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Curriculum Statement

St. Mary’s Curriculum Statement 2019/20

OUR VISION:

Inspired by Christian values, at St. Mary’s we are EXCITED about our learning, PROUD of our achievements, DETERMINED to be the best we can be and CARING for all of God’s creation.

OUR MISSION:

  • With St Mary’s Church, Brookside Methodist, and other local churches, we will further develop understanding of Christian values in action through worship and across the curriculum
  • Through excellent teaching we will deliver an inspirational curriculum
  • We will enable every child to make the very best progress
  • We will work in partnership with children and families to further promote confidence and self esteem
  • We will prepare children to confidently face the challenges of growing up in the 21st Century
  • We will provide children with an understanding of local, national and global communities and faiths.

Parental Quotes: July 2019 Survey

“My child experiences the embodiment of the vision at school. He loves school and is excited to tell me about what he has achieved; especially when he’s had to work really hard to overcome some challenges. The Christian values are at the core of what happens daily; he experiences love, friendship and forgiveness as part of school life.”

“My child has certainly experienced the excitement around learning and is encouraged to be the best he can be. He’s also very aware of the issues surrounding Earth, recycling, being responsible.”

Pupil Comments: Discussions 2018/19

“We do exciting things in our learning; none of us get bored. We can’t not listen!”

“Every voice is heard, for example, with those who are less confident, [teacher’s name] always finds a way to include them. When we’re sitting with ‘diverse personalities’ (rather than with our friends) we get lots more ideas for our work which broadens our mindset. When someone produces a great piece of work, we feel proud of them.”

“We learned about the Mayans; it was insightful knowing where we are in relation to them in history. We had brilliant workshops and [teacher’s name] bought in Mayan food for us to try!”

Curriculum Intent:

At St. Mary’s Primary School, we offer a curriculum which is broad and balanced and which builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills of all children, whatever their starting points. The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the national curriculum but also takes into account the needs and interests of our pupils, enabling them to grow healthily, safely, spiritually, academically and responsibly.

Our curriculum:

  • Ensures equality for everyone, providing opportunities for all members of our community to learn, achieve to the best of their abilities, experience success, gain confidence and grow in independence.
  • Motivates and extends all children, helping them to develop a full range of knowledge, skills and understanding.
  • Enables children to talk about how they learn, to think creatively, to take risks and handle change, so that they can become lifelong learners, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly changing world in which we live.
  • Places an emphasis on the development of courteous, co-operative and caring individuals who are sensitive to the needs of others and form and maintain constructive relationships based on Christian values.
  • Includes high quality experiences so that pupils are able to develop a positive sense of well-being and keep themselves safe and healthy.
  • Encourages children to recognise their responsibilities as citizens by providing opportunities for them to play an active part in school life, take care of God’s creation and develop their understanding of their role in the world.

Curriculum implementation:

Curriculum Content

Our approach to curriculum design recognises the benefits of a focus on subject specific content coupled with a flexible, thematic approach that enables us to make relevant links across the curriculum where appropriate. This distribution is illustrated in each year group’s Curriculum Map. Click to view Curriculum Map Overview for  Year 1 to Year 6 .

An overview of each subject is as follows:

English

The teaching units are designed to meet the National Curriculum English requirements for each year group from Year 1 to Year 6 (and the EYFS Curriculum in YR), covering spoken language, reading and writing. We take great pride in using high quality, rich, whole texts to immerse the children. Grammar and Spelling teaching is woven into text based lessons or taught as a stand-alone focus where appropriate. Phonics progression in school follows “Letters and Sounds”.

Mathematics

Mathematics units are based upon the ‘White Rose Maths Hub Mastery’ resources and Abacus Active Learn schemes of work.  There is a yearly overview for each year group from Year 1 to Year 6. Each term is split into blocks of work, with time allowed for the introduction of new content and the integration of fluency, reasoning and problem solving. In Reception we use a school designed curriculum, shaped by the children’s needs and supplemented with Numicon materials and other resources.

Science

Science planning follows the ‘Snap Science’ scheme of work which ensures a practical based approach to science teaching. Units are planned in such a way that enable children to build on prior knowledge as they move through the school and give an opportunity for enrichment activities, including trips, which enable children to extend their knowledge in real life situations.

Religious Education

Throughout the school, an enquiry approach is used to teach Religious Education using Discovery RE and Understanding Christianity frameworks for the children’s learning. As a Church of England school, different faiths, along with Christianity are an important part of the RE curriculum. Along with daily collective worship, RE provides space for children to reflect on their own ideas and develop their thoughts about questions of meaning and ethics.

Computing

Computing planning is based on the Barnet scheme and includes units on Computer Science, Programming, Digital Literacy and Creative IT. E-safety is taught in all year groups annually to ensure the children have an age-appropriate understanding of online safety.

History

History is a school designed curriculum and is focuses on pupils gaining a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Teaching equips pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. Children have three units of history learning per year and teachers use Voyagers (Rising Stars) as a basis for their History planning. History is often enriched with trips and experiences to strengthen children’s knowledge and understanding.

Geography

Teachers use the scheme Oddizzi as a basis for planning to quip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.

Design and Technology

Design and Technology is a school designed curriculum.  Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the process of designing and making.  Units also focus on cooking and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating.

French

French is a school designed curriculum for all classes. In EYFS and KS1, the children are primarily taught through songs, rhymes and stories. The KS2 curriculum provides opportunities for the development of spoken and some language using the context of familiar themes and routines.

Music

Music follows the ‘Charanga’ scheme with units covering: Listening and Appraising; Musical Activities – creating and exploring; and Singing and Performing. From Y1, all pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (funded by parents), and whole class tuition is built into the Y5 curriculum; this is typically a chance for the children to explore the rhythm and sound of African Djembe drums.

Physical Education

Physical education is partly based on a scheme written in conjunction with All for Sport, who provide expert Sports coaches to co-deliver one PE lesson per week. There are two units each term covering gymnastics, dance, athletics and games across the year. Dancing is concentrated into our Summer 1 term where the whole school learn progressive May Day dances for our annual May Day celebration. All children in KS2 have the opportunity to take part in a programme of swimming lessons to enable them to meet the end of Key Stage Two National Curriculum requirements.

Art

Art is a school designed curriculum adapted from both Hamilton Trust and Suffolk scheme used to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design

PSHE

The school makes a conscious effort to incorporate PSHE into the curriculum, placing a great deal of importance on the children’s values and well-being and the part they can play in the sustainability agenda. We use Jigsaw PSHE scheme which provides a series of sequential and developmental ‘puzzles’ across each year group.

Curriculum Enrichment

Our curriculum is extended by a variety of enrichment activities including day visits, workshops, cultural experiences and residential trips from Year 4.  We also offer after school clubs and a growing number of lunchtime clubs, which are available throughout the school year. St. Mary’s School has links with local secondary schools and upper KS2 pupils are offered opportunities to experience subject ‘challenge days’ such as Maths and Science in a secondary school environment.

   

Curriculum Impact:

St. Mary’s School uses rigorous triangulated monitoring throughout the year to gauge the impact of the curriculum design.  The impact is evidenced as follows:

  • The children enjoy their learning and we believe it is this enjoyment of the curriculum that promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour.
  • The range of learning opportunities provided enables the children to develop their own interests, skills and strengths whilst also providing them with new challenges. Children feel safe to try new things.
  • The design of our curriculum ensures that the needs of individual and small groups of children can be met within the environment of high quality first wave teaching, supported by targeted, proven interventions where appropriate. This has a very positive impact on children’s outcomes.
  • Rigorous assessment and tracking of children’s performance takes place to inform classroom practice, allowing children to make good progress and close attainment gaps.
  • A high proportion of children participate in extra-curricular activities.
  • Subject Leaders are aware of the strengths and areas for improvement and use this information to produce purposeful action plans that continue to develop the curriculum offer.

For any curriculum based questions, please speak to either of the Deputy Headteachers; Mrs Beechey or Mrs Richardson, who oversee the curriculum across the school.