Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School

Our Intent

Children’s Learning

In January 2017, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector commissioned a major research study into the curriculum. The purpose of this research was to ensure that Ofsted could assess the quality of education in a valid and reliable way.  Following this enquiry into the educational experiences of children in education it is firmly agreed that children learn through play and experiences.   Therefore, a child’s educational journey should be one that enriches children’s life experiences and helps them develop the capacity to perform complex operations; focusing on outdoor opportunities whilst creating a broad and balanced curriculum. 

It is nationally agreed that we have to broaden life skills of children, especially those living in areas of deprivation and give them meaningful experiences to develop skills and help them with their life outside school.  It is our role as educators to teach children to be aspirational, inquisitive and think for themselves in order to break the cycle of deprivation and most importantly, to recognise the value of effort over achievement.  

Our Cause for Change

Following the pressures placed on school to establish a rigorous curriculum with a primary focus on English and Maths, our curriculum as a whole is been diluted and the richness that our students need is missing. At the moment our children lack confidence and life experiences. Too many children are disengaged through an inability to access the curriculum because of gaps in prior learning and lack of concrete experiences.  Many children do not have the basic understanding or experiential learning opportunities that deepen their knowledge and build on their imagination.

At RAMJS we believe our children deserve a curriculum that will give a solid foundation for all abilities to build upon by providing basic life skills that will provide new approaches to learning and inspire learners who are motivated to ask questions.  We believe our children are entitled to a curriculum that raises the aspirations of all involved in school life, a curriculum that is aspirational for EVERYONE.  

Our Vision

Within this truly distinctive Methodist School, our common purpose is to enable every child to thrive academically, emotionally and spiritually and to become the person God intends them to be. We will be a school of which the local community and the Methodist Church are justly proud.

Our Mission

“Brighter futures built with Ambition, Courage and Respect; filled with Love, Hope and Faith” 

Our curriculum will have high expectations of all of our pupils to ensure that every child celebrates and achieves their unique God given talent.  This commitment to an inclusive education system is founded on our truly distinctive Methodist character to have a positive impact on the world around us;

Do all the good you can.

By all the means you can.

In all the ways you can.

In all the places you can.

At all the times you can.

To all the people you can.

As long as ever you can.

At RAMJS want to reinvigorate the curriculum to promote a love of learning whilst making learning relevant to all children.  Our curriculum should expand life experiences; deepen each child’s knowledge of the world and faith in themselves and God through the encouragement inquisitive minds.  We hope to provide a curriculum that expands the horizon for all our school family, providing opportunities for parents to increase their involvement in the learning adventure we plan to take their children on.

As John Wesley said:

“What one generation tolerates another will embrace!”

We want our curriculum to challenge stereotypes and encourage our pupils to be courageous advocates for change.

Our Rationale

At RAMJS we want our curriculum to be:

• Exciting
• Purposeful
• Aspirational
• Child centered
• Spiritual

Our curriculum will:

• Support children spiritually, emotionally and academically
• Be real, practical and accessible to all
• Broaden life skills and build on prior learning 
• Include outdoor learning
• Be adaptable and dynamic to deal with changes in modern technology
• Focus on understanding mathematical concepts and use them to reason and develop mathematical understanding
• Give meaningful experiences that promote risk taking
• Develop skills to help with life outside of school 
• Be ambitious 
• Teach children to be aspirational, inquisitive and think for themselves 
• Build a love of reading and a stamina in reading 
• Recognise and value effort over achievement 
• Encourage courage advocacy for change
• Prepare our children to have a positive impact on the worlds around them and beyond