At Trent, we see Christ as our ultimate inspiration (John 13:34). We believe that every human being is made in God’s image and therefore has infinite worth. This belief underpins our curriculum and our commitment to helping each child flourish as a unique individual.

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Intent

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The Trent Curriculum is designed to be ambitious, coherent and inclusive. We intend that every pupil, across every year group and subject, gains deep foundational knowledge, develops powerful disciplinary skills, and grows as a well-rounded individual.

​We place curriculum coherence and progression at the heart of our planning, ensuring that pupils’ learning in one year builds efficiently into the next. Key “big ideas” and recurring themes—such as inspiration, service, identity and resilience—run through and link subjects, providing meaning and continuity.​ Through careful sequencing and purposeful bridging of concepts, pupils revisit and build on prior knowledge, allowing them to make connections, deepen understanding and apply learning in new contexts.

​We expect that all learners—including those with special educational needs or from less advantaged backgrounds—will be challenged to deepen understanding and extend thinking.

​Moreover, we believe education is about more than knowledge: our curriculum is shaped to foster character, personal development, ethics, well-being, curiosity, leadership and global citizenship.

​Inspirational people, past and present, from all cultures and backgrounds, are studied across the curriculum. We draw out the good in every life we explore, recognising that no one but Jesus is perfect; by learning from others, we learn more about the wonderful, diverse world that God has made.

 

Implementation

 

To deliver on our intent, the Trent Curriculum uses a combination of discrete knowledge sessions and contextualised, enquiry-based learning, chosen deliberately for each subject and year.

Each project begins with a memorable launch event or hook, anchoring pupils’ curiosity and giving purpose to learning. Lessons are carefully planned with modelling, retrieval practice, scaffolding and deliberate practice, enabling pupils to master and revisit core concepts.

Subject leaders ensure that the progression of disciplinary skills—such as scientific method, historical enquiry and problem solving in mathematics—is explicit and consistent across year groups.

Formative and summative assessment are embedded within each unit to check pupils’ understanding, identify misconceptions and inform responsive teaching. Tracking of curriculum goals and pupil outcomes enables ongoing reflection, adjustment and refinement.

Professional development and curriculum review cycles are integrated so that teachers continually evolve their practice based on evidence and pupil data.

​Our broader school life—assemblies, displays, extra-curricular activities, “in-class museums” and community projects—reinforces and extends curriculum learning, giving pupils authentic opportunities to apply, present and celebrate their learning.

The curriculum is celebrated through the totality of Trent’s life: class assemblies, exhibitions, community events and a daily rhythm of engaging activities. This broad and balanced curriculum enables children to discover new interests, develop strengths and advance passions and talents.

‘Big questions’ engage children and encourage independent, creative thinking across subject areas, while the key themes of inspiration and service flow throughout all we do.

 

Impact

 

We judge the success of the Trent Curriculum through three key lenses:

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Pupil outcomes and mastery – pupils know more, remember more and can apply their learning in new ways. Across key assessments, transitions and internal checks, we expect continuous progress for all.

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Pupil voice and reflection – pupils can articulate what they have learned, make connections, reflect on their progress and plan next steps.

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Wider development and habits – beyond academic measures, pupils grow in character, confidence, curiosity, service-mindedness, resilience, ethical reasoning and cultural awareness.

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We systematically evaluate curriculum effectiveness through termly reviews, feedback cycles and analysis of outcome data, using this evidence to refine our curriculum continually.​ Subject leaders hold responsibility for evaluating how well curriculum design is translating into pupil learning and experience, ensuring that the Trent Curriculum continues to inspire, challenge and nurture every child.