At Linaker Primary School, we offer a distinctive, inclusive and carefully designed curriculum that prepares our children for the diverse and ever-changing world they are growing up in. Rooted in our motto, ‘One team, everyone belongs,’ our curriculum ensures that every child feels valued, represented and empowered to succeed, both academically and personally.
Our curriculum is driven by our commitment to develop confident, curious and reflective learners who know more, remember more and can do more over time. At the heart of this are our curriculum drivers: the Team Linaker values of Togetherness, Empathy, Aspiration and Mutual Respect; a strong emphasis on vocabulary and oracy, so that every child has the language they need to express themselves, communicate effectively, understand others and access the full curriculum; and a deepening understanding of the world, both locally and globally.
Our curriculum is bespoke: written, shaped and continually refined by the Linaker team with our pupils, community and context firmly in mind. It meets the requirements of the National Curriculum while reflecting the rich diversity of our school and the experiences, interests and starting points of our children. We are ambitious for every pupil and believe that all children, including those with additional needs, are entitled to a broad, rich and challenging curriculum that enables them to achieve highly.
We have carefully identified the essential knowledge, vocabulary, concepts and experiences that we want every Linaker child to encounter. Learning is deliberately sequenced so that new knowledge builds on prior learning, helping children to make connections, strengthen understanding and develop secure schema over time. We prioritise depth, fluency and understanding over superficial coverage, giving pupils time to revisit, practise, apply and master important learning.
Clear learning threads run across our curriculum so that children develop a coherent understanding within and across subjects. While we draw on high-quality, research‑informed resources, these are carefully adapted to meet the needs of our pupils and to reflect our school’s context. Purposeful opportunities for retrieval, reflection, revision and improvement are built in so that learning is retained, refined and remembered.
A carefully developed book spine sits at the heart of our curriculum. High-quality texts are thoughtfully chosen to enrich learning across subjects, promote a love of reading and develop vocabulary and oracy. These texts reflect both the diversity of our school community and the wider world beyond it. We believe it is vital that children see themselves represented in our curriculum, while also developing understanding of the lives, experiences and perspectives of others. Through shared reading, we nurture empathy, broaden horizons and deepen understanding.
Recognising that children arrive at Linaker with a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, we place strong emphasis on enrichment and cultural capital. Carefully planned visits, visitors and memorable curriculum experiences broaden horizons, deepen understanding and raise aspirations. Our Togetherness Weeks play a central role in this, bringing the whole school community together through shared projects that build relationships, celebrate diversity and reinforce a strong sense of belonging across Team Linaker.
Ultimately, our curriculum is designed to inspire. It provides the knowledge, skills, vocabulary and experiences children need to thrive now and in the future. We strive to develop confident writers, mathematicians, scientists, artists, musicians, healthy and active individuals, and thoughtful global citizens - supporting children’s wellbeing, mindset and lifestyle alongside their academic development. Guided by our Team Linaker values, children leave Linaker Primary School as well-rounded, respectful and resilient young people who believe in themselves, value others and know that they belong. Above all, they leave with the voice, confidence and aspiration to achieve whatever they set their minds to.