Our curriculum

The school follows the National Curriculum, taught through a creative approach. Subjects are grouped together within cross curricular themes, and an emphasis is placed on the development and acquisition of skills, followed by the accumulation of subject-specific knowledge. In this way, we encourage children to be independent and interested learners, who take responsibility for their own development and know what they need to do to achieve the next step.

Pupils in the reception group follow the Early Years curriculum, although their activities are closely linked with the Key Stage One Curriculum. In the infant class, children are given some ownership of the curriculum and help their teacher to plan topics which interest them.

The Key Stage Two curriculum is more structured, and whilst the teachers plan collaboratively around themes, each teacher is responsible for specific subjects and teaches to their strengths, as in a secondary school. Pupils benefit from better teacher knowledge in this way, and are also taught by the same teacher for each subject over the four years they spend in KS2, thereby improving continuity and progression.

Phonics is taught throughout the infant class and, in a slightly different format, into the junior class for all pupils. Reading schemes are widely used in the infant class, although by the time most children are in the junior class, they are already independent readers and selecting real books of their choice, from ranges within their ability level. The school puts a great emphasis on reading and comprehension and puts great effort into ensuring all pupils reach age related expectations or more by the time they leave.