Challenge Partners 2020
“The quality of provision at Leighton Middle School is exceptional. Students benefit from learning from highly skilled teachers in an atmosphere that is unquestionably conducive to their development.”
The overarching intent of our curriculum at Leighton Middle School is to: ‘Create a happy school where every member feels valued and able to achieve personal excellence.’ It is important to us that every child is happy and valued. We want to enable our children to achieve their fullest potential. We want our children to experience a wide and varied curriculum and develop a love of learning. We want our children to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to become fully rounded and educated citizens: citizens who are not only prepared for future learning and employment, but are able to care for, empathise with and lead those around them. We want to enable our children to ‘make a difference’. We believe that, in addition to the wide academic curriculum that we deliver, our enrichment and ‘out of classroom’ opportunities help to develop fully rounded individuals.
From Year 5, pupils have the benefit of being taught in a secondary setting which offers a broad curriculum, specialist teachers, resources and rooms.
The curriculum is planned by specialists who take in to account the National Curriculum, pupils’ starting points as well as the context of the school. Each subject has a curriculum map which clarifies the learning journey from years 5 - 8.
A range of extra-curricular clubs are offered such as music and P.E as well as enrichment opportunities provided by every department. Pupils are happy and encouraged to strive for personal excellence; they are prepared for the next learning journey as well as future careers. Disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress across their time at LMS and are positively discriminated to experience a range of opportunities to support their personal development and future career opportunities.
Subjects taught on a weekly basis and the number of lessons per week:
Mathematics Y5 and Y6 x 6 Y7 and Y8 x 4
| English Y5 and Y6 x 6 Y7 x 5 Y8 x 4 | Science All year groups x 3
| Fabric Food and Technology/Design Technology All year groups x 1 |
Art All year groups x 1 | French Y5 and Y6 x 1 Y7 and Y8 x 2
| History Y5 and Y6 x 1 Y7 x 1 Y8 x 2 | Geography All year groups x 1 |
Personal, Social, Religious Education Y5 and Y6 x 1 | Religious Education and Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship, Education Y7 and Y8 x 1 | Computer Studies All year groups x 1 | Physical Education All year groups x 2 |
Music All year groups x 1
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The termly overviews for each subject can be found here:
All lessons use Learning Partners to provide instant support and feedback. Learning Partners are selected carefully to ensure all pupils can learn to their best potential. Lessons regularly include Star Challenges: these are elements in the lesson in which pupils are encouraged to challenge themselves to complete additional tasks for example, including a particular grammatical feature in a piece of writing.
Small English and Mathematics classes in KS2 | Learning Support Assistants | Reading Support Assistants, Pastoral Support Workers | Pastoral Interventions |
Early Work | Circle Time | Daily Reading | Peer Reading Support |
Reading Aloud | Academic Interventions, Units of Sound | Power of 2 | Echo Reading |
Assemblies take place on at least a weekly basis and in a variety of formats over the school year including by: year group; key stage, house and whole school. All assemblies link to British Values, well-being and/or SMSC development.
Example assembly themes:
Year 5 | Remembrance (British Values) | Respect (Social, British Values)
| St George’s Day/Shakespeare Day (British Values, Culture) |
Year 6 | School Council Elections. Student Voice, Democracy (British Values) | St David’s Day (British Values) | World Refugee Day (British Values, Moral, Cultural) |
Year 7 | Change (Spiritual, British Values) | Generosity (British Values, Spiritual, Moral) | Disability Awareness (British Values)
|
Year 8 | Mental Health Awareness (Health and Wellbeing) | Relationships (British Values, Social) | The coming year
(Health and Wellbeing) |
There are many enrichment opportunities available at various points throughout the school year. Examples of clubs and activities include:
Music Clubs | Reward Afternoons | PE Clubs | Raising Money for Charity |
Swimming
| Numbers Day | Careers Assemblies | Careers |
Let’s Get Cooking | Outdoor Cinema | School Productions | Church Service (Christmas & Easter) |
Broader Experiences: Gardening Club, Mancala | Sporting Fixtures | Computing Clubs | Afternoon Tea with the Head Teacher |
There are two days each year in which all pupils come off of their usual timetable to participate in Personal Learning Days. The purpose is to provide pupils with memorable experiences which allow them develop their personal skills. Some examples of Personal Learning Days:
Year 5 | West End Workshop | STEM/Engineering4Kids |
Year 6 | LEGOLAND | Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations |
Year 7 | Phasels Wood – Activities and Adventures | Willen Lake – Outdoor Water Activities |
Year 8 | Enterprise: Creation of Year Book | Enterprise: Creation of Year Book |
A small number of pupils are identified as Gifted and Talented within subject areas. In addition to high quality teaching within the classroom, including the opportunity to complete extension tasks and star challenges, these pupils have the opportunity to participate in subject specific enrichment activities. Where possible, pupils that are not identified as Gifted and Talented are also invited to take part e.g. the whole year group/disadvantaged pupils.
An example of additional opportunities include:
Year 5 | Spanish Club (French)
| History Afternoon | Mad Science Club |
Year 6 | Field Trip (Geography) | Escape Room Challenge (Mathematics) | Cooking and Tasting Afternoon (French) |
Year 7 | A Christmas Carol Theatre Performance (English) | First Aid Club – Careers in Medicine (Science) | Let’s Get Cooking Afternoon (FFT) |
Year 8 | Shakespeare Workshop (English) | Dissection Club (Science) | Warwick Race Course (Mathematics) |
Throughout their time at Leighton Middle, pupils are encouraged to be leaders of learning. Examples of leadership opportunities:
Student Council | Play Buddy | Sports Leader | Digital Leader |
Year 8 Reader | Peer Supporter | Learning Partner | Year 8 Receptionist |
Please find our outcomes for Year 6 and 8 here: www.leightonmiddle.org.uk/school-data
Disadvantaged Pupils: On entry to Leighton Middle School children in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant are performing below age related expectations in Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Mathematics GL entry data is always lower than English GL data.
Whilst at Leighton Middle School, pupils in receipt of PPG, make greater than expected progress in Reading, Writing and Mathematics in every year group thus diminishing the difference to end of year expectations in comparison with their own starting points.
Pupils with SEND: Over the last four years, on entry to the school, pupils with SEN are attaining well below age related expectations in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
By the time children leave Leighton Middle School, attainment in Reading and Mathematics is one term behind age related expectations and 1 or 2 terms behind in Writing. Cumulative progress is always greater than expected in all 3 subjects. This demonstrates accelerated progress towards meeting age related expectations.
Pupil Survey:
Parent Survey:
School policies relating to Curriculum are available to view under 'About Us' - 'Policies'. If you would like a hard copy of any of our policies please contact the School Office.
Unfortunately not the ones with chocolate chips.
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