Our Wider Curriculum

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we are fully committed to ensuring that our children become responsible citizens, confident individuals and successful learners. Acquiring powerful knowledge, skills and attitudes is at the heart of our curriculum intent. We pledge to ensure that our school is for all pupils, 'A place to grow and a place to shine'. The curriculum is underpinned by our core values and key themes, supporting the global development of each child. Pupil wellbeing underpins everything here are Diamond Wood!

During their time here at Diamond Wood, pupils have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of enrichment opportunities, events and extra-curricular activities. These opportunities are carefully designed and planned to ensure that we offer a holistic experience so that all children can develop their personal 'Strength of Character'.

Assemblies

Every Monday

Mrs T and Price will speak to the children about our whole school vision, values, themes and overarching topic for the half term. They will also discuss British Values with the children and what these have looked like in action across the week. In addition, children will have additional time to focus on their 'My Happy Mind' learning for the week which is introduced on a Monday morning in class.

Every Friday

Mrs T and Mrs Price will announce our Stars of the Week and Attendance Prize winners.

At the end of each assembly the children share the school prayer.

Collective Worship

This is a protected and non-negotiable time. Focuses – School Values, Fundamental British Values, Diamond Rules, Singing, Time to Talk/ Show and Tell. Discussions take place during year group planning meetings weekly to decide upon focuses and prepare as a team.

At the end of each collective worship the children share the school prayer.

Trips and Visits

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we are committed to integrating trips and visits as a core component of our curriculum, not as supplementary activities. Our rationale for organising these experiences is grounded in the belief that they are essential for curriculum enrichment and enhancement, playing a vital role in pre-teaching, enhancing learning, and consolidating knowledge, skills, and vocabulary for our pupils.

• Integral to Learning: Each trip and visit is meticulously planned to align with our curriculum goals, ensuring they directly support and enhance what our children are learning. These experiences are not extraneous additions but are carefully chosen to deepen pupils' understanding and engagement with the subjects they are studying. For example, visits from refugees as part of the Carry My Story project provide real-life contexts for extended writing, fostering creativity and empathy.  
• Real-World Context: Trips and visits offer invaluable opportunities for children to engage with the real-world context of their learning. By stepping outside the classroom, pupils can see, touch, and explore concepts first-hand, making abstract ideas more tangible and easier to grasp. This approach not only aids comprehension but also ensures that learning is more memorable and meaningful.  
• Engagement and Motivation: Real-world experiences are highly engaging for young children, sparking their curiosity and motivation. These experiences bring subjects to life, creating moments of awe and wonder that captivate pupils’ imaginations and encourage a lifelong love of learning.  
• Enhanced Learning Outcomes: Applying knowledge in authentic contexts helps to consolidate and extend pupils' understanding. Hands-on experiences enable children to connect classroom learning with the outside world, leading to improved learning outcomes. For instance, completing fieldwork during a Year 2 trip to the seaside consolidates concepts taught in geography.  
• Promotion of Creativity and Imagination: Exposure to new environments, cultures, and experiences stimulates creativity and imagination. Trips and visits inspire children to think differently, make connections, and develop ideas in ways that are open and explorative, contributing significantly to their intellectual growth.  
• Personal, Social, and Emotional Development: Out-of-school experiences are crucial for developing life skills such as independence, resilience, and confidence. Interacting with new environments and people helps children grow personally and socially, enhancing their ability to navigate diverse situations and challenges.  
• Cultural Capital: Our trips and visits help build cultural capital by broadening pupils' horizons and introducing them to various aspects of society and heritage. These experiences foster social cohesion, understanding, and an appreciation of diversity, which are particularly important in our community, where around 80% of the children speak English as an additional language.

Planning and Sustainability

• Purposeful Planning: We do not plan trips and visits for activities that can be effectively provided within the school environment. Each experience is selected to further enhance and complement our curriculum, ensuring that they provide added value to our educational offer.  
• Contingency Planning: While we are dedicated to providing these enriching experiences, we also plan strategically to ensure continuity in case these services cease. We remain adaptable and prepared to integrate similar enriching activities within the school setting, maintaining the high quality of education and experiences we offer.  

In conclusion, the trips and visits at Diamond Wood Community Academy are fundamental to our educational approach, designed to enrich and enhance the curriculum. They play a crucial role in engaging pupils, enhancing learning outcomes, fostering creativity, supporting personal development, and building cultural capital, all of which are integral to our mission of providing a holistic and immersive education.

Enrichments Calendar for Autumn 1

Our whole school enrichment calendar outlines the specifically planned assemblies, collective worship focuses, year group events and whole school events which will take place throughout the year. Subject Leaders work in close collaboration with Year Group Leaders and class teachers to ensure that these events provide additional opportunities to revisit and embed knowledge learned by our pupils as part of their ongoing learning. Below is an overview of the calendar for Autumn 1. For more information please contact our Curriculum Leader Mrs Price.