St John's Church Of England Primary School
01206 841288
admin@st-johns-colchester.essex.sch.uk
CURRICULUM INFORMATION
ENGLISH
The school uses a number of schemes to plan learning for the different areas and phases of the English curriculum. These are used to set learning that best suits each class and individual pupils.
Reading is an integral part of the English Curriculum and should be reflected as much in the time spent developing the skills. Reading lessons should take place on a daily basis. Either as part of the normal English work / introduction to text types and genres or as stand-alone reading lessons.
In reading lesson there should be a whole class input. Teachers may choose this approach for the whole lesson or they may include focused group work. Group work may involve both adult led and independent groups. All tasks will be focused on the same learning intention(s).
- In EYFS and KS1 to support phonics development St Johns uses the Little Wandle Phonics programme https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/
- In KS2 to support reading we have: the "Literacy Leaves" from the Literacy Tree curriculum (see Curriculum planning links below, an expansive and Lexile Library, Headstart comprehension and assessment resources, and Reading intervention materials.
- Across Year R - 6 for writing we use the Literacy Tree Planning Sequences that teaches all aspects of writing (compositions, transcription, spelling, punctuation and grammar). See the curriculum links below.
Alongside the curriculum planning teachers focus on the areas below.
Each lesson has a focus that the teachers and TAs explore with the children. The following skills are included:
Comprehension Skills
Vocabulary
Inference
Predictions
Evaluation
Retrieve
Summarise
Supporting Reading Skills
Fluency
Expression
Enjoyment
Decoding (including phonics)
MATHS
For planning in maths St John's uses the White Rose Maths sequencing of units and progression of skills and knowledge (White Rose Maths). There are a number of supporting material that help enrich the teaching and learning. The curriculum approach has a focus on Mastery the progression through: Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract learning (CPA); a focus on Questioning and reasoning and problem-solving. The progression of learning is below and the supporting resources are NCETM ready to progress materials, I See reasoning, Nrich resources and WRM number sense. Alongside the daily teaching of Maths each class will have a daily focus on practice maths (practicing topics in maths that are not the focus of the main lesson) and mental maths sessions.
SCIENCE
In Science we use the "PLAN Materials" Curriculum . This curriculum helps map out the topic’s children need to learn while also having a real focus. There is a focus on scientific skills, experiments and investigations as shown in both the progression of knowledge grid and the progression of skills grids. You can follow the links below for more information.
PLAN progression of vocabulary
PLAN progression of working scientifically
PLAN Progression summary in EYFS
RELIGOUS EDUCATION
We use the Essex Agreed syllabus to plan the knowledge and skills in RE. The subject tis split into 3 areas, Theology, Philosophy and Human and social sciences. There is a focus on children developing over time a real understanding of all religions, their similarities and differences and how they effect individuals and communities and how they live their lives.
RE Progression Essex Agreed Syllabus
FOUNDATION SUBJECTS
Foundation subjects are taught separately but where links can be made they are. This helps the cohesion of the curriculum, however, we deliberately do not make efforts to link all subjects as this can lead to tenuous links being made a disjointed curriculum. For Each subject see the progression grids and curriculum statements and supporting documents below.
HISTORY
For our History Curriculum we use the "Key Stage History" site https://www.keystagehistory.co.uk. This site promotes a continual review of the curriculum and an inquiry based approach that leads pupils to learn knowledge and skills though a question based approach. This has been positively received by children and teachers. The school has reviewed and adapted the site's progression grids to match the specific year groups and topics used in school. See relevant paperwork below.
Key Stage 2 Historical Skills Coverage.
Key Stage 2 Long Term Plan and Coverage.
GEOGRAPHY
For the Geography curriculum we use a planning framework called "Plan Bee". The curriculum was chosen as it closely matched our existing curriculum but it also developed this further and showed clear progression for both the geographical knowledge but also the geographical skills that pupils need to learn. The topics were easy to link to other areas of the curriculum, adding to cohesion and showed a clear ambitious outcome for all pupils. The plans are well resourced but also allow for teachers to adapt lessons to best suit their teaching style and to suit the pupils they have in the class. See the supporting documents below for more information.
Geography Knowledge and Skills Progression Years 1-6
Geography Objective Coverage Years 1-6
COMPUTING
At St John's we offer a structured sequence of lessons in various units and areas of computing, that ensures pupils have covered the skills required to meet the aims of the national curriculum. The content allows for a broad, deep understanding of computing and how it links to children's lives. It offers a range of opportunities for consolidation, challenge, and variety. This allows children to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science. They develop analytical problem-solving skills and learn to evaluate and apply information technology. It also enables them to become responsible, competent, confident, and creative users of information technology.
Lessons contain revision, analysis and problem-solving. Through the sequence of lessons, pupils are inspired to develop a love of the digital world and see its place in their future. Cross-curricular links are also important in supporting other areas of learning. Lessons are planned to help children build on prior knowledge at the same time as introducing new skills and challenges.
Computing Progression Map and Intent, Implementation and Impact Years 1-6
Computing Unit Coverage Years 1-6
MUSIC
At St John's CofE Primary school we use the KAPOW music curriculum. It aims to give all children a fun and engaging experience of music that gives children the opportunity to listen to, appreciate and recreate music from a variety of genres and cultures. A key principle is that children develop their appreciation of rhythm, tempo and pitch within all types of music and pupils develop their interest and engagement in composing their own music either one their ow in in groups or pairs. All pupils will have an introduction to musical notation.
National Curriculum Maping Music
Music - Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
PSHCE AND SRE
The scheme aims to give children the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that they need to effectively navigate the complexities of life in the 21st Century. The curriculum covers key areas which will support children to make informed choices now and in the future around their health, safety, wellbeing, relationships, and financial matters and will support them in becoming confident individuals and active members of society.
RSE & PSHCE Intent, Implementation and Impact
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
At St johns we want all children to develop an enthusiasm for learning a language. This journey begins in Year 3 with a carefully planned curriculum that focuses on vocabulary acquisition but also places high importance on listening and reading skill within the new language. These skills are learnt through a variety of games, songs interactive activities and tasks that involve speaking, writing, reading and listening.
Language Angels - Foreign Language Policy
Language Angels - Progression Map
Art
At St John’s Church of England School, our Art Curriculum stimulates creativity and imagination across all year groups. Our focus is to expose our pupils to a wide range of skills and techniques, removing the emphasis on the final outcome, to allow our pupils to have freedom in their individual creativity. We provide learning experiences with freedom and opportunity to enable pupils to explore their creative impulse and to communicate what they see, feel and think through drawing, sculpture, colour, texture and collage. Pupils
are provided with many opportunities to learn and revisit new skills and techniques through our inclusive, interwoven approach to the curriculum. We immerse our pupils in work produced by a range of diverse artists, architects and designers to support and develop their understanding of how they perceive the world. Pupils are then inspired to communicate their own thoughts and ideas about the world around them and develop their identities through their own creative art in an environment where they feel safe to
explore ideas.
Art Progression of Knowledge and Skills
DT
At St John’s Church of England Primary School, we teach Design and technology in a way that inspires creativity and imagination. We encourage our pupils to think about real life problems, designing, making and evaluating products with the product,
its purpose and its user in mind. Our aim is to inspire our pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who appreciate the design cycle from concept to production. By providing our children with opportunities to research past and present designs and designers, we encourage them to understand the impact these products have had on daily life.
DT Progression Of Knowledge and Skills
British Values
From September 2014, schools within England have had a duty to promote British Values. The Department for Education (DfE) define them as:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Curriculum Planning
The schools long term plans for each year group are shown in the individual classess. They are updated during September each year so that our most recent planning is shown. Please look for your child's year group under "Classes" to find the relevant curriculum plan.
We have also created a set of documents that show how the school covers the elements of the National Curriculum for the Foundation Subject.
Please click the links below to open each document.
To find more about the National Curriculum please click here.