Overview
Welcome to our Curriculum Overview Page!
The Curriculum at St. Stephen’s Church of England Primary School...
INTENT
At St. Stephen’s Church of England Primary School, we aim to provide a literacy-rich curriculum that is broad and balanced, and meets the needs of the children in our diverse community. The curriculum is planned to adhere to the Equality Act 2010 ensuring a bespoke approach where appropriate. We aim to motivate and inspire children through a curriculum that engages, challenges and makes full use of local ‘treasures’ on offer.
Our curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop skills, with literacy at the heart, ensuring effective progression within each subject and across all year groups. Our ambition is to develop the ‘whole child’, nurturing children’s talents and celebrating their achievements and successes, both academically and in areas such as ‘The Arts’, ‘PE and Sport’ and ‘Mental Health and Well-being’.
Our school vision, christian values and distinctiveness, alongside our strapline of ‘Respect, Aspire and Achieve’, are at the core of our curriculum and all that we do at St. Stephen’s.
IMPLEMENTATION
At St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. Our curriculum is well-planned and provides literacy-rich, cross-curricular opportunities to meet the needs of all learners. Bespoke planning for children with SEND creates accessibility for all and a regard to equity supports what each child needs.
All year groups have a ‘focus theme’, which links English to the wider curriculum. Teachers use carefully selected, high-quality focus reading texts, relating to History, Geography or Science focus themes, to deliver elements of the English curriculum.
Within the wider curriculum, teachers ensure that there are opportunities planned for children to further develop their literacy skills, including regular cross-curricular writing, ensuring that standards are consistent across the curriculum.
Knowledge and vocabulary are fundamental within our literacy-rich curriculum. Lessons are well-planned to develop and increase children’s knowledge, building on prior experiences and making connections in their learning. Children are immersed in and exposed to an extensive vocabulary, which is high-level and subject-specific, to extend their breadth of language.
For each ‘focus theme’, teachers plan an inspiring stimulus, an exciting home learning project and a range of enrichment opportunities, to hook and engage children and parents and make learning purposeful and relevant. Parents are provided with ‘curriculum newsletters’ at the start of each term, to encourage discussion with their child and deepen their knowledge and breadth of vocabulary.
Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’, including the use of specialist teachers in PE and Music. Enrichment opportunities, including outdoor learning, inspirational visitors and exciting educational visits, provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge. Knowledge and skills are accurately assessed against ‘Age-Related Descriptors’ and ‘knowledge-based learning objectives’.
Our curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens who treat others with dignity and respect. Fundamental British Values are actively promoted in order to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain. Our Christian Values are woven into our daily lives and teaching, giving our children time to reason, ask big questions, empathise, offer their kindness and develop a sense of ownership and belonging. Our Passport for Life is a unique programme that is educational, nurturing and fun. It equips our children with skills that go beyond the National Curriculum and celebrates their individuality.
Our curriculum is continually shaped and developed to meet children’s interests and needs, and is supported by practices based on credible research.
IMPACT
Our literacy-rich curriculum ensures that children are knowledgeable and skilled, achieve well and make excellent progress at each stage of their education. Through the breadth and depth that our curriculum offers, children have strong character traits and are rounded and grounded, confident and resilient, and well-equipped for the future. Our curriculum enables children to become articulate and enthusiastic learners, creatively and physically competent, with high aspirations and ambition. All leaders are involved in monitoring the curriculum for its effectiveness. We value the feedback from our children and use all of our monitoring evidence to continually improve standards and achieve the very best for our children.
Further information on our curriculum, please refer to the following pages:
• Curriculum Plans
• Essential Learning Experiences
• Subject Pages
• National Curriculum
* SEND, Disability & Equality
If you have any questions regarding the curriculum we teach please contact the school directly.