Our School

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Project Based Learning

A core feature of the curriculum offer at New Park Primary Academy are our Projects. These are bespoke units of work that delve deep into academic subjects and are focused on an authentic, real-world context. There are six core principles to our projects. 

Principle

Description

Academic Rigour

Projects address national curriculum standards and help children develop habits associated with academic and professional disciplines.

Authenticity

Projects use a real world context and address issues that matter to children. Project work leaves a legacy

Applied Learning

Projects engage children in solving semi-structured problems calling for competencies expected in high-performance work organisations

Active Exploration

Projects extend beyond the classroom and connect children to work in the community and further afield

 

 Adult Connections

 

Projects connect children with experts and adults from the wider community

Assessment Practices

Projects involve children in presentations of learning, exhibitions, and assessments of their work

Our projects run for ten weeks and children are immersed in the academic, social and holistic elements in their afternoon lessons. Projects bring together disparate curriculum subjects in a focused piece of work that provides great academic depth and rigour. A project may have a strong historical focus with artistic outcomes, for example KS2 children will explore the dynasties of the Houses of York and Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses and how portraiture has been used through the ages to portray desired character traits. In KS1 younger children may explore the scientific concept of biodiversity and learn about the physical geography and features of the school grounds and surrounding areas. 

Teachers skilfully plan projects that weave elements of the curriculum together in a common purpose. Central to our projects is oracy and children presenting their own learning. All children take part in an exhibition of their work at the end of each project. The format for these differs, according to the needs and focus of the project. For the examples given above the KS2 children might host an exhibition of their own portraits in a local art gallery or community space. The younger children would set up a science fair in the school grounds and local area, taking parents and visitors on a tour to show the work the children have put in to encourage biodiversity and explaining their scientific learning along the way.

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