Curriculum Entitlements

Cultural Capital

What does cultural capital mean at Hardwick Primary School?

Every child and family who joins our setting will have their own knowledge and experiences that will link to their culture and wider family. This might include: languages, beliefs, traditions, cultural and family heritage, interests, travel and work.

Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence; it is one of the key ingredients a pupil will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.

Cultural capital gives power. It helps children achieve goals, become successful, and rise up the social ladder without necessarily having wealth or financial capital. Cultural capital is having assets that give children the desire to aspire and achieve social mobility whatever their starting point.

At Hardwick Primary School, children benefit from a curriculum that builds on what they understand and know already. This means our children have a deep and connected knowledge and understanding of where they came from, who they are and what they might become.  We believe that exposure, not only to culture but also to situations in which the children might not have previous experiences of, is of paramount importance to their ongoing successes.

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” (Plutarch) 

We believe that school trips and educational visits and visitors should be viewed as powerful, positive teaching tools that help enhance the social, personal and emotional development of all learners. Extra stimulation in new environments can be particularly beneficial to pupils and can help teach life skills, build on social skills and improve independence and self- confidence. 

We recognise that a rich, varied and appropriate curriculum will facilitate meaningful learning. The purpose of the planned experience is to provide pupils with experiences outside their everyday activities. Learning outside the classroom therefore adds value to each individual’s academic and personal development and is a key component in the implementation of our curriculum intent.  The experiences are deliberately planned as part of a learning journey, therefore reducing pupils cognitive load.  They are encouraged to make links which then enhance the work back in the classroom setting. 

A range of learning opportunities are in place to support the teaching of our creative curriculum, including: educational visits and visitors in addition to residential trips, personalised provision to ensure inclusion for all, stimulating learning environments, innovative use of resources and a varied timetable of after-school activities. A wide range of enrichment and enjoyment activities, including residential opportunities, are embedded in the curriculum and these are used effectively to engage pupils, develop social skills and provide much needed life experiences.  

       

 

All children are entitled to have the best educational start in life.  Regardless of a child’s background, they should all be afforded opportunities that allow them to be ambitious and well educated. We believe that deliberately planning experiences to support the acquisition of knowledge is an integral part of the delivery of our curriculum. It will ensure that learning is brought to life as children are exposed to the best that life has to offer through linking with the local community in a meaningful way as much as possible. 

Children should be given opportunities to dream big and extend themselves beyond that which they thought was possible. Through community collaboration, children are given experiences that enrich both their learning and their understanding of the wider world.

A wide range of enrichment and enjoyment activities, including residential opportunities, are embedded in the curriculum and these are used effectively to engage pupils, develop social skills and provide much needed life experiences.