The Young Explorers Programme

Context

Our pupils come from a variety of diverse backgrounds; most pupils face high disadvantage which include high deprivation (see school’s context – IDS), low stability, very limited access to wider opportunities and a range of diverse experiences.  Therefore, it is essential for the school to provide these opportunities and experiences in order to develop rich vocabulary.

Developing and strengthening and overcoming anxiety is a core purpose of our school ethos and is further developed through the Young Explorers curriculum.  The school needs to provide a curriculum and whole school environment to ensure all our pupils are engaged, enjoy learning, have positive mental health and strong future prospects.  Key to this is the recognition that our school community is diverse, there are different culture/faiths, views, lives and realties within it.  We all have agreed shared values and these are embodied in our ethos of our school community as a family.  We are relentless in our determination to provide and meet the needs of all our pupils for them to be successful, positive, proactive members of the community.

  • The Young Explorers Programme is within the Enrichment Curriculum
  • The Young Explorers Programme is threaded through all relevant subjects

Aims

  1. Focus on Personal Development (Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural, British Values)
  2. Widening the curricular offer to enable pupils to have opportunities and experiences in order for them to achieve at national standards and above
  3. To engage, encourage and support parents in enabling the children to take advantage of the opportunities within school and extend these within non-school time e.g. within family time 

Aim 1

Objectives

  1. Excite curiosity
  2. Develop an appreciation and respect for the place in which we live
  3. Appreciate that British Values help us to live in democratic, safe and caring societies that supports all members; underpinned by the rule of law and that these are shared by all irrespective of faith, culture, gender (incl LGBT)
  4. Develop a sense of awe and wonder which contributes to our spiritual development through experiences
  5. Develop a sense of community and teamwork
  6. To develop resilience and find strategies to overcome problems e.g. overcoming fears, attempting new things etc.
  7. To improve our social/emotional literacy
  8. Promote positive mental health and wellbeing
  9. For pupils to have fun and to be able to join in activities for pure enjoyment

Aim 2

Objectives

  1. Excite curiosity, stimulate interest and encourage a thirst for knowledge
  2. To immerse pupils in an experienced rich vocabulary
  3. To visit and understand places of history e.g. Jodrell Bank etc.
  4. To compare and contrast four different localities; urban, countryside, city centre and seaside
  5. To follow maps and routes, orientation activities
  6. To explore rivers and streams and associated vocabulary
  7. To understand and explore caves – how they are formed and where they are located (man-made and natural), the role of mining in man-made caves
  8. To experience different forms of transport for different terrains e.g. cable cars
  9. To investigate rocks and minerals e.g. Blue John Mines
  10. The role of climate and weather in forming the landscape
  11. To investigate meadows and hedges, animals in the countryside including nocturnal animals
  12. Explore and ignite interest in our local environment and its local history to get a sense of our community
  13. Lifecycles of plants and animals
  14. Opportunities to experience different art forms e.g. rock garden, famous painters and art techniques including design in architecture and furniture e.g. Tudor, Victorian, regency, modern buildings
  15. To use experience to motivate writing e.g. report, narrative, poetry

*See Activity grid below.  This grid looks only at the Young Explorers Curriculum, it does not include all the other enrichment opportunities in school

Aim 3

Objectives

  1. To provide opportunities for parents in order for them to understand and value and support the schools work in enabling their children to be resilient, independant and successful
  2. To help develop parent resilience and overcome anxiety in order to support children to challenge themselves and take appropriate risks
  3. To strengthen our school community and sense of family in order for us all to be effective, working partners

* 3 x parent trips a year (one per term) - Castleton, Beach and free choice*

Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

  1. All children regardless of any barriers e.g. SEND and disabled pupils are fully included in all activities
  2. The school admissions form has an agreed consent form that all children will go on trips during the school day. The only time additional consent is required is for Residential trips
  3. All pupils are actively encouraged and are kept well informed through parent meetings and forums to the benefits of the wider curriculum and its importance for the children’s personal and academic development

Health & Safety

  1. Individual risk assessments are completed for all individual activities
  2. Risk assessments are completed on our minibuses where our own transport is used
  3. Local Authority is contacted in regards to overseas trips
  4. We ensure that we adhere to good staffing ratios
  5. Travel first aid kit is taken on all trips

Monitoring and review

Curriculum is constantly kept under review in order to best meet the needs of our pupils.

Reporting to Governors

Governors are kept informed via Head teacher reports and half termly meetings and under exceptional circumstances as the need arises.

Governors are invited to engage in all our Young Explorers Activities.

Files to Download

Young Explorer's Activity Grid