St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Curriculum Statement

At St Mary’s, we develop the children’s work by helping them to make sense of the world in which they live, starting with their immediate environment. Our curriculum is balanced and broad-based, and we use cross-curricular themes, where appropriate, to ensure effective, relevant and interesting learning. We recognise that all children progress at different rates in various areas of study and activity, and in this respect we cater for individual needs. We always encourage the children to achieve the highest standards of which they are capable in both attitude and performance.

The school follows a curriculum Programme of Study for Religious Education called “Come & See” which has been approved by the Bishops of England and Wales.

Long term planning for each phase can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

The school uses the Primary Framework for Literacy and Maths and the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for all the following subjects:

English: Speaking & Listening, Reading, Writing
Mathematics: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Number, Shape Space & Measures, Handling Data
Science: Scientific enquiry, Life Processes and Living Things, Materials and their properties, Physical processes. Knowledge, Skills & Understanding underpins all of the above.
Design & Technology: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, developing, planning & communicating ideas, Working with tools, equipment, materials & components to make quality products, Evaluating processes & products.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT): Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Finding things out, Developing ideas & making things happen, Exchanging & sharing information, Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses.
History: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Chronological understanding, Knowledge & understanding of events, people, & changes in the past, Historical interpretation, Historical enquiry, organisation & communication.
Geography: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Geographical enquiry & skills, Knowledge & understanding of places, Knowledge & understanding of patterns & processes, Knowledge & understanding of environmental change & sustainable development.
Art & Design: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Exploring & developing ideas, Investigating & making art, craft & design, Evaluating & developing work.
Music: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, controlling sounds through singing & playing - performing skills, Creating & developing musical ideas – composing skills, Responding & reviewing – appraising skills, Listening & applying knowledge & understanding.
Physical Education: Knowledge, Skills & Understanding, Acquiring & developing skills, Selecting & applying skills, tactics, & compositional ideas, Evaluating & improving performance, Knowledge & understanding of fitness & health. (This includes: Dance, Games activities, & Gymnastic activities. In addition the following are taught in Key Stage 2: water safety and swimming, Athletic activities & Outdoor & adventurous activities
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE): this is taught throughout KS1 and KS2 using a combination of National Curriculum and Diocesan Guidelines & programmes of Study.
Modern Foreign Language (MFL): Our chosen modern foreign language is Italian. This consists of learning basic vocabulary and playing games and role play using Italian as well as learning about customs, traditions and the culture of Italy.

We know that children learn best when they are engaged in their learning and when it is creative and stimulating. We therefore deliver as much of the curriculum as possible through our termly Creative Curriculum Topics.

Reception class topics are based on the children’s interests using the school environment as much as possible and in particular their Outdoor Learning space at the front of the school.

The rest of the school plan their topics linked to the new 2014 National Curriculum.
Whenever possible, the links between the different subjects are identified and are planned into the termly topic. However some aspects of the teaching for the different subjects will not fit into the Creative Curriculum topic and will be taught separately. At the beginning of every term each class teacher sends out an overview to parents of what is being taught in each subject and how it links with their Topic, along with suggestions for how the children’s learning can be supported at home.
Topic overviews for each term can be found on our Curriculum In Action page.