Curriculum
The Steephill Curriculum
Rooted in the school’s KIND values, our curriculum fosters creativity, critical thinking and independence, while building strong foundations in core subjects.
These guiding principles are embedded throughout three key strands that underpin our approach to learning:
Learning at Steephill is not delivered to pupils—it’s built with them, reflecting who they are and who they’re becoming. Underpinned by the CUSP curriculum’s knowledge-rich framework and Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, our holistic approach in smaller class sizes ensures personalised attention, deeper relationships and thriving learners.
We draw on our immediate setting—our extensive school grounds, wildlife areas and Forest School patches—to foster curiosity, confidence and care. Our close relationship with The Church of Saint Mary Fawkham, including shared celebrations such as carol services, deepens pupils’ sense of belonging and spiritual awareness. We also collaborate with nearby organisations including the village library, sports clubs and art centres to enrich learning and strengthen community ties.
Our House system—Bignold, Ford and Francis—extends this vision into the community. Each House leads termly action aligned to a UN Sustainable Development Goal, from tree planting for climate action to supporting local food banks and wellbeing charities to support the no poverty agenda. Through fundraising, creative projects and pupil-led initiatives, children build empathy, leadership and real-world impact.
At Steephill School we encourage every child to explore new ideas, embrace challenges and develop confidence in their abilities. We have specialist teachers for music, PE (in the Upper School) and Spanish, ensuring high-quality learning experiences in these subjects. To further enrich learning opportunities, we hold regular termly enhancement days, giving children the chance to deepen their understanding through immersive and inspiring activities.
Each subject has a clear learning journey, which can be explored by visiting the individual curriculum pages.