Our Curriculum
St Mary’s Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, is committed to meeting the requirements of the Primary National Curriculum and to providing an even sharper focus on the curriculum.
Intent:
Our intent is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all our pupils building on the values of a strong Christian Ethos. Our curriculum reflects the content and challenge of the National Curriculum with the creativeness to encourage our pupils to be individuals and enrichment days to enthuse learners. Topics have been designed to complement and build on one another with clear progression and links, so that in subsequent years, pupils will be able to explore concepts deeper, applying their knowledge in different contexts. Our pupils will gain the knowledge needed for their future learning and gain life skills through our specialism days.
Our school has links with all primary schools within the Trust and we are making more links with our local schools.
Implementation:
Our curriculum has been designed to encompass knowledge and understanding of the world in which we live as well as the events that have shaped it in the past, making it what it is today. We are particularly proud of the respect and care that our children show for one another, the environment, and the community around us.
- Catholic Education provides the foundation for all aspects of learning throughout the curriculum.
- The curriculum is taught with the consideration of the needs of all our learners; it is exciting and inspires children to nurture a passion for learning.
- High priority is given to foundation subjects and curriculum coverage ensuring that our children have a breadth of knowledge to inspire them and fully prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
- Learning sequences are clear, highlight skills progression and contain milestones to ensure children are at the expected standard.
- Subject leaders are given responsibility for leading, managing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing their curriculum areas.
- Teachers and Teaching Assistants are given excellent opportunities to use their subject expertise to enhance the curriculum.
- Enrichment opportunities are taken to enliven the curriculum using educational visits, experience days, visitors. Thus, developing connections in their learning and aid long-term retention.
- An extensive range of high-quality resources including ICT are used effectively to underpin the curriculum. Online safety is taught both discretely and throughout lessons wherever applicable.
Impact:
The rich curriculum we provide enables our children to develop and embrace their God given gifts, talents and skills. They use their excellent grasp of English and Maths to access the skills and knowledge required to achieve high standards in all subjects.
Our carefully planned curriculum enables them to retain information and apply it in a variety of situations. All children become resilient and independent learners.
Our curriculum is underpinned by effective systems to check progress to ensure continuity and challenge. Leaders’ commitment and passion for their subject is infectious and has a tangible effect on the quality of teaching.
Parents can find out more about our curriculum by clicking on the following links:
Click here for the link to National Curriculum 2014
Click here for the link to Cornerstones Curriculum
Click here for New Curriculum Parents Information Booklet
Click here for Curriculum Enrichment Opportunities Info
The Curriculum (Years 1 to 6)
The curriculum at St Mary’s is organised in accordance with the National Curriculum laid down in the Education Reform Act 1988 and the new National Primary Curriculum 2014. As a Catholic school our Mission Statement is with Christ at the centre, we show Unity, Respect, Joy, Love and Courage.
The curriculum at St Mary’s is designed to:
- teach children to be numerate, literate and independent learners.
- show children that learning is purposeful and pleasurable.
- encourage the children to be self-disciplined, courteous and co-operative.
- make each child self-confident and emotionally secure through achievement.
The curriculum is everything that the child experiences during his/her time in school. It includes those aspects that are difficult to quantify - play, assemblies, and social relationships - as well as the teaching/learning situation in class time.
Key Skills
The following skills have been deemed ‘key skills’ in the revised National Curriculum:
- communication
- application of number
- information technology
- working with others
- improving own learning and performance
- problem-solving
Our school believes that all children need to make good progress in these skill areas in order to develop to their true potential.
The Curriculum is made up of Religious Education plus the National Curriculum of three core subjects: English, Maths and Science, and eight foundation subjects: Computing, History, Geography, Design Technology, Languages (French), Music, Art and Design and Physical Education.
We believe in offering a broad, balanced curriculum, which gives time for each subject area - delivered in a variety of different ways, respecting the three different learning styles. Class, group and individual teaching/learning situations are all used according to the children's needs.