Curriculum

School Curriculum Aims

Our school curriculum aims are based on our vision and values. Our curriculum aims are as follows:

Early Years

Nursery and Reception

We follow the  Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage  which sets out the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five years. At the end of the Reception year we carry out a statutory assessment of all children.  The results of this assessment are reported to parents and carers at the end of the year.

We teach phonics using the Little Wandle scheme (see below)

We  plan around topics in Reception and Nursery, and we follow the children’s interests and develop learning themes from them. We also join in with the whole school focus areas each term using age-appropriate activities.

The Nursery and Reception staff are always happy to talk to you about your child’s learning, so if you have any questions please ask. Children earn merits if their reading diary is regularly updated by their parent or carer.

The Nursery and Reception staff keep detailed profiles of each child which are available for parents and carers to look at during termly Parents Evenings.

Whole School Themes

Each half term the whole school focuses on a different theme to help us deliver our Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) education programme and focus on the School’s Vision and Values. In 2025/26 our whole school focus topics will continue to be:

  • Autumn Term: Relationships
  • Spring Term: Living In The Wider World
  • Summer Term: School’s Values: Health and Wellbeing

These themes will be threaded through the curriculum taught in each year group and will be taught through cross curricular lessons.

Phonics

We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised as our systematic, synthetic phonics programme. 

We use this because it provides:

  • A daily 30-minute phonics lesson in Reception and Year 1
  • Clear progression with signposting of expected progress
  • Planning and supporting resources 
  • On demand CPD, accessible for all staff
  • Half termly assessments and online tracker tool
  • Keep up programme for Reception and Y1, SEND programme and KS2 Rapid Catch-Up
  • Parent resources for home learning
  • 120+ fully decodable books matched exactly to the progression

Application of phonics to reading

To ensure pupils can apply their phonics to reading, the SSP provides children with three 15-minute reading sessions, with a focus on decoding, prosody and comprehension.  In addition to this, pupils are exposed to high quality texts across the curriculum to support opportunities for the application of their phonic knowledge.

 To ensure fidelity to the program and consistency throughout the school, leaders ensure that:

  • Staff receive regular training 
  • Half termly assessments are monitored place appropriate intervention planned
  • Parents/carers are provided with information throughout the year about how to support their child
  • Learning walks provide opportunities for both formal and informal feedback
  • We regularly invest in new literature for reading for pleasure

If you are a parent/carer and would like to find out more about Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised or download the supporting resources, please click here. 

School Curriculum

Here are our curriculum documents which show the progression in skill and knowledge in each subject from Nursery to Year 6

Statutory Assessments

Reception Baseline Assessment: Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first six weeks after they enter reception.

Year One and Year 2 Phonics Screening Tests: Will take place in the week commencing Monday 8th June 2026

Key Stage 1 Tests: Will be administered during May 2026.

Year Four Multiplication and Times Tables Test: This will take place in the 3-week period from Monday 1st June 2026.

Key Stage 2 Tests: Will be from Monday 11th May to Thursday 14 May 2026.

The results of these tests and/or assessments will be reported to parents and carers during the end of the year parent/carers evening.

Religious Education: The right to withdraw

Religion and belief have become more visible in public life in recent years, making it important that all pupils should have an opportunity to engage in RE.   However, the parent of a pupil at a maintained, foundation or voluntary school (or pupils themselves if they are aged 18 or over) may request that they be excused from all or part of the religious education (RE) provided. 

Parents who wish to withdraw their children from RE should be aware of its aims and what is covered in the RE curriculum and that they are given the opportunity to discuss this if they wish. It should be made clear whether the withdrawal is from the whole RE curriculum or specific parts of it. No reasons need be given

Important – limitations to withdraw

  • If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching.  A pupil may be required to work in another area of the school, such as the leadership room or another classroom.
  • Whilst parents or carers have a right to withdraw children from RE, they should note that children may also encounter religions and beliefs and wider aspects of faith in other areas of the curriculum from which there is no right of withdrawal.
  • On occasion, spontaneous questions about religious matters are raised by pupils or issues related to religion arise in other curriculum subjects such as history or citizenship (PSHE)  For example, schools promote community cohesion and help pupils to understand ideas about identity and diversity, feelings and emotions within both religious and non-religious contexts. 

Managing the Right of Withdrawal  

If pupils are withdrawn from RE, schools have a duty to supervise them, though not to provide additional teaching or to incur extra cost. Pupils will usually remain on school premises where it is feasible and appropriate.

Where a request for withdrawal is made, the school must comply and excuse the pupil until the request is rescinded. Though not legally required, it is good practice for a head teacher to invite parents to discuss their written request. 

(Section 71(3), School Standards and Framework Act 1998).