Our Curriculum
What We Teach
At Growing Places Community School, our curriculum is shaped by statutory requirements and our educational values. In Year R, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework, providing the foundations for learning through play, exploration and meaningful experiences. From Year 1 through to Year 6, we follow the National Curriculum, ensuring a broad, balanced and progressive education that supports academic achievement and personal development.
Our curriculum is holistic, nurturing children's social, emotional, physical and cognitive development alongside their knowledge and understanding of the world. It is carefully designed to build knowledge, develop skills and create meaningful connections between learning, ensuring children are equipped for the next stages of their education and beyond.
While the curriculum defines what we teach, our pedagogy defines how we teach.
Our Pedagogy
How we teach
At Growing Places Community School, our pedagogy is rooted in a deep belief that every child is capable, curious and full of potential. As a Reggio Emilia-inspired school, we recognise children as active participants in their learning, rich in ideas, questions and possibilities. We believe children learn best when they are given the time, space, relationships and opportunities to explore, investigate, create and make meaning of the world around them.
We understand learning through the metaphor of an artist's palette. Just as an artist draws upon different colours and techniques to create something unique, every child brings their own combination of strengths, interests, ideas and capabilities to their learning journey. No two palettes are ever the same, nor should they be. Our role is to recognise, nurture and celebrate these individual qualities, while providing opportunities for every child to discover new interests, develop confidence and reach their potential.
Our Palette of Provision represents the rich and varied learning experiences that make up our curriculum. It brings together six interconnected dimensions of learning: Rooted Teaching, Enquiry and Exploration, Expression – The 100 Languages, Relational Learning, Real-World Learning, and Reflection and Growth. Together, these create a broad and balanced approach that combines purposeful teaching with opportunities for children to explore, question, experiment, collaborate and express their thinking in many different ways.
Our approach encourages children and educators to embrace curiosity, possibility and experimentation, seeing play as a powerful vehicle for learning. Through purposeful play, children develop ideas, take risks, solve problems, test their theories and discover new ways of thinking. Educators thoughtfully design environments and experiences that invite exploration, while remaining responsive to the interests and ideas children bring.
We see learning as a collaborative process between children, educators, families and the environment. Our educators observe, listen, question and reflect, making children's thinking visible and using these insights to shape meaningful learning experiences. The environment itself is considered an important part of this process, acting as a third teacher and offering opportunities for discovery, independence and connection.
By bringing together purposeful teaching, exploration, creativity, relationships and reflection, we create a learning environment where children are encouraged to think deeply, follow their curiosity, develop their individuality and, above all, flourish.
Learning is supported through:
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Carefully designed environments that invite inquiry and exploration
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Skilled observation, listening, and reflection
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Responsive planning informed by children’s interests and ideas
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Meaningful documentation that makes learning visible
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Strong relationships built on trust, respect, and belonging
Adults act as guides, co-learners, and researchers, bringing the curriculum to life through thoughtful questioning, shared exploration, and intentional teaching.
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How we assess
At our school, assessment is an ongoing and positive part of learning. Teachers use observation, discussion and practical activities to understand each child’s progress and plan next steps, without creating pressure or stress. Further information about how we assess learning can be found on our website.
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​Each week, the child’s palette is explored through various ways including...
Whole group learning
This is an effective method for fostering collaboration, communication, and critical thinking among young people. It shifts the focus from individual achievement to collective learning, where they work together to solve problems, share ideas, and learn from each other.
Individual learning
This focuses on the child’s personal journey of discovery, growth, and knowledge. It's centered around the idea that we all learn best at our own pace, in our own way, and with a personalised approach.
Possible Routes of Exploration (PROE)
PROE is used when introducing a child to a particular concept or event (Chinese New Year, Spring, All About Me). It presents, suggests and poses possible ways this concept can be explored - the how to learn is unique to the child.
Little Acorns Days
Each child will spend a day a week at Little Acorns. This is 2.5 acres of land in Wickham with a yurt, cabin, stables, sheep, goats, ducks and chickens. The time spent at Little Acorns is facilitated by experienced Growing Places staff. Little Acorns days include caring for and feeding the animals, understanding the seasons and wildlife (birds, insects, trees and plants), den building, bug hunting, bush craft, orienteering and team building.
Local Explorations
In additional to Little Acorns Days, time spent out in natural environments is an essential part of being at the school. All areas of the curriculum can be taught by visiting local areas including Portchester Castle, Langstone, Old Portsmouth, Butser Hill and so on - the opportunities are endless when we remove the classroom walls.
Self Directed Learning (SDL)
Self-directed learning (SDL) is a process where children take the initiative in their own learning journey, setting their own goals, determining the resources they need, and evaluating their progress. Unlike traditional teacher-led instruction, where the teacher dictates what, when, and how the child learns, self-directed learning places the learner in the driver’s seat. This approach encourages autonomy, personal responsibility and lifelong learning.
Projects Based Learning (PBL)
An engaging and dynamic approach to learning, PBL centers on children working on real-world problems or challenges over an extended period of time. It allows them to explore complex questions, apply their knowledge, and develop a wide range of skills while working collaboratively on a project that has meaning and purpose. For example, they might work on a project related to environmental sustainability, designing solutions to reduce waste in the school, or creating a community awareness campaign about local issues. These types of projects give children the chance to engage with real problems and think critically about how they can make a difference.
'Tools in my Back Pocket'
At Growing Places, we believe in helping our children to develop tools to keep in their back pocket for whatever life may bring. These tools include resilience, tolerance, strong sense of self, empathy, communication, problem solving and the art of accepting that making mistakes is part of learning & growing!
“We have created a place where learning happens through exploration, curiosity and play with the child’s voice at the heart of the curriculum.”