Curriculum Statement
We aim to make every day full of awe, wonder, excitement, challenge and fun, equipping today’s children for tomorrow’s world.
At St Peter and St Paul, our vision, values and Christian ethos are the foundations upon which our school is built. These, in turn, help to shape the way in which we design and deliver our curriculum. The aim of our curriculum at St Peter and St Paul is for pupils to have the skills to be successful, independent and motivated learners, ready for their next stage of education. We aim to create dedicated learners who are confident in their own beliefs and are always respectful of the views of others. We aim to develop resilient learners who are proud of themselves, recognise their achievements and are supportive of others’ successes. By acknowledging the unique child, providing enabling environments and supporting the development of positive relationships, we believe that the curriculum at St Peter and St Paul stimulates, motivates and challenges our pupils to achieve their very best.
Our EYFS Curriculum Statement
Intent
At St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery, we believe that all children deserve an education rich in wonder and memorable experiences that allows children's natural creativity and curiosity to flourish, alongside the purposeful acquisition of skills and knowledge. We believe that an education that does all of this gives children the best chance to become well-rounded, happy individuals, ready to succeed in an ever-changing world.
At St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery, we recognise the importance of giving our children the best possible start to their education by planning and implementing teaching and learning opportunities that supports them in reaching their full potential. We know that our children enter the Nursery and Reception classes with varied life experiences and we aim to plan teaching and learning opportunities accordingly to address this.
The Development Matters document along with The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile set out end of reception year expectations for children by the end of the Foundation Stage. St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery recognises the crucial role that Early Year’s education has to play in providing firm foundations upon which the rest of a child’s education is successfully based.
It is our intention to provide, within the context of our mission statement, a broadly enriched, rounded and stimulating learning environment where children can work with adults and peers in a climate of mutual respect to develop;
- Confidence in their ability to learn.
- The social skills necessary to learn.
- The emotional capabilities to enable them to understand their feelings and to solve problems.
- A unique child.
We aim to provide children, with a well-structured, safe, active learning environment both indoors and outdoors. This will enable them to develop the skills, attitudes and understanding that will form the basis of lifelong learning and encourage them to become useful, active members of a diverse and constantly changing society.
Implementation
At St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery, we meet the welfare requirements laid down in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. We actively safeguard and promote the welfare of all of our children. We recognise that children will learn most effectively when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met and when they have positive relationships with the adults who care for them. We aim to provide a setting that encompasses a safe and stimulating environment where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence that helps them to achieve their fullest potential.
We meet the legal requirements for:
Safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare.
Providing suitable adults with appropriate qualifications, training, skills and knowledge.
Maintaining records, policies and procedures for the safe and efficient management of the setting and to meet the needs of the children.
Planning and organisation to ensure that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and developmental experience tailored to meet their individual needs.
Our policy on teaching and learning defines the features of effective teaching and learning throughout the whole school. The curriculum is planned and implemented using a cross curricular thematic approach across the school and links with the core texts are made. This approach we feel gives children the opportunities to apply learning from across the curriculum that gives their work practical context and also opportunities to apply knowledge and skills they have learned within “real world” problem solving. Each half term, children will cover a new topic. Each topic is delivered incorporating an initial engagement to ‘hook’ the children’s imagination in their new topic. This learning then develops through a series of lessons that builds skills, knowledge and understanding within that topic of learning.
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage reflects the three prime areas and four specific areas of learning identified in the Early Learning Goals, all of which are equally valued at St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery. The experiences our children meet through a balance of adult-initiated and directed, child-initiated activities and a problem-solving approach to learning, enable them to develop a number of competences across all areas of learning. The Early Learning Goals are in line with the National Curriculum and provide the basis for planning throughout the Foundation Stage.
St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery provides a safe and stimulating outdoor learning environment in order to enhance teaching and learning in engaging, problem solving, investigative and explorative ways. Children have free access to the outdoor environment which enables them to increase their levels of physical activity. Children’s learning is enabled within the outdoor learning environment which is seen as an extension of the classroom within which children are encouraged to use and apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills.
Throughout the Nursery and Reception years as part of the learning and teaching process, children will be assessed.These judgements are made on the basis of accumulative observations and in depth knowledge of the children acquired through ongoing assessment. These ongoing assessments are used to inform planning and next steps in teaching and learning for all children throughout the year. At the end of Reception, assessments are finalised during the summer term, summarising each child’s development at that point against the Early Learning Goals and Development Matters.
Impact
With the successful implementation of both an enriched, rounded and balanced curriculum and a well-structured, safe, active and challenging learning environment, both indoors and outdoors children will be able to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that enables them to be successful learners. Children will be actively engaged in learning and their enjoyment of this learning will be apparent to all. All children will have experienced a curriculum that provides, exciting and enriching learning experiences and opportunities for children to learn through educational visits and hands on experiences. Children will learn to appreciate and understand the world around them, experiencing and learning about different cultures, music, dance, art and history. Children will actively ask questions about the world around them and their learning experiences. Children will be skilful at solving problems and they will have effectively developed their personal levels of resilience and independent learning skills. Children will be successful learners and fully prepared for the next stage of their education as they transition from Foundation Stage to Year One. We will also aim to help children to make sense of the world around them, to develop tolerance, compassion and an understanding of their rights and the rights of others in an ever-evolving world. Children at the end of Foundation stage will have developed essential knowledge and skills required for everyday life and lifelong learning. Children at St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery will be well-rounded, happy, inquisitive and successful learners.
KS1 and 2 Curriculum Statement
Intent
The KS1 and 2 curriculum at St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery is designed to provide a broad and balanced education that is inclusive of the needs of all pupils and gives them the skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare them for life’s journey.
We recognise our role in developing children’s sense of justice and the associated skills and attitudes to become valued citizens of the future, in a safe and nurturing environment.
We aim to raise aspirations and stop social and economic disadvantage by providing enriching opportunities to increase cultural capital.
The aim of our curriculum is for pupils to have the necessary skills to be successful, independent and motivated learners in readiness for their next stage of education. It is important that the curriculum prepares children for their future and builds on our key values.
Within a climate of high expectation and challenge, all children are guided, supported and inspired to fulfil their true potential, emotionally, physically, spiritually and intellectually, both during their time at school and in their life ahead.
Implementation
At St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery, 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, as they progress through each Key Stage.
Our curriculum follows the 2014 National Curriculum and thematic topics are taught throughout the school. Themed topics are devised to teach defined skills, knowledge and understanding in a structured way that ensures progression through the school, consistency across year groups and coverage over time.
The themed topics have been designed to complement and build on one another with clear progression and links so that in subsequent year groups, children will be able to explore concepts deeper, applying their knowledge in different contexts. Immersion days, hooks and other enrichment activities are key to the curriculum design. Foundation subjects are delivered using a thematic topic approach and assessed using the National Curriculum as a basis to ensure coverage and progression throughout the school.
All staff take responsibility for areas of subject leadership. Staff are encouraged to attend appropriate CPD and experienced staff regularly provide INSET for teachers and TAs. Subject leaders monitor planned lessons and offer advice, support and guidance to further improve planned lessons. Subject leaders visit classes to observe lessons, they monitor the work in books and spend time talking to the children about their learning. The school regularly receives feedback from the children through pupil voice.
The more able are challenged further in their learning through enrichment sessions and children who find aspects of their learning more difficult are appropriately supported so that they too are enabled to experience success.
The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of our pupils and their understanding of the core values of our school, are embedded within the curriculum and through themed days.
The English curriculum is delivered using Talk for Writing (T4W) which develops children’s writing skills through imitation, innovation and independence. Alongside this, children experience lessons on grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting.
The school uses core texts, linked to the topic, as a basis for English planning.
The Mathematics curriculum is split into two parts: arithmetic and reasoning.
Each day the children have a dedicated Arithmetic session – working on the key arithmetic methods within the curriculum. Typically, in KS1 this is 10 minutes per day, whilst in KS2 it is typically 20 minutes/daily.
The reasoning lessons are delivered principally through the White Rose Scheme of learning, supplemented by Classroom Secret resources. We want our children to become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately.
English and mathematics are taught in mixed ability groups. In all year groups, there are small group interventions in order to support pupils in gaining the key skills to become successful readers, writers and mathematicians. However, the emphasis is on quality first teaching which means minimal intervention is required. Teachers are encouraged to use pre and post teaching as appropriate.
R.E. is taught using ‘Understanding Christianity’ and ‘Emmanuel’ units of work throughout the school. This ensures that children have the opportunity to engage with religion and reflect on what this means to them.
Pupils have opportunities to share their learning with each other, their parents and carers and other learners through school-based and external exhibitions, performances, competitions and events involving other schools.
Impact
From their own starting points, children will make excellent progress academically and socially, developing a sense of spirituality so that they are well prepared for the next stage in their life journey.
All of our children will have the skills, knowledge and understanding to be successful in all that they choose to do. They will leave St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery confident individuals, with a deep respect for others, which is embedded through their behaviour and them as citizens of the future. They will have the belief that they can overcome the biggest challenges, with the guidance of the Christian faith.
Please browse our website to look at subject specific information under curriculum or class pages for further information regarding our curriculum delivery. Click on the class name to what has been planned for this academic year: Butterfly Class (Nursery), Bumblebee Class (Nursery), Badger Class (Reception), Barn Owl Class (Y1), Dragonfly Class (Y2), Fox Class (Y3), Hedgehog Class (Y4), Starling Class (Y5) and Wildcat Class (Y6).