There is a national curriculum set for each subject and each year group that ensures children at St Mary’s School get the best education possible.
Curriculum Provision at St Mary’s Church of England Primary School
Our curriculum is underpinned by the National Curriculum (2014); we enhance this with planned opportunities that make up the wider school curriculum. Learning is always exciting and in a meaningful context for children. Where commonality exists between subjects and aspects, learning is linked and lessons taught using a cross-curricular approach. Where this is not achievable, subjects are taught discretely. The rehearsal and application of basic skills learned in the core curriculum is a driver for the entire curriculum.
We place a strong emphasis on the development of the basic skills necessary to be confident independent learners and successful adults. Children rapidly begin to read in our Reception class by following comprehensive teaching of phonics. All children engage in a daily literacy skills session where they develop their reading and comprehension skills in addition to developing a command of all aspects of the English language. In addition, all children take part in a daily English and Mathematics lesson.
Coverage and progression in mathematics is delivered through the Abacus Maths scheme allowing teachers to adapt plans and provide paper based and interactive resources. This also provides online learning activities that can be accessed by the children at home.
Fuller details of the content of each term’s topic are shared on the individual class pages of the school website at the beginning of the term. As the year progresses, these detailed topic plans will accumulate; wherever possible planning is based on the level and interest of the current children in that class, and as such the teachers have to respond and plan accordingly.
At St Mary’s Primary School, children develop a strong sense of moral purpose in addition to a respect and understanding of people who have different characteristics to themselves, whether that be age, disability, gender, race or sexuality. A rigorous, well planned curriculum, delivered by excellent staff in an ethos of care, love and support enables our pupils to be well rounded, empathetic young people who have a thirst for learning and respect for all around them.
Religious Education is delivered through the Wiltshire RE scheme of work.
The curriculum at St Mary’s Church of England Primary School aims to:
- Inspire children to develop a love of learning.
- Embed skills to prepare children for further learning and productive adulthood.
- Take learning beyond the classroom.
- Develop children to become reflective learners who have a sense of responsibility for their own learning and development.
- Build confidence and motivation within our children.
- Grow children who understand the importance of perseverance, resilience and tolerance.
- Enable children to use their acquired skills and knowledge to observe, question and think.
- Learn to value others, their views, cultures and beliefs.
Phonics & Early Reading
The systems we use to support the teaching of phonics are Letters and Sounds.
In order to give children, the best chance of becoming fluent readers within their time at school, we teach them to use synthetic phonics to work out what unknown words are. Your child will be encouraged to learn letter sounds, as well as the sounds of groups of letters, in order to use and apply them to read different words.
How can I Help?
We are really grateful to the parents who spend time supporting the education of their child at home, and reading is one of the key areas where parents can assist. The earlier children are exposed to books, the better they will perform with their reading, as well as their creativity and use of imagination.
Useful Links
