At Whitegate End, we pride ourselves on offering a curriculum to meet the academic and holistic needs of all learners within our unique community.  

In order to meet their complex needs we ensure that we regularly review the content of our curriculum and run specific threads alongside the national curriculum. These include:  

• Oracy  

• Diversity and culture  

• Mental and physical well-being   

• Experiences and aspirations   

• Life skills

Our curriculum, which is based upon the National Curriculum, is knowledge and vocabulary rich, with enhancements and experiences such as visits, to provide opportunities to build cultural and social capital.  During the Autumn Term, each class' curriculum is driven by a Geography focus. In the Spring term there is a History driver and there is a science driver in the Summer term.

We want to inspire an ambition for our children and staff to deepen their curiosity about, understanding of, and respect for, the world around them. We want our children to become independent, emotionally resilient learners who are willing to take a risk and take responsibility for their own learning and we do all of this in a safe, engaging environment, promoting active learning.  

The foundation of Whitegate End‘s curriculum has been built upon the following values;  

* We nurture  

* We act with integrity  

* We show determination  

Our inclusive Curriculum provides all children with a sense of belonging and an understanding of the contribution they can make to their Community and the wider world.  

Our curriculum reflects the importance of play and oracy, and ensures children have the ambition and aspirations to form opinions and stand up for what they believe in.  

Curriculum content

Our progressive curriculum is driven by a different subject each term and follows the premise that “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been". In each year group, it is key that we think about what we know about ourselves and how we fit into the ‘bigger picture’.

This begins in EYFS, where children are exposed to learning that helps them to explore themselves, their families and homes, building on the EYFS Framework and enabling them to achieve a Good Level of Development. They complete the key objectives in Understanding The World and gain the knowledge needed for a successful transition into KS1.

In Year 1, the focus changes to “Our School – Whitegate End”. Here the children build on their learning from EYFS and begin to see recognise how they fit into our school community. They develop their oracy skills through play and use continuous provision to embed what they have learnt in adult led sessions. In Year 2, we learn about. How our school fits into a wider community, Oldham. We look at how the geographical features of Oldham resulted in it being at the centre of the Industrial Revolution, and the impact this then had on the town and local area.

This continues in Year 3, where we consider how our town fits into Greater Manchester and the role it plays as one of its 10 boroughs. We recognise the key geographical features of Manchester, such as its three main rivers, and can discuss some key events that have shaped it into the city it is today. In Year 4, we continue to build on this knowledge by learning about the different regions of the UK, their similarities and differences and how they have been impacted by human and physical factors.

In UKS2, our curriculum shifts to focussing on how we fit within the wider world. In Year 5, we learn about our continent, Europe. We look at key historical events, specifically Ancient Greece, and make comparisons to modern day Britain and the impact of the Roman Empire, which we know about from our work in Year 3. The final piece of the sequence is to expand our learning to the wider world, with a focus on North and South America and Egypt, and their geographical and historical significance.

Find more information about our curriculum on the individual class pages.

If you would like further information about the curriculum at Whitegate End, please speak to your child's class teacher, attend one of our parent drop in sessions or parent forum meetings (please contact the school for the next date) or fill in the enquiry form on the contact page.