SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2024/2025 - Key Priorities and Curriculum Intent

Introduction

In July 2021 an OFSTED school inspection judged Banks Methodist Primary School to remain a good school.

Areas of celebration were:

• The school is a caring and nurturing community. Pupils are happy and eager to start school in the morning. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond by behaving well. In lessons, pupils listen attentively and support each other well. Pupils are polite. They are proud of their school.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. They know that they can tell a trusted adult if they are worried about something. Pupils said that bullying is rare and when it does occur is dealt with quickly by adults in the school.
• Many pupils join and leave the school during the academic year. Staff get to know new pupils very quickly. This helps pupils to settle and swiftly become part of the school community.
• Pupils enjoy the wealth of activities that are available at break and lunchtime in the newly developed play areas. Pupils also access some exciting outdoor educational trips to broaden their experiences beyond the local area. Their musical understanding is enhanced by attending professional concerts and performances.
• Parents and carers are very positive about their children’s experience at the school. A typical comment was, ‘The family environment offers a safe place for my child to learn and develop beyond my expectations.’

Areas of improvement were:

• In most subjects, leaders have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn and the order in which they will learn it. However, the curriculum plans in some other subjects are not as detailed. This means that sometimes pupils cannot build on their learning as they move through the school. Leaders should ensure that all subject curriculum plans identify exactly what knowledge they want pupils to learn and remember from the early years through to Year 6. 

• Some subject leaders are new to their roles and do not have a clear enough understanding of their subject. As a result, they do not know whether their curriculum plans are being implemented effectively. Senior leaders should ensure that these subject leaders develop their subject knowledge so that they can monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum for their area of responsibility.

Our Curriculum at Banks Methodist Primary School

At Banks Methodist Primary School, we offer a rich, engaging, and empowering curriculum that prepares children for life today and in the future. We place our children at the heart of everything we do, recognising their unique starting points and nurturing their talents, interests and individuality.

Our curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and develop the skills needed to become resilient, creative, and independent thinkers. We believe childhood should be a happy, exciting time filled with new experiences, questions, and opportunities to explore.

We are proud of our Christian values—thankfulness, love, truthfulness, forgiveness, friendship, and trust—which, alongside British Values, help guide our children to become kind, respectful, and responsible members of society.

Reading is at the core of our learning, helping children become fluent, thoughtful readers with a love of books. All children, including those with SEND, are supported through a carefully planned, enquiry-based approach that ensures progress and success across all subjects.

We enrich learning with a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom, including school trips, visitors, clubs, and whole-school events.

As a Methodist school, RE plays a central role in developing children’s spiritual understanding and moral values.

At Banks Methodist, we aim for every child to leave us with a strong sense of self, a love of learning, and the confidence to succeed in the next stage of their journey.

Statement of Intent for EYFS:

In our Early Years at Banks Methodist Primary School, we create a nurturing, stimulating environment where every child can thrive. Our curriculum is carefully designed to give all children the foundations they need to become confident, happy learners—both now and in the future.

We understand that many of our children join us from challenging backgrounds, so in Nursery (FS1) we place a strong focus on developing Personal, Social and Emotional skills, as well as building the ability to communicate effectively and interact positively with others. These key areas lay the groundwork for lifelong learning.

Our experienced staff are highly skilled at using timely, purposeful interactions to capture and extend learning in the moment. A well-resourced and inspiring environment encourages children to explore, take initiative, and build independence. We believe that every opportunity is a learning opportunity, and we aim to spark a love of learning by following the children’s interests wherever possible.

In Reception (FS2), we focus on ensuring children are well-prepared for the next stage of school life. A particular emphasis is placed on developing strong early reading and phonics skills, ensuring that every child has the tools they need to succeed as they move into Key Stage 1.

School Development Priorities for 2024/25 are:

1. To embed writing from EYFS to Year 6 following the ‘Literacy Tree’ English Scheme of work
2. Review of Mathematics to ensuring children have increased opportunities for ‘concrete’ learning, especially in EYFS and KS1
3. To develop a new scheme of work for History and Geography with clear progression from EYFS to Year 6, as well as clarity of the National Curriculum

4. To enhance opportunities across the curriculum for spiritual development.