At Kirkby Malham Primary School, education goes beyond academic achievement. We believe in equipping our children with the skills and attributes they need to thrive in all aspects of life. That's why we've developed our innovative Curriculum for Life programme, a comprehensive framework designed to foster critical and creative thinking, promote personal well-being, nurture social skills, and encourage self-sufficiency from Nursery to Year 6.
Cultivating Critical and Creative Thinking: In our Curriculum for Life programme, children are provided with ongoing opportunities to develop essential skills such as critical evaluation, reasoned argumentation, and creative thinking. Through engaging activities and thought-provoking discussions, pupils learn to be open-minded, consider diverse perspectives, and approach challenges with confidence and creativity. Drawing upon engineering habits of mind, our teachers guide students in organising their thoughts in a methodical and logical way, empowering them to tackle complex problems with clarity and precision.
Empowering Self-Improvement and Well-being: Central to our programme is the promotion of self-development and personal well-being. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and actions, demonstrating attributes such as initiative, perseverance, and forgiveness. Through weekly opportunities for reflection, goal-setting, and self-assessment, children develop a positive growth mindset and a commitment to continual self-improvement. Teachers also prioritise the development of healthy lifestyles through activities promoting healthy eating, exercise, and internet safety.
Nurturing Social Skills: Our Curriculum for Life programme emphasises the importance of social skills and responsible citizenship. Children are encouraged to display exemplary manners, behaviour, and conduct, both independently and collaboratively. Through daily opportunities for communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution, students learn to listen actively, respond appropriately, and work towards common goals. Teachers utilise tools such as the Zones of Regulation to support students in managing their emotions and behaviours effectively.
Promoting Self-Sufficiency: From practical life skills to personal passions and interests, our Curriculum for Life programme equips students with the tools they need to be self-sufficient and independent. Through hands-on activities in areas such as healthy eating and cooking, financial literacy, first aid, and mindfulness, children gain valuable knowledge and experiences that prepare them for life beyond the classroom. STEM learning, gardening, sewing, swimming, cycling proficiency, e-safety awareness, and self-defence are just a few examples of the diverse opportunities available to students.
At Kirkby Malham Primary School, we are committed to nurturing well-rounded individuals who are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and values they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Through our innovative Curriculum for Life programme, we empower students to become confident, resilient, and socially responsible members of society, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The health and wellbeing of all members of our school community is one of our most important aims at Ingleton.
If you are concerned about any aspects of your child’s health, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. There are many ways in which we can support you and your children.
There is a wealth of information for parents which can be very overwhelming. The links below are recommended as a starting point for seeking support.
EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Key to our Curriculum for Life strategy is providing the tools to support children with their emotional health and well being and we acknowledge that there will be times when some children may need additional support with their emotional health and wellbeing.
We work with SELFA, a local children’s charity, to provide a series of sessions called ‘Mindful’ that focus on improving children’s emotional health and wellbeing. Mindful is a 10-week programme, for a small group, aimed to provide education around our own emotions, why we feel different ones and creating our own positive coping strategies. Within these sessions, children participate in activities and games that encourage them to engage in discussions about looking after our wellbeing including feelings jenga, creating worry jars and gratitude journals.
To find out more about SELFA, please visit their website www.selfa.org.uk or find them on social media channels.
The Early Help team is also a service that we regulalry use and through this we can offer support to children and their families at the right time to ensure issues do not escalate. For further details about this service please visit https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/children-and-families/early-help
Please talk to Mr Wright, our pastoral lead, if you feel your child might benefit from any of these approaches.