Cultural Capital
Cultural Capital is defined in the Ofsted School Inspection Handbook 2022 as ‘… the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said, and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement’.
At Newdale, we have carefully tailored our curriculum to provide memorable experiences, which many children may not normally be exposed to. As well as providing these experiences, teachers use a range of teaching and learning pedagogies to cater for all learners. Our vibrant and rich curriculum is designed so that children are not only taught the knowledge appropriate to their year group, but also the skills to enable them to be successful across the curriculum. Outcomes are designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum but also to develop the skills needed for future learning and beyond.
As part of the National Curriculum, children are expected to learn about a range of different faiths, cultures, morals and values to prepare them for “life in modern Britain”. We teach standalone Life Learning lessons, with embedded PSHE/SMSC objectives; in addition, across the curriculum, subject areas such as RSE, Health Education and E-Safety, also help children become well-rounded British citizens and build their ‘Cultural Capital’.
Our school sits in a mixed catchment, and we have an excellent understanding of the needs of our families. Our IDACI index puts us roughly halfway between the top two most deprived sections in the country. We recognise our part to play in Health Education. Some of our families are in receipt of Early Help and through a supportive curriculum children learn how to communicate and help keep themselves safe. We believe that it is also important that all children learn the skills that they need to look after and be aware of the needs of others.
To develop children’s cultural capital, Telford and Wrekin have introduced a new project: 10 by 10. They have identified ten activities children should try before they are ten years old. Each 10 by 10 activity is a chance for children to discover new talents and experience the world. For more information, please visit: https://10by10.telford.gov.uk/
To find out more about how Newdale prepares children for life in modern Britain, please read our parents’ guide: How we prepare children for life in modern Britain
