

 

The Curriculum Drivers

 

Our curriculum is driven by:

  • embedding a knowledge of the world;
  • enabling investigation and enquiry;
  • encouraging enterprise and aspiration;
  • affording a local, national and global perspective.

 

What is meant by each curriculum driver?

 

Knowledge of the World

  • ensures pupils have a core knowledge of historical events and figures and the impact they have had on our world;
  • ensures pupils have a core knowledge of classical civilisations and their impact on our world, including references made in literature;
  • equips pupils with a comprehensive knowledge of world geography;  
  • promotes cultural awareness and celebrates diversity;
  • relates learning to real life contexts;
  • develops pupils’ cultural literacy by giving them a secure knowledge of theology and are mindful of the universal questions that have troubled humankind through the ages;
  • explores the impact of important individuals in our world;
  • enables pupils to discover how and why things work;
  • raises environmental awareness;
  • uses technology effectively.

 

Enterprise and Aspiration

  • exposes pupils to a non-exhaustive range of career possibilities;
  • promotes enterprise;
  • teaches pupils to be financially responsible;
  • enables pupils to learn from failed enterprise initiatives.

 

Investigation and Enquiry

  • promotes pupils being inquisitive and questioning;
  • encourages pupils to be resourceful and independent in their learning;
  • provides opportunities for independent thinking and application of skills;
  • develops collaborative learning;
  • provides opportunities for purposeful 1st hand experiences;
  • encourages positive risk taking;
  • equips pupils with the skills they need to manage information;
  • actively requires pupils to persevere and improve through evaluation;
  • nurtures problem solvers.

     

Local, National and Global

  • maximises opportunities for purposeful learning in the outdoors;
  • develops a sense of awe and wonder, adventure and respect for nature;
  • supports parents in teaching pupils to distinguish between right and wrong and to be responsible for their behaviour and respect the laws of England;
  • encourages respect for democracy, public institutions and services in the UK;
  • provides pupils with opportunities to make a difference and contribute positively to the school and wider community;
  • encourages the use of environments and expertise beyond the classroom;
  • encourages harmony by appreciating and respecting pupils’ own and other cultures;
  • inspires pupils to travel the world;
  • examines global and social mobility.

 

Questions to ask of our curriculum

David Didau's  book, Making Kids Cleverer  includes a chapter on deciding what knowledge to teach in a school curriculum. He asks a series of questions. We feel our curriculum stands up to this test.

 

  1. Does it add to children's knowledge of what others in society consider to be valuable?
  2. Does it enable children to take part in discussion or debate that they would otherwise be excluded from?
  3. Does it enable children to critique what others have decided is important or true?
  4. Does it allow children to think beyond the confines of their experiences outside of school?
  5. Does it open up new ways of considering the world?
  6. Does it allow children to better critically evaluate what they have already been taught?
  7. Does it make it easier for children to speak to others about abstract concepts?
  8. Is it rooted in how to perform a task, or in why the task should be performed?
  9. Would this be good enough for my own children?
  10. How do I know this choice is better than an alternative?

 

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