Bishop Ellis Catholic School is continuously developing an exciting, enjoyable and challenging curriculum based on key skills and deepening of knowledge, which allows the children to be actively involved in their learning and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Children have the opportunity to apply the skills they have learnt, which are presented through the delivery of engaging and challenging lessons.
The curriculum at Bishop Ellis School brings together an integrated thematic approach that meets national requirements, is tailored to the needs of our children and is based on the attitudes and values of the Gospel. We recognise that each child comes with varied experiences of their own faith and culture, which have value and are to be appreciated and built upon and we embrace and champion the British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
There is a balance between the teaching of knowledge, skills and attitudes, and their application across a range of different contexts. This helps all our children to reach the best possible outcomes in their personal, spiritual and academic development. All children are supported in challenging themselves fully, for example, through provision of opportunities to undertake regular ‘independent learning projects’ (ILP) based on their own lines of enquiry and to engage in learning through problem-solving.
Planning thematic units, with a variety of themed weeks and days, allows the school to deliver a curriculum that gives children a context in which to learn, and is both engaging and motivating. Themes have been selected and are driven by pupils’ interests and ideas, and carefully mapped out key skills and objectives. The school places a high emphasis on developing key skills across all subjects to embed: